Daynara Dias Souza who is currently completing a Doctoral Degree in Science at LUT University, Finland, recently spent time on secondment in CyRIC, Cyprus. CyRIC is the only Business Innovation Center (BIC) in Cyprus certified by the European Business Network. CYRIC offers Research and Innovation Services for customers in the fields of engineering design and prototyping, electronics and communications and software solutions.
Daynara chose CyRIC for her secondment due to the company’s expertise and ability to support the development of her doctoral dissertation in topics related to wireless communication and drone technology. During her time in Cyprus, Daynara took part in regular meetings with the research group discussing new research papers, brainstorming open problems, ideas, and potential solutions, while also tracking progress and following up on ongoing research.
Her main collaborators in Cyrus were Ioannis Krikidis, Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the University of Cyprus and Dr Konstantinos Ntougias, Research Associate. Together, they discussed developing a clustering method for access point selection in cell-free massive MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) networks. Dr Antonis Hadjiantonis, Manager of the Electronics and Networks Division of CyRIC, also presented their developed IoT solutions and commercial products.
“During this secondment, I had the opportunity to explore new research topics and understand how this research can be applied to develop practical solutions for industry. This experience has significantly contributed to my development as a future PhD in Electrical Engineering. Additionally, it fostered the exchange of ideas between universities and industries, aligning perfectly with the objectives of the COALESCE project,” explained Daynara.
She added, “My biggest takeaway from my time in Cyprus was the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing research. Working closely with experts like Prof Ioannis Krikidis and Dr Konstantinos Ntougias gave me new insights into problem-solving approaches and methodologies in wireless communication. My main goal is to strength this initial collaboration and continue developing research with them in the future.”
Daynara was also fortunate to have the opportunity to explore the country’s rich history and culture by visiting museums, and travelled to coastal cities, where she enjoyed the stunning beaches and delicious local cuisine. Additionally, she took the chance to learn some basics of the Greek language, which helped to immerse herself further in the local culture.
The research on developing a clustering method for access point selection in cell-free massive MIMO networks is still ongoing. Going forward, next steps include fine-tuning the coding, running simulations to validate the results, and preparing the findings for publication through paper writing and submission.
