Dr Sunday Ekpo

Dr Sunday Ekpo BEng (Hons), PGCAP, MSc, MA, PhD, CEng, SMIEEE, SFHEA

Senior Lecturer in Electrical & Electronic Engineering

My profile

Biography

I like to study about eschatology and new developments in science and technology. Furthermore, I play football, table tennis and lawn tennis. I like walking and visiting new places.

Words of wisdom

Embrace challenges as gateways to life-transforming opportunities. Dare to be a pioneer! Failure is a pillar of success at a level. Only a delivered deliverer can deliver. Going forward is not an option but a choice. Live your future and let your present be unhindered by your past.

Academic and professional qualifications

  • Master of Art in Higher Education;
  • PGC in Academic Practice;
  • PhD in Electrical & Electronic Engineering;
  • MSc Communication Engineering;
  • BEng (Hons) in Electrical & Electronic Engineering;
  • Chartered Engineer (CEng);
  • PRINCE2 Certification;
  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK.

A Senior Lecturer in Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Other academic service (administration and management)

  • Early Career Researchers Coordinator:
    • Department of Engineering [Smart Infrastructure and Industry Research Group]
  • Unit Leader:
    • Advanced Electronic Design;
    • Electronic Engineering Design;
    • Foundation Engineering Design & Practice; 
    • Advanced Communication and Networks;
    • Computer and Networks Technology I.
  • Research Team Leader: Communication and Space Systems Engineering
  • Ethics Review Team Member for Engineering
  • Outreach and Recruitment Team Member for Engineering

Languages

Ibibio; and

English

External examiner roles

  • Defence Institute Academy & Technology/ University, India;
  • Visvesvaraya Technological University, India;
  • AdvanceHE UK-Certified External Examiner for Higher Education.

Expert reviewer

International Technical Papers Peer-Reviewer

  • IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine (August 2023 - Date);
  • IEEE Access Journal (April 2018 - Date); 
  • IEEE Systems Journal (Dec. 2017 – Date);
  • IEEE Transactions on Audio, Speech and Language Processing (Feb. 2016 – Date);
  • IEEE Transactions on Circuits & Systems: Regular Papers II (Mar. 2016 – Date);
  • IET Communications Journal (Feb. 2015 – Date);
  • IEEE/IET International Symposium on Communication Systems, Networks and Digital Signal Processing Conference (Jun. 2015 – Date);
  • Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society Conference and Journal (Sept. 2013 – Date);
  • International IEEE Systems Conference (Oct. 2013 – Date).

Independent Research Degree Scrutineer and Reviewer

  • Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Consultancy and advisory roles

[1] Communication and Space Systems R&D Engineering Consultant
[2] IEEE Standards Association
  • Working Group: IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society Society/TC9 - Sensor Technology;
  • Standards Committee: IEEE P3388 (Industrial Wireless Systems) standard 
  • Role:  An expert contributor to the IEEE P3388 standard which is aimed to advance wireless communications systems adoption for industrial applications.
  • Project Title: Standard for the Performance Assessment of Industrial Wireless Systems [Individual Standards Association Ballot P3388];
  • Purpose: The purpose of this standard is to establish a functional model for radio frequency (RF) industrial wireless performance aggressors; to provide a reference test architecture for the performance evaluation of industrial wireless systems; to provide a transparent performance assessment process for test planning, evaluation, and reporting; and to provide procedures for establishing profiles to tailor the process for specific industries, applications, and scenarios.
[3] UK Committee on Research Integrity (UKCORI):
  • Member of the UKCORI’s Community of Experts;
  • Roundtables Contributor (including UKCORI’s submission to the REF2028 consultation on the People Culture and Environment (PCE) element).
  • UKCORI’s Stakeholders Workshop Host
[4] UK Space Agency:
  • UK Space Strategy and UK Satellite infrastructure Response
[5] UK Spectrum Policy Forum (SPF):
  • Member and Expert Roundtables Contributor;
  • Expert academic adviser to the UK 6G Policy Forum.
[6] India-UK Government (12 October 2021 – 11 January 2022):
  •  Project: India-UK Future Telecoms Programme;
  • Roundtables Consultations: Energy Efficient Networks; Resilient Networks; Secure Design; High Density Urban Deployment; and Low Density Rural Deployment. Facilitators(s): Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult
[7] UK Government:
  • Project: UK Universities 6G Spectrum Research Initiative
[8] Greater Manchester Combined Authority:
  • Project: 5G Urban Connected Communities Project.

