Jeff Reed elected fellow of the National Academy of Inventors
Over the course of his 30-year career at Virginia Tech, Reed has mentored countless students; received $86 million in research funding, and holds 20 U.S. patents and six foreign patents in the field of wireless communications.
Jeff Reed, a renowned leader in wireless research and technology, has been named a 2024 fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.
The Willis G. Rocester professor for the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) joins an elite group of fellows, including Virginia Tech President Tim Sands and ECE colleagues Eric Burger and Alan Michaels.
“Dr. Reed’s groundbreaking work has made a significant impact through innovations in spectrum sharing, modem design, smart antennas, side-channel analysis, and software radios,” Sands said. “He’s an internationally recognized researcher and inventor who has inspired and encouraged future researchers and inventors who will impact our society for generations to come. I’m honored to welcome Dr. Reed to the National Academy of Inventors as a fellow.”
Patented global impact
Reed holds 20 U.S. patents and six foreign patents in the field of wireless communications and cybersecurity signal processing, nine of which have been licensed. His seminal patent, System and method for heterogeneous spectrum sharing between commercial cellular operators and legacy incumbent users in wireless networks, is the cornerstone of one of the companies he co-founded, Federated Wireless, which is a market leader in shared spectrum. The patent protects both distributed spectrum sharing and spectrum-sensing, and use of geo-reference databases.
Federated Wireless, which has an estimated valuation of $500 million to $1 billion, makes deploying and managing new 5G private wireless networks simple, affordable, and accessible. It serves more than 350 customers, employs over 100 professionals, and has raised over $200 million in venture capital. Several members of the Federated Wireless team are Virginia Tech alumni and former students of Reed’s.
“Dr. Reed’s innovative work has had a substantial impact on society,” said Kurt Schaubach ’90, MS ’92, the chief technology officer for Federated Wireless and one of Reed’s graduate students. “Work on Federated Wireless began as early as 2009, when Dr. Reed served as an advisor on the President’s Council of Advisors in Science and Technology working group. The Citizens Broadband Radio Service [CBRS] was established as a result of the working group’s recommendations. Today, CBRS is a tremendous commercial success and a shining example around the world of U.S. innovation in spectrum sharing, cloud software automation, and 5G wireless.”
In addition to Federated Wireless, Reed co-founded PFP Cybersecurity (formerly Power Fingerprinting), Cirrus360, and Cognitive Radio Technologies.
Leading research and innovation
Over the course of his 30-year career at Virginia Tech, Reed has mentored countless students, received $86 million in research funding, was the founding director of the Hume Center for National Security and Technology, and founded Wireless@Virgnia Tech – one of the largest and most comprehensive university wireless research groups in the U.S. He also serves as the chief technology officer for the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, for which he was the founding executive director.
In 2005, Reed was named a fellow of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers for contributions to software radio and communications signal processing and leadership in engineering education. In 2013, he received the international achievement award from the Wireless Innovations Forum for his impactful research.
“Dr. Reed's induction into the National Academy of Inventors is a testament to his pioneering work in wireless communications. Having known him first as a student and now as a colleague, I have witnessed his relentless pursuit of innovation,” Harpreet Dhillon, interim ECE department head and the W. Martin Johnson Professor of Engineering said. “His work has not only advanced research in wireless communications, but has also inspired generations of students and researchers to strive for excellence. This recognition is a well-deserved milestone in his remarkable career.”
Reed has authored over 20 books, including his leading work on software-defined radio, and more than 300 publications in leading journals and conference proceedings. He has led or co-led over 100 research projects focused on software radios, smart antennas, cognitive communications, and signal processing.
Reed has his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in electrical and computer engineering from the University of California, Davis.
About the National Academy of Inventors 2024 class
According to the National Academy of Inventors, the 2024 fellow class hails from 118 research universities and governmental and nonprofit research institutions worldwide. This class includes 89 individuals from the Association of American Universities institutions and 128 individuals from R1 universities, which have very high research activity. Collectively, the 2024 fellows hold more than 4,600 issued U.S. patents.
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