Dalma Novak

Dalma Novak is VP of Engineering at Octane Wireless (formerly Pharad) where she develops high-performance RF-over-fiber technologies for commercial and defense wireless applications. She is also an Honorary Professorial Fellow in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at The University of Melbourne, Australia. Dr. Novak has over 30 years of experience working in the optical and wireless communications fields. She has contributed several book chapters on the design of fiber-wireless communication systems and has more than 300 publications in these areas, including several book chapters and patents. Dr. Novak has extensive technical leadership and project management experience in both the industrial and academic sectors. In 2007 Dr. Novak was elected to the grade of IEEE Fellow for her contributions to enabling technologies for the implementation of fiber-radio systems. In 2018 she received the IEEE Photonics Society Engineering Achievement Award. Dr. Novak was the 2025 IEEE Technical Activities Vice President and served as President of the IEEE Photonics Society in 2014 – 2015. She received her Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (with First Class Honors) and Doctor of Philosophy from The University of Queensland, in 1987 and 1992, respectively.

Title of the presentation:
Radio over Fiber Technologies for Future G Networks

Abstract:
The use of fiber-optic links for transporting radio signals in wireless networks is a well-established technology and the convergence of optical and wireless networks continues to evolve. Fiber-optic remoting of radio signals is used in a diversity of wireless networks, including indoor/in-building distributed antenna systems and outdoor cellular networks. Today the capabilities of wireless networks are progressing more rapidly than ever. The proliferation of connected high-capacity smart devices as well as the increase in the number of broadband multi-media services available to the consumer, has led to an escalating demand for wireless access to high-speed data communications. The next generation 5G+/6G network promises to deliver unprecedented data rates to the mobile user and the millimeter-wave and Terahertz frequency regions are being actively pursued for the provision of these services. This talk will describe some of the related challenges and opportunities for radio-over-fiber technologies in emerging Future G wireless systems.