UMD Ph.D. Student wins Marconi Society Award

A University of Maryland doctoral student has been awarded a notable recognition for his research in sustainable computing and embedded intelligence.

Nakul Garg, a sixth-year doctoral candidate in computer science, will receive the 2024 Paul Baran Young Scholar Award from the Marconi Society at a ceremony in Bologna, Italy, next month. The award is presented to promising young engineers who have demonstrated technical excellence and leadership in information and communications technology. This year, Garg was among four recipients selected from a competitive global pool to receive the award.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this award from the Marconi Society, and I’m grateful to join a community of scientists and inventors dedicated to advancing inclusive and impactful technologies,” Garg said. “Marconi was 27 years old when he first demonstrated the practical use of electromagnetic signals, and this recognition validates my drive to continue working on innovative and sustainable technologies.”

Garg’s research, advised by computer science Assistant Professor Nirupam Roy, emphasizes sustainable ambient intelligence, a concept aimed at integrating computing into everyday objects and environments with minimal energy consumption.

His work has led to the development of systems that use less power and fewer resources than traditional approaches. His team has created innovative solutions such as micro-robot navigation systems using sound and a battery-free localization system for nationwide package tracking.

"My research focuses on embedding computing capabilities into everyday objects and environments in a powerful and environmentally responsible way. This can transform applications like smart infrastructure, autonomous robots, continuous health monitoring, and precision farming," Garg explained. "We work on scaling these systems sustainably—minimizing the environmental impact, increasing their lifespan, and eliminating maintenance requirements."

Garg's work in ultra-low-power sensing systems is driving progress in sustainable computing, opening new possibilities for practical applications with far-reaching societal impacts.

"Our work on ultra-low-power sensing systems has the potential to revolutionize how we interact with and understand our everyday physical world," Garg said. "We’ve created GPS-like stickers that can track valuable items across the country without needing a recharge for eight years, and this technology enables large-scale sensor deployment for applications like climate monitoring while reducing environmental impact."

Looking to the future, Garg plans to expand his research into new domains and continue his work in academia and industry.

"We’re pushing our low-power perception systems into underwater environments and space,” Garg shared. “I’m also on the academic job market and excited to continue this work in an academic setting. I plan to bring these innovations to the real world through startup initiatives and mentor the next generation of researchers."

Garg’s work has earned multiple recognitions, including the Best Paper and Best Poster Awards at ACM MobiSys, the CPS Rising Star 2024, the Future Faculty Fellowship 2023, the Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellowship 2023 and a feature in ACM GetMobile in December 2023.

—Story by Samuel Malede Zewdu, CS Communications