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ROME, N.Y. — Dr. Andrew L. Drozd, President/CEO of ANDRO Computational Solutions, LLC in Rome, has been reappointed by Washington, D.C. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, to serve on the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council IX (CSRIC IX) for a 2-year term commencing May 30, 2024.  Drozd was selected for reappointment from a distinguished list of candidates from the public and private sectors across the U.S.

According to Chairwomen Rosenworcel, public and private sector industry expertise is essential to assist the Council in completing its important mission.  CSRIC IX is charged with providing recommendations to the FCC to promote the security, reliability, and interoperability of our nation’s communications systems.  CSRIC IX’s recommendations will focus on a range of public safety- and homeland security-related communications matters.  Under the current charter, the Council will address issues, including best practices, on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to enhance the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of nationwide communications networks; ensuring consumer access to 911 on all available networks as technology evolves; national security/emergency preparedness communications, including law enforcement communications access; and the security and reliability risks unique to emerging Sixth Generation (6G) networks and services.

Drozd previously served on the CSRIC VIII Council that dealt with the security of 5G Open RAN (Radio Access Networks) focusing on the coexistence of heterogeneous radio access technologies and applying AI to detect and mitigate security risks.  Under CSRIC IX, Drozd will help to formulate recommendations on the use of AI/ML to enhance 6G communications and wireless network cyber security, reliability, and interoperability. Per Drozd, recommendations will stress the advantages of agile spectrum and regulatory modernization for harmonization and coexistence, Beyond 5G (B5G) technology, decentralized and edge network architectures.

“My participation in CSRIC IX literally gives the Mohawk Valley a voice in influencing the development of national policies and standards on AI’s use in modernizing our nation’s B5G/6G communications infrastructure by providing technical guidance and recommendations, including inputs on STEM workforce preparedness with respect to the responsible use of AI/ML,” said Drozd.  He plans to leverage relevant findings from his company’s recent contract award from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to establish a federated 5G Test Environment (5GTE) and Beyond 5G (B5G) testbed.

Rep. Brandon Williams of the 22^nd Congressional District stated, “Dr. Drozd has been a tireless advocate for the Mohawk Valley, in his work and his service to the community.  This appointment is another opportunity for him to serve our region with his expertise and his voice.”

The CSRIC has a long and rich history of making vital, relevant recommendations to the FCC.  It is led by Suzon Cameron, Designated Federal Officer (DFO) of CSRIC IX, and Deputy DFOs Kurian Jacob and Logan Bennett.

Drozd leads scientific research and development projects at ANDRO towards advancing the field of artificial intelligence for secure wireless communication and specifically, exploiting radio frequency machine learning (RFML) solutions.  He also leads STEM workforce preparedness initiatives through the Project Fibonacci Foundation aimed at enhancing our global competitiveness through technological innovation.  Drozd is an IEEE Life Fellow and received advanced degrees from Syracuse University and St. John Fisher University.  In 2019 he was inducted into the Rome Academy of Science Hall of Fame.

About the FCC: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), created under the Communications Act of 1934, regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. An independent U.S. government agency overseen by Congress, the Commission is the federal agency responsible for implementing and enforcing America’s communications law and regulations. Advisory committees, many of which were established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), provide federal departments and agencies with access to expertise and advice on a broad range of issues affecting policies and programs. Visit https://www.fcc.gov forPublic Notes regarding the CSRIC IX advisory council mission and staff appointments.

In the News:

FCC Launches Advisory Committee, 6G Security Working Group (6gworld.com)

ANDRO CEO reappointed to federal cybersecurity council | News | romesentinel.com

On June 25, 2024, the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) hosted a remarkable event as part of its Guest Speaker Series. This session featured Dr. Andy Drozd, who delivered an enlightening presentation on the cutting-edge topic of “Intelligent Dynamic Spectrum Management Systems.” The event drew the participation of approximately 50 FCC staff members, all eager to delve into the advancements in spectrum management and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies.

Dr. Drozd’s presentation highlighted the ongoing research aimed at harnessing AI/ML for Dynamic Spectrum Management, Access, and Sharing (DSM/A/S). He elaborated on how these technologies are being utilized to enhance spectrum awareness and exploitation, as well as to develop cognitive software-defined radio (SDR) networking. Central to his discourse was the concept of a spectrum toolchain approach, which leverages advanced spectrum planning tools and comprehensive spectrum databases. This approach enables the training of spectrum management systems to adapt and respond in real-time to the dynamically changing electromagnetic operational environment (EMOE) states.

