About the Centre

WISENET has a strong multidisciplinary expertise in a broad range of research fields that span across both the Departments of ICT and Engineering Sciences: Data Science and Machine Learning, In-network signal processing and Collective intelligence, Cyber-physical systems, Embedded systems and Artificial Intelligence for next-generation Wireless Networks.

The WISENET Centre has a three-fold mission:

1) To perform both theoretical and applied top-quality research of high international impact, targeting the most recognized international journals and conferences in the related areas (aligned with UiA strategic area of Global Mindset).

2) To provide advanced postgraduate education and training of mainly MSc. and PhD. students, while keeping also collaborations with last-year bachelor students (aligned with UiA strategic area of Learning and Education for the Future).

3) To perform an effective technology transfer of high quality to established companies, as well as SME and start-up companies, with impact at the regional, national, and international level (aligned with the UiA strategic area of Social Involvement & Innovation).

The WISENET project portfolio is highly diversified and funding is secured from 7 different NFR programs: PETROMAKS2, FRINATEK TOPPFORSK, IKTPLUSS, SFI-WP6, INFRASTRUKTUR, INDNOR, INTPART, where WISENET is the Coordinator/Leader of the projects, with a size of around 30 researchers, including professors, associate professors, postdoctoral researchers, PhD students and industrial liason research members. WISENET incorporates also Master-level students carrying out Master Thesis within the Centre.

In fact, to the best of our knowledge, the WISENET rate of funding places it among one of the highest funded Centres in Norway in these research areas. The success rate when applying for this NFR research funding across all these different Call Programs, has been 100%. This shows clearly both a focus on high quality research and the international visibility of WISENET.

The members of the Centre have led more than 20 research projects funded by the Research Council of Norway and EU Programs, maintaining worldwide collaborations with internationally recognized institutions.

The WISENET team has a solid experience in the three fronts:  theoretical analysis (theoretical foundations), algorithm design (applied methodologies), and testbed implementation (demonstration and dissemination).

The research from WISENET generates direct impact on multiple applications, such as optimization of industrial processes, optimization of drilling and O&G production operations, water distribution networks, Aquaponics, cyber-physical systems for Industry 4.0/5.0, next generation wireless networks, brain signal processing and communications, traffic management of unmanned aerial vehicles (e.g. drones), finance engineering, smart energy systems and management, environmental monitoring, digital additive manufacturing, collaborative robots, condition-based monitoring, transportation networks and biological networks (e.g. protein networks), decentralized control for wind farms, embedded sensing and intelligence for batteries, to name a few.

WISENET Self Evaluation Criteria (Key Performance Indicators)

The following Key Performance Indicators shall be used:

  • The creation of new theories and algorithms that blend different disciplines and bringing together problems and solutions from distinct fields.
  • Agreement between theoretical predictions and experimentally measured performance of the developed algorithms through testbeds. In addition, establishing synergies between theory, algorithms, and applications.
  • The quality of the publications (journals with a high impact factor, interdisciplinary publications, conferences, etc.). Our Centre will pursue excellence in its publication record. Therefore, publications will be pursued in high-impact ISI JCR journals, as well as in book chapters and in proceedings with ISBN of top international conferences related to the various fields covered by our Centre.
  • The setup of training activities that attract young promising researchers to the Norwegian space, and the creation of advanced Master and doctoral courses not currently available in Europe.
  • The increase of human resources devoted to research within the scope of WISENET, measured in terms of stability or temporary contracts.
  • Obtained external financial resources for research funding.
  • The establishment of strong international relationships through projects and networks, with special emphasis on both the Research Council of Norway and the European Research Council (ERC).
  • The number of agreements with private companies for developing applied research and the establishment of strong links with the private sector (technology, finance, and industry), allowing also for technology transfer, patents, spin-offs, start-ups, etc.

Advancement of women

WISENET is aware of the underrepresentation of women in the research fields that are covered by WISENET. For this reason, the Center will put in place the following four measures, cooperating also with existing programs at UiA, to counteract this problem:

  • Promote the fields of the Center to female high school students (presentations, workshops)
  • Help in the retention of female undergraduate and Master students (support network, summer internships)
  • Promote the graduate studies in these fields for female students (scholarships, invited lecture tour, participation at UiA Forums for female students).
  • Goal: over 25% of female researchers in the Center by year 2024, including the different levels of seniority.
  • Promote female professors to take the role of Managers or Principal Investigators in research projects.