Charles W. Bostian Alumni Distinguished Professor Cognitive Wireless Technology Virginia Tech

Biographical Sketch

Charles W. Bostian received the Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. (with highest honors) in Electrical Engineering, all from North Carolina State University, in 1967, 1964, and 1963, respectively. Dr. Bostian joined the Virginia Tech faculty in 1969 following a short period of employment with Corning Glassworks Electronics Research Laboratory and service as an officer in the U.S. Army. From 1972 through 1988, he headed Virginia Tech's Satellite Communication Group. Since 1993 he has directed the University's Center for Wireless Telecommunications (CWT), a Virginia Technology Development Center that helps create new products and services for corporate sponsors. Bostian helped initiate Virginia Tech's purchase of LMDS (Local Multipoint Distribution Service) licenses and subsequent plans to deploy a regional broadband wireless network. His career total funding as a PI is approximately $7.6M. He holds a Virginia Tech Alumni Distinguished Professorship.

Bostian's primary research interests are in satellite and wireless telecommunications, RF design, and technology and business interactions. His teaching has been recognized by a number of awards, and he is a member of the Virginia Tech Academy of Teaching Excellence. Currently he heads Virginia Tech's Cross Cutting Initiative on Computers, Communications, and Information Technology. He is the co-author of two textbooks, Solid State Radio Engineering and Satellite Communications, both published by John Wiley. A Fellow of the IEEE, Bostian is a former chair of the IEEE-USA Engineering R&D Policy Committee. On leave during the 1989 calendar year, he was an IEEE Congressional Fellow on the staff of Rep. Don Ritter and worked on legislative issues related to the U.S. electronics industry and economic competitiveness. Other government service includes membership on two (1992 and 1997) NSF-sponsored world technology evaluation (WTEC) panels concerned with commercial satellite communications.

Contact Information

• Email: bostian@vt.edu