The event was not only informative but also interactive, featuring a thought-provoking Q&A session that allowed for extensive information exchange among FCC staff. Dr. Drozd’s insights into the spectrum toolchain approach underscored the importance of real-time spectrum adjudication and the potential of AI/ML to revolutionize spectrum management. This presentation undoubtedly sparked a deeper interest in the innovative solutions being developed to address the complexities of spectrum management in an increasingly connected world. The FCC’s commitment to fostering such knowledge-sharing events is crucial in advancing the understanding and implementation of these transformative technologies.

ROME, NY — ANDRO Computational Solutions, LLC of Rome was awarded a Direct-to-Phase II contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Washington, DC valued at about $2 million, to establish a federated fifth generation (5G) testbed ecosystem called 5GTE for advanced telecommunications experimentation. According to DARPA officials, the objective of the 5GTE is to develop a scalable, open-source Internet of Things (IoT) 5G test environment capability to support research and development of nascent 5G technologies and advanced telecommunications use cases, both fixed and mobile. The Direct-to-Phase-II award is highly competitive and is part of a multiphase Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracting vehicle that paves the way for multimillion dollars in additional funding.

The focus of 5GTE is to provide an open-source, realistic 5G radio access network (RAN) to enable rapid prototyping of wireless protocols and applications including, but not limited to cyber security, artificial intelligence (AI), and multi-access edge-computing.

The 5GTE project title, “Federated Open Source Beyond 5G (B5G) Test Environment,” will leverage ANDRO’s extensive research base in AI and wireless cyber security applications development for next-generation 5G innovations. A key requirement of 5GTE, per ANDRO president, Dr. Andrew Drozd, is the ability to rapidly and accurately scale as new technologies and devices are introduced or become available. “The 5GTE must also provide remote access and device update capabilities. To broaden the range of supported devices and to facilitate development, 5GTE will have the ability to support different wireless communication technologies, for example, 4G, wireless fidelity, and others,” per Drozd.

ANDRO’s Marconi-Rosenblatt AI Innovation Lab, led by co-directors Dr. Jithin Jagannath and Dr. Anu Jagannath, is spearheading the effort in cooperation with ANDRO’s academic partner, the Wireless Internet of Things (WIoT) Research Laboratory at Northeastern University. Drozd added, “Northeastern University has a wealth of wireless 5G assets and related test resources that can be brought to bear under the DARPA project.”

The award allows ANDRO to explore the boundaries of deploying AI models for enhancing security to infuse Zero-Trust principles with the Open RAN architecture standards. The 5G testbed will offer and include all components of 5G RAN allowing solutions to be seamlessly expanded and integrated with other 5G networks. Jithin Jagannath, who is also ANDRO’s Chief Scientist – Technology Sector, stated, “I have been a big proponent of open source and its ability to enhance security, and I believe it’s no different in the context of O-RAN. In this effort, we will investigate developing deployable solutions that infuse Zero-Trust features within the O-RAN.”

The 5GTE will serve as an open validation platform for government vendors, industries, and academia to validate their 5G solutions prior to commercial rollout. According to Anu Jagannath, there is a lack of open, large-scale, Federated testbeds that enable advanced AI-based 5G solutions development and testing. She stated,“The 5G test environment developed by ANDRO’s AI Innovation Lab will be a novel, highly unique framework enabling remote accessibility to the testbed and allowing users to access, pause, save, resume, and utilize the resources.” In addition to integrating Zero-Trust security with the 5G network, ANDRO will deliver several ready-to-deploy microservices that users can easily deploy as well as utilize the framework to develop their own customized solutions.

The team also includes ANDRO researchers Suhail Shaik and Mohammed Abu Zaid, residents and graduates of the University at Buffalo, who are working on 5G-related efforts for the company.

Potential future-phase funding will look to expand the 5GTE ecosystem participation bringing greater 5G, Beyond 5G (B5G), and Future-G presence for commercialization and military transition benefit.

ANDRO anticipates collaborative opportunities that will grow the ecosystem with U.S. Government agencies and labs such as: the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) under CHIPS and Science Act Wireless Innovation Fund initiatives; the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in Rome and other AFRL directorates under Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs); the National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST) and their Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) facilities, which supports the operation of four large-scale wireless testbeds for 5G/6G research; and commercial 5G service providers that include Verizon, AT&T, Ericsson, and Nokia. With these collaborative opportunities comes job creation, technology advancement in the 5G/B5G/6G communications space that will outpace near-peer adversaries, and ANDRO’s corporate growth at Griffiss Business & Technology Park.