Community, charity and NGO links

Academic Excellence Conference Chair for the DCLM, Inc., UK (Oct. 2011 - Date).

Government and industry links

Nano Dimension:

  • Additively Manufactured Electronics

SmOp Cleantech:

  • Passive Home Electronics and Low-Carbon Appliances Development;
  • Green Wireless Multi-Radio Energy Systems for Built Environment Applications;
  • Rectenna Development for Energy-Efficient 5G/5G+ Radio Communication Use Cases.

Sony:

  • Sony’s Sensing Solutions University Program (SSUP):
    • End-of-the-Year SSUP Event EU Session) Presenter: “A Spresense-managed Shared Drones-Manned Airborne Assets Network Connectivity;” Wednesday, 20 September 2023;
    • Education: MEng Coursework Integration; and Industry-linked Engineering Projects
    • Research: “Deep Learning-enabled Locally-tuned Deterministic Signal Propagation Modelling for Drone Traffic Control Connectivity”
  • Millimetre-wave 5G Communication Systems;
  • Shared Drones/UAVs-Manned Airborne Assets Connectivity Network for Civil Use Cases and Applications.

Unifi.id:

  • Real-time Energy Harvesting for Intelligent Systems Applications.

Jeff Gosling Hands Control Ltd:

  • Multiprotocol Vehicular Data Acquisition System Development;
  • Voice Recognition System Development.

Arup:

  • UK 5G Mapping Greater Manchester Innovation.

Avanti PLC:

  • 5G RAT Applications Provisioning via Satellite Backhaul Solution.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority:

  • UK 5G Mapping Greater Manchester Innovation.

Keysight Technologies UK Ltd:

  • Open Satellite-Cellular Convergence Radio Access Network Ecosystem;
  • Communications Engineering Design Workshop; and
  • Advanced RF/Microwave/Millimetre-wave Test and Measurement Equipment Training.

Global Invacom Group Limited:

  • Fibre Integrated Reception System Improvements.

Prizes and awards

Professional Recognition:

  • Best Paper Award: “Gap-Coupled Resonator Loaded Ultra-Wide Band Filtenna for Frequency-Notching Applications,” 3rd European Conference on Communication Systems,” Vienna, Austria, pp. 1 – 5, 10–12 May 2023
  • “Best Overall Powerhours” and “Most Involved” British Council-funded projects impact awards spanning 54 supranational sub-Sahara African Countries and five (5) economic zones;
  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK;
  • Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, USA;
  • Huawei’s Influential Thinkers in Engineering and Technology Award 2019.

Scholarships:

  • ExxonMobil Corporation Scholar
  • AKUTECH/AKSG Scholar

Expert reviewer for external funding bodies

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI):

  • UKRI Talent Panel College Member

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC):

  • EPSRC Peer Review College Member.

British Council:

  • Newton Fund and related activities

Visiting and honorary positions

Board of Studies International Expert:

  • M. Tech Programme in Communication Systems, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Amrita School of Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University (Coimbatore Campus), Tamil Nadu, India

Conference organisation and chairing

  • General Chair: The Third International Adaptive and Sustainable Science, Engineering and Technology (ASSET) Conference, Manchester, UK, 16 - 18 July 2024;

  • General Chair: The Second International Adaptive and Sustainable Science, Engineering and Technology (ASSET) Conference, Ikot Akpaden, Nigeria and Manchester, UK, 18 - 20 July 2023; WWW: https://link.springer.com/book/9783031539343.

