Christina Chaccour, Ph.d.,
Network Solutions Manager at Ericsson Inc, Plano, TX
Professional Research Scientist
Email: christinac@ieee.org
BIO
Christina Chaccour is a professional research scientist, engineer, and entrepreneur. She holds a B.E. in Electrical Engineering with Highest Distinction (Summa Cum Laude) from Notre Dame University, Louaize (NDU), Lebanon, and an M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA. She has completed her Ph.D. degree from the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech, where she conducted her research under the guidance of Professor Walid Saad.
Currently, Christina serves as a Network Solutions Manager at Ericsson Inc. In her role, she plays a pivotal role in driving technology advancements and shaping the future of network solutions, particularly in the realm of next-generation wireless systems, including the advanced 5G and forthcoming 6G networks. Her responsibilities encompass exploring and developing industry standards, harnessing the power of AI technologies, and making significant contributions to innovations in the metaverse.
Christina's research interests span various areas, including wireless communications, extended reality (XR), digital worlds, 5G and 6G networks, terahertz (THz) frequency bands, machine learning, and semantic communications. Her expertise in these domains has led her to derive pioneering performance analysis results, particularly regarding the utilization of 6G systems at THz frequencies to meet perceptual and haptic requirements for next-generation XR and holographic systems. Notably, Christina's research contributions have earned her recognition, such as the Best Paper Award for her her first peer-reviewed conference paper at the 10th IFIP Conference on New Technologies, Mobility, and Security (NTMS), Canary Islands, in 2019. Her paper in IEEE Communication Surveys and Tutorials was also featured on the Top Access article listing from June 2022 till November 2022.
Furthermore, Christina actively shares her insights, knowledge, and research contributions with others in the field. She has been selected as a speaker at multiple talks and tutorials in various conferences, academic, and industrial events, with a focus on 6G, THz bands, AI for wireless, and the metaverse.
Christina's dedication to her field extends beyond her research and managerial roles. She has served as a reviewer and a technical program committee member for various IEEE transactions and flagship conferences. Her editorial and professional services were recognized with the Exemplary Reviewer (fewer than 2%) award from IEEE Transactions on Communications in 2021.
As an entrepreneur, Christina co-founded Internet of Trees (IOTree), a startup that has received numerous local and international awards. Her passion for innovation and entrepreneurship is evident in her ambition to build new wireless technology from the ground up, utilizing her academic expertise and innovative spirit to create cutting-edge solutions that shape the future of the industry. Christina has gained valuable industry experience through her summer internship positions at Ericsson Inc,, Plano, TX, USA, and Cadence Design Systems, Munich GmBh.
Moreover, Christina is deeply committed to promoting gender equity and diversity in the tech industry. She is a passionate advocate for women's empowerment and strives to increase opportunities for women and other underrepresented groups in STEM fields. Christina's cosmopolitan nature and desire to explore diverse cultures further contribute to her well-rounded perspective. Fluent in five languages, she can connect with individuals from various backgrounds and gain valuable insights into unique perspectives.
Awards and Distinctions
Top Accessed Article Listing for the paper: “Seven Defining Features of Terahertz (THz) Wireless Systems: A Fellowship of Communication and Sensing” in IEEE Communications Surveys and Tutorials, (Includes the 50 most frequently accessed documents for this publication), June 2022- November 2022.
Exemplary Reviewer (fewer than 2%) award from IEEE Transactions on Communications in 2021. (See story here)
Best Paper Award at The 10th IFIP International Conference on New Technologies, Mobility and Security (NTMS) on her paper: "On the Reliability of Wireless Virtual Reality at Terahertz (THz) Frequencies" in the Mobility & Wireless Networks Track, Canary Islands, June 2019.
Finalist Team (IOTree) in the Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC) at University of California Berkeley (U.C. Berkeley), April 2019
The Alfa and Ericsson IoT Award, for the project Gaia (a Smart Irrigation System), May 2018 (See story here)
Second Prize Award in the Lebanese Industrial Research Association (LIRA) 14th Forum for the startup project IO Tree, December 2018 (See story here).
LIRA Fund Award for the startup IO Tree, May 2018.
First Prize Award in Agrytech Hackathon, for the Startup IO Tree (Internet of Trees), April 2018 (See story here).
First Prize Award in Startup Weekend Mount Lebanon by Google for Entrepreneurs, February 2018.
Second Prize Award in the LIRA 13th Forum of Technology & Industrial Innovation- Mechatronics Section, for the Project AgroRobot, December 2017 (See story here).
Academic Excellence Scholarship, Notre Dame University- Louaize, 2013-2018.