“ANDRO’s well-earned $2 million federal contract is a major win for its workers and Oneida County and will position the Mohawk Valley on the forefront of innovation in 5G and wireless technologies. With this funding, ANDRO will accelerate telecommunications innovation, add good-paying jobs and be better equipped to compete for millions of dollars from my CHIPS & Sciences Act,” said Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY). “To compete with China, we must invest in American tech companies, like ANDRO, and that is why I’m committed to delivering every dollar I can to bolster tech companies throughout the Mohawk Valley and Central NY to ensure the U.S. remains the global leader in critical next-generation technologies,” Schumer added.

Read the Full Senator Chuck Schumer Press Release here

Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY) of the 22^nd Congressional District provided the following statement: “Central New York is a critical hub for our national security, and I wholeheartedly commend the team at ANDRO for their efforts to save lives, resources, and money through cutting-edge research and development. This grant is proof of their work’s positive impact and potential, and I look forward to witnessing their successful collaboration with federal agencies and labs with aligned objectives.”

Read the Full Congressman Brandon Williams Press Release here

About ANDRO: ANDRO provides research, engineering, and technical services to defense and commercial industries in advanced spectrum exploitation, secure wireless communications, software-based waveform development, cognitive software-defined radio networking, multi-sensor data fusion, and sensor resource management.  For more information on ANDRO, including job placements, visit www.androcs.com.

About DARPA: DARPA has made pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies for national security for over 60 years. The agency explicitly reaches for transformational change instead of incremental advances and works within an innovation ecosystem that includes academic, corporate and governmental partners, with a constant focus on the Nation’s military Services, which work with DARPA to create new strategic opportunities; novel tactical options; and game-changing military capabilities such as precision weapons and stealth technology, the Internet, automated voice recognition and language translation, and Global Positioning System receivers small enough to embed in myriad consumer devices. DARPA comprises approximately 220 government employees in six technical offices, including nearly 100 program managers, who together oversee about 250 research and development programs. Visit https://www.darpa.mil for more information.

In the News:

ANDRO lands $2 million contract for 5G test environment

Rome to Receive Millions from Federal Contract for 5G ‘Testbed’ in Mohawk Valley | Focus Economy | wktv.com

ANDRO in Rome awarded $2 million DARPA contract for 5G development | News | romesentinel.com

ANDRO in Rome awarded $2 million by DARPA to advance next-gen internet (uticaod.com)

DARPA awards 5G Test Environment SBIR Phase II contract | G2X Defense (g2xchange.com)

Rome’s ANDRO awarded $2M DARPA award, will develop 5G and wireless tech (aol.com)

InsideTowers.com

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Anu Jagannath, the Associate Director of the Marconi-Rosenblatt AI Innovation Lab, has been named a recipient of the prestigious 2024 Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association (AFCEA) “40 Under Forty Award.” Representing our local Erie Canal Chapter, Dr. Jagannath’s remarkable achievements and contributions to the field of technical science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have earned her this well-deserved recognition.

Dr. Jagannath’s recent accomplishments are nothing short of extraordinary. She recently successfully defended her PhD Dissertation titled “Deep Learning at the Edge for FutureG Networks: RF Signal Intelligence for Comprehensive Spectrum Awareness.” Balancing her academic pursuits with her professional responsibilities, Dr. Jagannath has played a pivotal role in securing 10 winning contracts for ANDRO, publishing 20 influential articles, and obtaining over 10 patents (both granted and pending). Her dedication to her work and her family, as she raises two young children with her husband Dr. Jithin Jagannath, stands as a testament to her incredible work ethic and inspirational spirit.

The AFCEA 40 Under Forty Award honors individuals under the age of 40 who have made significant contributions in STEM fields through innovation, thought leadership, and support to their clients or organizations using information technology. The award presentation will be a highlight of the AFCEA TechNet Cyber Conference, scheduled to take place from June 25-27 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Maryland. The awards ceremony is set for Monday, June 24th, where Dr. Jagannath will be celebrated alongside other distinguished honorees.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Anu Jagannath for her outstanding achievements and this remarkable honor. Her dedication, innovation, and leadership continue to inspire us all.

ROME, N.Y. — ANDRO Computational Solutions, LLC is proud to announce the successful completion of the inaugural cohort of ‘Project Management 101’, a comprehensive training course designed to equip staff with the skills necessary to become effective and productive managers. This initiative represents a strategic effort to enhance the company’s managerial capabilities and set a strong foundation for future growth.

The selected cohort, consisting of Dave Diaz, Sean Furman, Tom Gadek, Zach Goldsmith, Justin Henney, and Zack Kane, brings together a diverse group of talented scientists and engineers. These individuals were handpicked by senior managers for their potential to take on greater responsibilities within the company. Over the course of six weeks, participants delved into critical topics such as personnel and process management, contracts, and business development.