  • General Chair/Convener: Inclusive Technopreneurship Forum (ITF) Conference , 17-18 August 2022 - Sponsor: British Council;

  • Special Session//Panel Session Co-Chair & Organiser: 24th European Microwave Week 2022: (i) Track: 16th European Microwave Integrated Circuits conference (ii) Venue/Date: Excel London Exhibition, & Convention Centre, London, UK (13 – 18 February 2022); (iii) Special Session/Panel Session: RF Fabrication Plants/Foundries (iv) Session Banner: “The RF Fab session will provide an interactive forum for RF fabrication/foundry practitioners, researchers, managers, developers, analysts, educators and users to exchange innovative ideas, concepts, applications and lessons learned in addressing domain-specific problems, applications-oriented topics, methodologies, standards, multidisciplinary research opportunities and findings relating to multiphysics (electromagnetic- and electrothermal-based) characterisation of radio communication systems and use cases/applications.” 

Editorial Board membership

  • Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Australian Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology;

  • Guest Associate Editor in Frontiers in Communications and Networks Journal;

  • Editor of International Review of Aerospace Engineering Journal;

  • Editor of Electronics (MDPI) Journal (Communication and Space Systems Engineering Topics).

Membership of professional associations

Senior Member, Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (SMIEEE);

Senior Member, IEEE Standards Association (SMIEEE-SA);

Member, Institution of Engineering and Technology (MIET);

Member, Association of International Education Administrators (MAIEA);

Member, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (MAIAA).

Interests and expertise

Communication and Space Systems Engineering

Get in touch

0161 247 6229
E326 John Dalton Building
Monday: 16:00–17:00; Friday: 11:00–13:00

Impact

European Space Agency Additively Manufactured Electronics (AME) Workshop (21 March 2024):

  • Invited speaker at the maiden edition of the European Space Agency Workshop on “Advanced Manufacturing of Electronics” as a R&D leader in AME.”
  • Presentation Title: “Additively Manufactured Passive Electronics Development Considerations for a Sustainable Future Green Space World”

International Student Contest (Sony Challenge 2024):

  • Theme: Tiny Machine Learning on Sony Spresense
  • Date: Thursday, 19 September 2024
  • Participating European Universities: ETH Zurich, Manchester Metropolitan University & University of Liverpool
  • Host Institution: Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Lead Academic / Convener:  Sunday Ekpo

International Telecommunication Union – World Radiocommunication Congress

IEEE Standards Association

  • Working Group: EEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society Society/TC9 - Sensor Technology;
  • Standards Committee: IEEEE P3388 (Industrial Wireless Systems) standard 
  • A contributor to the IEEEE P3388 standard which is aimed to advance wireless communications systems adoption for industrial applications.
  • Project Title: Standard for the Performance Assessment of Industrial Wireless Systems [Individual Standards Association Balllot P3388];
  • Purpose: The purpose of this standard is to establish a functional model for radio frequency (RF) industrial wireless performance aggressors; to provide a reference test architecture for the performance evaluation of industrial wireless systems; to provide a transparent performance assessment process for test planning, evaluation, and reporting; and to provide procedures for establishing profiles to tailor the process for specific industries, applications, and scenarios.

Science Communication 

International Conference Hosting and Chairing:

  • General Chair and Conference Proceedings Editor-in-Chief:: Second International Conference on Adaptive and Sustainable Science, Engineering and Technology (ASSET), Ikot Akpaden, Nigeria and Manchester, UK; 18 - 20 July 2023.
  • 24th European Microwave Week 2022 (Special Session/Panel Session Chair and Organiser):
    Track: 16th European Microwave Integrated Circuits conference
    Venue/Date: Excel London Exhibition, & Convention Centre, London, UK (13 – 18 February 2022);
    Special Session/Panel Session: RF Fabrication Plants/Foundries
    Session Banner: “The RF Fab session will provide an interactive forum for RF fabrication/foundry practitioners, researchers, managers, developers, analysts, educators and users to exchange innovative ideas, concepts, applications and lessons learned in addressing domain-specific problems, applications-oriented topics, methodologies, standards, multidisciplinary research opportunities and findings relating to multiphysics (electromagnetic- and electrothermal-based) characterisation of radio communication systems and use cases/applications.”

