Doctoral student Shuaifeng Jiang received a 2023 Meta Research PhD Fellowship. Mentored by Assistant Professor Ahmed Alkhateeb, Jiang will receive two years of paid tuition and fees, a $42,000 stipend and networking opportunities with researchers at Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

The program aims to support researchers in areas key to Meta’s business. Jiang’s fellowship is in the area of augmented and virtual reality wireless systems.

His research experience so far has focused on the fusion of wireless and multimodal sensing for applications in communications and augmented and virtual reality. For the Meta Research PhD Fellowship, he aims to use wireless and visual sensors to create more realistic simulated environments to improve the AR and VR user experience.

“This fellowship represents an extraordinary opportunity to amplify the reach and impact of my research,” Jiang says. “It paves the way for collaborations and invaluable learning experiences with top experts from diverse research backgrounds, helping me broaden my horizons and sharpen my skillset.”

He says that the financial support from the fellowship will enable him to dedicate all of his time spent working to research. He expects that the researchers at Meta, as a prominent company in the AR and VR space, will have valuable insights into potential practical applications for his work.

Jiang says that the fellowship also enhances his prospects for future positions in both industry and academia.

“Winning this prestigious fellowship not only brings a sense of accomplishment, but also motivates me to push the boundaries of innovation,” he says. “I am eager to make the most of this opportunity and do impactful research.”