image: Professor Matti Latva-aho, a prominent figure in wireless communications research and Director of the 6G Flagship programme at the University of Oulu, has been recognised as a WWRF Fellow.
Credit: University of Oulu
Professor Matti Latva-aho, a prominent figure in wireless communications research and Director of the 6G Flagship programme at the University of Oulu, has been recognised as a WWRF Fellow. The recognition was announced today on at the Wireless World Research Forum (WWRF) in Hyderabad, India. Latva-aho is one of the keynote speakers.
The University of Oulu (Finland) has been a key player in shaping the mobile technology landscape for decades, with its researchers pioneering innovations that have influenced global wireless standards. Since joining the university in the early 1990s, Professor Matti Latva-aho has played a central role in its journey. He became a professor of communications engineering in 2000 and served as director of the Centre for Wireless Communications (CWC) from 1998 to 2006. His leadership has guided transformative projects, including the development of cutting-edge technologies that have laid the groundwork for modern wireless systems.
Currently leading the world’s first 6G research, development, and innovation programme — 6G Flagship — Professor Latva-aho has shaped the scientific foundation for next-generation wireless communications.
Latva-aho’s research focuses on understanding how design criteria for future wireless systems must evolve, exploring new spectrum use, energy-efficient transmission technologies, and advanced transmitter and receiver architectures. By identifying core research pillars—wireless connectivity, network functions, energy efficiency, and resilience—he has provided a framework that influences global standards and academic inquiry. His leadership has expanded Finland’s role in telecommunications research and strengthened international collaboration while advancing 6G’s integration into critical sectors such as health, energy, security, and defence.
The WWRF Fellow recognition is a rare and prestigious honour reserved for individuals whose groundbreaking research and exceptional leadership have left a profound, lasting impact on the field of wireless technology. Throughout his career, Professor Latva-aho has exemplified the University of Oulu’s unwavering commitment to advancing mobile communications research, reinforcing Finland’s global leadership in the field. The first WWRF Fellow was Martin Cooper, the father of cellular mobile phones, who pioneered the first experiments at Motorola in the early 1970s.
Read Professor Matti Latva-aho's previously published career story:
Academy Professor Matti Latva-aho is a veteran of all the ”G’s”