British Council:

  • A British Council Stakeholder for / Expert Contributor to the Innovation for African Universities Community of Practice; 
  • UK PI/Lead of two British Council-funded Innovation for African Universities projects;
  • General Chair of the British Council-funded maiden world’s first Inclusive Technopreneurship Forum conference;
  • “Best Overall Powerhours” and “Most Involved” British Council-funded projects impact awards spanning 54 supranational sub-Sahara African Countries and five (5) economic zones.
  • British Council’s Guest at the “Commercialisation and Entrepreneurial Leaders’ Summit 2022,” Mombasa, Kenya;
  • British Council session speaker at the “Association of International Education Administrators Conference 2023,” Washington DC, USA; 
  • Leading expert in deploying Internationalised Industry-University Partnership Programmes under the BC-funded Innovation for African Universities Programme.

UKRI:

  • UK Research and Innovation Talent Panel College Member

EPSRC College:

  • EPSRC Peer Review College Member

UK Research and Innovation:

  • Early Career Researchers Forum Member

UK Government (12 June 2021):

  • Project: UK Space Strategy and UK Satellite infrastructure Response
  • Facilitators(s): techUK. 

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (16 Feb. 2018):

  • Project: UK 5G Ecosystem Mapping (Greater Manchester Digital Innovation) Report;
  • Facilitator(s): Arup and Digital Catapult.

Projects

Research Expertise: Radio Communication and Satellite Systems Engineering

  • Innovative fundamental, use-inspired and applied research projects in sustainable/green radio communication and satellite systems engineering;
  • Adaptive, reconfigurable and digitally-assisted architectures to achieve spectrum-efficient, ultra-low energy and cost-effective multi-radio multi-coverage/range solutions/products;
  • Physical Layer Subsystems: Antenna; Low-Noise Amplifier; Power Amplifier; Filter, Switches; Mixers; Circulators.

Topics:

  • Reconfigurable RF Transceiver Development for Advanced Radio Communication Applications;
  • Regenerative Small Satellites Systems Engineering;
  • Industry 4.0 Physical Layer Connectivity Subsystems Design and Characterisation;
  • Adaptive Internet of Things Sensors for Smart Healthcare Provisioning;
  • RF Antenna Biosensor Development;
  • Voice Recognition System Development for Adapted Vehicles;
  • Reconfigurable Holographic Metasurface Beamformer Development for Satellite-Cellular Communication;
  • Hybrid mmWave-Free-Space Optics Subsystems Design for Vehicular Communication.

[1] Multi-year Project Title:  A Spresense-managed Shared Drones-Manned Airborne Assets Connectivity Network

  • We are developing a disruptive 5G Airborne-Ground-based Internet of Things ecosystem network that will utilise the Spresense technology for low-altitude small flying assets monitoring applications. Our solution integrates: drones; localised private LTE/5G cellular and Spresense-based NB-IoTs payload technologies for outdoor tracking; the cloud; and passive RFID for indoor tracking of public and private infrastructures.  The typical use cases include: [1] Shared Drones-Manned Airborne-Ground-based Assets Monitoring Network; [2] Smart Farming / Precision Agriculture [e.g., Investigating conditions that favour wheat (and leaf) rust including moisture/humidity, environmental temperature, rainfall, dew and spores-borne wind]; and [3] Airport Runway, Road and Bridge Surfaces Profiling.
  • Key Objectives: (i) To relay information to ground control stations on manned aircraft position at low-level; (ii) To establish machine-learning-based open LTE/5G/6G quality of service metrics prediction for detect and avoid capability and unmanned aircraft system traffic management applications; (iii) To develop new low-level technologies that could be augmented into manned aircraft to provide a hybrid Spresense-based electronic-conspicuity low-level solution. This project is solely intended for use within civil aviation, with civil manned aircraft [helicopters] and civil drones.
  • Industry Partner & Sponsor: Sony

[2] Theme Project Title: Future-Generation Radio Communication Transceiver Frontend Subsystems Development

  • Project Topic 1: Digitally-assisted RF Transmitter Subsystem Development (PhD Studentship; Funder: Sony & HEFCE);;
  • Project Topic 2: Ultra-Low-Noise Process Technology Characterisation (Funder: Sony); 
  • Project Topic 3: Ultra-Low-Noise Amplifier and Ultra-Sensitive RF Receiver Development (Funder: Sony);
  • Industry Partner & Sponsor: Sony.

