I am delighted to write this piece for Dr. David López-Pérez, who completed his PhD under my
supervision from 2006 to 2010. During his time as a doctoral student, David demonstrated
an exceptional ability to pioneer cutting-edge research, particularly in the field of small cells
and heterogeneous networks. His work has had profound impacts on academia, industry,
and standardization efforts.
David was a leading or contributing author to several highly influential publications. For
example:
- Enhanced intercell interference coordination challenges in heterogeneous networks
(IEEE Wireless Communications, 2011): This landmark paper has garnered over
1300 citations and continues to be a foundational reference for researchers and
engineers tackling interference management in heterogeneous networks. - OFDMA femtocells: A roadmap on interference avoidance (IEEE Communications
Magazine, 2009): This work, with over 1000 citations, provided a critical roadmap for
interference avoidance in OFDMA femtocells, laying the groundwork for many
subsequent advancements. - Femtocells: Technologies and Deployment (John Wiley & Sons): Co-authored with G.
De la Roche and J. Zhang, this book has been a resource for both academia
and industry professionals in understanding the technologies and deployment
strategies for femtocells.
David’s self-motivation and proactive attitude were evident throughout his PhD. He was not
only an enthusiastic team player but also a natural leader, contributing to the mentoring of
other PhD students in our group. His guidance was instrumental in helping them excel in
their research endeavors, and many benefited greatly from his expertise and collaborative
spirit.
Together with fellow researchers like A. Valcarce (Head of Department on Wireless AI Research, Nokia Bell Labs) , G. De La
Roche (Senior Engineer at Ampere Software Technology), and H. Song (CTO of Ranplan Wireless), David played a key role in building one
of the strongest teams in small cells and heterogeneous networks. Our collective research
efforts significantly contributed to advancements in this field and partially inspired the
establishment of Ranplan Wireless. Ranplan Professional, the world’s first combined indoor-
outdoor radio network planning tool, owes its success to the foundational research carried
out by this team. Today, Ranplan Wireless serves numerous top telecom equipment
manufacturers, leading mobile operators, system integrators, regulators, and academic
institutions worldwide.
David’s contributions to the field, his commitment to mentoring, and his collaborative mindset
make him an ideal supervisor for aspiring PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. He
offers a unique combination of technical depth, practical impact, and a supportive mentoring
approach that ensures the success of those working with him.
I wholeheartedly recommend David as a mentor and collaborator to anyone seeking to
advance their career in wireless communications and related fields.
Prof. Jie Zhang - Chair in Wireless Systems at the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Sheffield
