David López-Pérez is an internationally recognized expert in wireless communications, specializing in the design of faster, smarter, and more energy-efficient communication networks. His research focuses on data-driven network modeling and optimization, artificial intelligence and machine learning for wireless systems, sustainable networking, and next-generation communication technologies including 6G, non-terrestrial networks, and drone communications.

Since February 2023, he has been a Distinguished Researcher and now Profesor Titular de Universidad at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), affiliated with the Institute for Telecommunications and Multimedia Applications (iTEAM). In addition, he currently serves as Dean of the Beihang Valencia Polytechnic Institute (BVPI), the international joint institute established by Beihang University (BUAA) and UPV in Hangzhou, China. In this role, he leads the academic and strategic development of one of the most ambitious international higher-education collaborations between Europe and China, overseeing the launch of multiple undergraduate and postgraduate programs in engineering, artificial intelligence, robotics, telecommunications, manufacturing, and aerospace systems.

David’s career combines strong academic achievements with extensive industrial experience in global telecommunications research and innovation. He obtained his PhD in Wireless Communications from the University of Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, as a Marie Curie Fellow, followed by postdoctoral research at King’s College London.

In industry, he held senior research and technical leadership positions at two of the world’s leading telecommunications companies. At Nokia Bell Labs in Dublin, he progressed from Research Engineer to Distinguished Member of Technical Staff (DMTS), contributing to advanced research on small cells, ultra-dense networks, massive MIMO, cellular and Wi-Fi interworking, and the evolution toward Wi-Fi 7 technologies.

Later, at Huawei Technologies in Paris, he served as Expert and Technical Leader, leading projects on data-driven network modeling and optimization, AI-driven network automation, energy-efficient communications, and drone-enabled wireless systems.

Dr. López-Pérez has an extensive publication record, including three books, 13 book chapters, and more than 200 scientific papers, among them 80 journal articles in leading IEEE publications. He has also filed 59 patent applications. His current research interests include 6G systems, cm-wave communications, ultra-dense networks, non-terrestrial and aerial communications, digital twins for wireless systems, energy efficiency, and the application of big data and machine learning to communication networks.

His contributions have received international recognition through several prestigious awards, including the IEEE ComSoc Best Young Professional in Industry Award (2016), Bell Labs Distinguished Member of Technical Staff (2019), the IEEE WCNC Best Student Paper Award (2019), the IEEE Globecom Best Paper Award (2022), and the IEEE ICC Best Paper Award (2025). His work has accumulated more than 12,500 citations, with an h-index of 51.

Beyond his scientific contributions, David has extensive experience leading interdisciplinary and international research teams combining wireless communications, artificial intelligence, and data science. He has actively collaborated with major industrial and standardization initiatives, including the Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Alliance, and has served as editor for IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.