[3] Theme Project Title: Clean Green Wireless Multi-Radio Energy Transmission & Harvesting  for Low-Carbon Appliances / Home Electronics

  • Project Topic 1: Reconfigurable Holographic Multi-Radio Metasurface Rectenna for Ultra-low Power 5G/Wi-Fi 4-6/6E/7/Halow Applications (PhD Studentship; Funder: SmOp Cleantech Ltd);
  • Project Topic 2: Wireless Multi-Radio Energy Harvesting System (Funder: Innovate UK & SmOp Cleantech Ltd);
  • Project Topic 3: Multiband 5G/Wi-Fi 6/6E Antenna and the Hybrid Power Divider-Combiner (MSc (by Research) Studentship; Funder: SmOp Cleantech Ltd);
  • Project Topic 4: Smart Multiband 5G/Wi-Fi-Enabled Wireless Charging System (Funder: SmOp Cleantech Ltd & HEFCE - Innovation Fund);
  • Project  Topic 5: Passive Home Electronics and Low-Carbon Appliances Development (Funder: SmOp Cleantech Ltd);
  • Topic 6: Peer-to-Peer RF Energy Sharing (Funder: SmOp Cleantech Ltd); 
  • Industry Partner & Sponsor: SmOp Cleantech Ltd.

[4] Theme Project Title: Multi-Radio Smart Long-range Passive RFID Cards

  • Project Topic 1: Multi-Radio 5G / Wi-Fi 4/5/6/6E/7 Antenna Development for Smart Long-range Passive RFID Cards;
  • Project Topic 2: Passive RFID Design and Range Improvement (Funder: Unidi.id & HEFCE - Industry Innovation & Engagement Fund);
  • Industry Partner & Sponsor: Unifi.id

[5]  Theme Project Title: Satellite Broadcast Solutions Manufacturing Improvements

  • Project Topic: Fibre-Integrated Reception Systems Technology Improvements
  • Industry Partner & Sponsor: Global Invacom Group Ltd.

[6] Project Title: Reconfigurable Channel-Aware RF Transceiver Subsystems Development

  • Project Topic: Antenna, Reconfigurable Low-Nosie Amplifier; Adaptive Power Amplifier; Filters; Mixers; Adaptive Beamformers; Circulators; and Switches;
  • Sponsor: Government & Industry

[7] Project Title: Gap-coupled Metamaterials/Metasurfaces Filtenna Design and Characterisation

[8] Project Title: Design of a Novel Wearable Sensor for Women’s Health Metrics Monitoring

  • Project Topic 1: Developing a Low-Cost Wearable Sensor for Monitoring Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder; 
  • Project Topic 2: A Sensor-Driven Mobile App for Self-Management of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder;
  • Sponsor: Royal Academy of Engineering (under the “Engineering Inclusive Economies” programme in the sub-Saharan Africa 2023).

[9] Research Grants Income: £1.3m+ (external) (effective Oct. 2019) 

Teaching

Why do I teach?

I am passionate about learning and teaching using industry-linked research-informed contents. I teach in order to empower potential future generation(s) of professionals in my expertise and contribute to the national economy and the advancement of knowledge. 

How I’ll teach you

My teaching philosophy involves a hands-on enquiry-based delivery of industry-linked research-informed curriculum contents that keep my learners engaged in knowledge assimilation and contribution.

Why study…

Students that study my subject stay in contact with modern engineering and are able to carry out the following:

  • Multiphysics Design, Modelling and Simulation of Communication Components and Systems;
  • Radio Access Technologies (e.g., 4G & 5G Standards) Implementations;
  • RF, Microwave and Millimetre-wave Transceivers Characterisation;
  • Radio Communication Links Budgeting;
  • Fibre Integrated Reception and Transmission System Improvement;
  • RF Subsystems Integration (such as in Smart Internet of Things Sensors); and
  • Upstream and Downstream Satellite Communication Components Characterisation.

Furthermore, you will have an excellent student experience and gain the in-depth and practical knowledge of real-world applications of enabling and emerging radio communication systems. You will have an opportunity(s) to be challenged to work on industry-linked engineering projects that reflect my research-informed contents delivery. Studying the electrical and electronic engineering at the Manchester Metropolitan University will enable you to be marketable and compete at the global level.

Postgraduate teaching

I teach the following Postgraduate Course(s):

MSc Smart Electronic Engineering

  • Embedded Systems and Systems-on-a-Chip;
  • Smart Systems for In5-dustry 4.0.

Subject areas

Communication and Satellite Systems Engineering

Supervision

MSc (Taught) Project Supervision (2020/21 academic session):

  • X-band (8-10 GHz) RF Power Amplifier Design for Radar Applications

MSc (Taught) Project Supervision (2019/20 academic session):

  • Embedded Real-time Data Acquisition System for Critical Point-of-Care Emergency Medical Service Provisioning

MSc (Taught) Project Supervision (2018/19 academic session):

  • Reconfigurable RF Power Divider Design for 5G Communication Applications;
  • Design of a 1–6 GHz Low Noise Amplifier for 5G Communication Applications; and
  • Hybrid RF Power Combiner-Divider Design for Wireless Communication Applications.

MSc (Taught) Project Supervision (2017/18 academic session):

  • Reconfigurable Smart Health Monitoring Device Development for Integrated Point-of-Care Applications; and
  • Design of a Multiband RF Antenna Biosensor for Cancer Detection.

MSc (Taught) Project Supervision (2016/17 academic session):

  • Hybrid RF-FSO Channel Capacity Modelling for 5G Communication Applications.

MSc (Taught) Project Supervision (2015/16 academic session):

  • An Integrated Fibre-FSO-RF Characterisation for Satellite TV Signal Distribution Applications; and 
  • A Reconfigurable Real-time Satellite-Aircraft-Ground Link Design for Data Uplink and Downlink Applications.

MRes Supervision (September 2019 – Date):

  • Role: Principal Supervisor:
    • Project Title 1: Multiphysics Design of 2–4 GHz PA for 5G Communication Applications;
    • Project Title 2: Multi-Radio High Frequency Wireless Charging System for Low-Power Mobile Devices.

PhD Supervision (September 2017 – Date):

  • Role: Principal Supervisor:
    • Project Title 1: Adaptive Power Amplifier Design for Air Surveillance and Weather Monitoring Applications; 
    • Project Title 2: Hybrid mmWave-Li-Fi 5G Architecture for Reconfigurable MIMO RF Frontend Communications;
    • Project Title 3: Reconfigurable Holographic Multi-Radio Metasurface Rectenna for Ultra-low Power 5G/Wi-Fi 4-6/6E/7/Halow Applications;
    • Project Title 4: Multiphysics Characterisation of a Reconfigurable RF Transceiver for 5G and Satellite Applications;
    • Project Title 5: Reconfigurable mmWave Transmitter Design for 5G Communication Applications;
    • Project Title 6: Reconfigurable Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output Antenna for Multiband 5G Adaptive Beamforming.
  • Role: Co-Supervisor:
    • Project Title 1: Knowledge Sharing Model for ICT Employees in the South African historically disadvantaged institutions;
    • Project Title 2: Data Analytics Framework using Cyber Physical System Approach for Industrial IoT devices;
    • Project Title 3: Channel Measurement, Modelling and Validation for 24 GHz Frequency Band for 5G Mobile Communication System

Research outputs

  • Communication Transceiver Front-end Characterisation; 
  • Multiphysics Design, Modelling and Simulation of Communication Components and Systems;
  • Fibre Integrated Satellite Signal Reception & Distribution Systems;
  • Hybrid RF-Free-space Optics Physical Layer Characterisation;
  • Smart Sensors Design for Internet of Things and Smart Cities Applications;
  • Integrated Electronic and Optical Components Design;
  • Electronic Communication Data Uplink and Downlink Characterisations;
  • RF Antenna Biosensor Development;
  • Artificial Intelligence Applications in Radio Communication Systems;
  • Adaptive Beamformer Systems Development;
  • Reconfigurable Holographic Metasurface Beamformer Development; and
  • Adaptive Spacecraft Core Bus & Payload Subsystems:
    • Design, Modelling, Simulation, Prototyping and Integration.