The course was expertly taught by ANDRO’s Chief of Operations, Fred Frantz, whose 46 years of experience provided invaluable insights and lessons learned. Frantz remarked, “This next generation of managers will be crucial to ANDRO’s future growth and to carry on the tradition of technical excellence that has been established.” His mentorship has not only imparted essential knowledge but also inspired the cohort to rise to the challenges of leadership.

ANDRO Computational Solutions, LLC is committed to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional development. The ‘Project Management 101’ initiative is a testament to this commitment, ensuring that the company remains at the forefront of innovation and excellence. As these newly-trained managers step into their expanded roles, they will drive ANDRO’s mission forward, contributing to the company’s ongoing success and evolution.

ROME — Last week, staff members from the office of Congressman Brandon Williams (NY-22) were hosted for a facilities tour by ANDRO Computational Solutions, a privately-owned company providing civilian and military clients alike with cutting-edge research, engineering, and technical services.

ANDRO’s body of work includes research and development in artificial intelligence and machine learning, waveform development, dynamic spectrum management, spectrum exploitation, cyber-secure wireless communications, cognitive radios and software defined networking, multi-sensor and multi-target tracking, advanced radar data fusion, and sensor resource management.

The facilities tour included demonstrations of radio-frequency detection technology, autonomous UAVs, jammer-resilient technologies, and 5G testbeds housed in the Marconi-Rosenblatt Artificial Intelligence Innovation Lab.

“It is important that we continue to build bridges with our political sector and make them aware of our technical and business achievements as well as the challenges that small businesses face. We truly appreciate the interest in our work by Rep. Williams and his staff and the time they took to strategize ways we can collaborate in the future for the benefit of the district, region, and the nation,” said ANDRO CEO, Dr. Andy Drozd.

“The work being done by Dr. Drozd and the entire team at ANDRO is crucial to the noble goal of keeping our nation’s warfighters safe amidst increasingly complex and dangerous circumstances. Additionally, Dr. Drozd’s Project Fibonacci Foundation is commendably engaging in the necessary effort to build the kind of workforce that will propel America into the future of science and tech, right here in Central New York,” said Congressman Brandon Williams.

Read the foreignaffairs.co.nz story here

Read the Sentinel story here

https://brandonwilliams.house.gov

https://brandonwilliams.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1838

ROME, NY — The United States Patent Office on May 28 awarded ANDRO Computational Solutions, LLC of Rome Utility Patent No. 11,997,728 titled, Multi-Task Learning Neural Network Framework for RF Spectrum Sensing and Classification.  The patented invention applies Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to multidimensionally capture, process, and classify radio frequency (RF) electronic signals in complex electromagnetic operational environments (EMOEs) with increased efficiency and accuracy to enhance military battlespace awareness.

According to ANDRO president, Dr. Andrew Drozd, electronic intelligence stands at the forefront of developing radio frequency machine learning (RFML) solutions for military customers such as the U.S. Army, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Office of Naval Research (ONR), Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), among others, and can potentially serve the needs of civilian customers or applications.

The concept development for the patent was spearheaded by ANDRO’s Marconi-Rosenblatt AI Innovation Lab under the direction of Dr. Anu Jagannath and Dr. Jithin Jagannath.  The AI Lab continues to make significant contributions in advancing cutting-edge technologies using AI technologies leading to products and solutions having both military and commercial, or dual-use, applicability.

ANDRO’s MR AI Lab has additional specialized inventions in the patent pipeline related to novel and efficient RF signal/spectrum exploitation that focus on developing highly innovative and compact (small-form-factor) solutions.  Jithin Jagannath stated, “The MR AI Lab team excels in harnessing the potential of even the smallest software-defined radios (SDRs), simultaneously extracting diverse signal descriptors for multidimensional analysis and understanding.”

Anu Jagannath credits the dedicated efforts of several members of the MR AI Lab research team who are developing products derived from the patent.  They include Zackary Kane, Noor Biswas, Dr. Sabarish Krishna Moorthy, Dr. Swatantra Kafle, and Haolun Li – all local area residents recruited from regional universities.  The MR AI Lab holds a suite of RFML-related utility patents pending approval, encompassing a spectrum of applications, including technologies for RF fingerprinting.

The MR AI Lab team also received a Notice of Publication on May 9 from the U.S. Patent Office for a provisional filing of an invention titled, Signal Intelligence System to Integrate Spectrum Prediction with Emitter Classification and PNT (Positioning, Navigation, Timing) under Publication No. US-2024-0151816-A1, which is anticipated relatively soon to enter into the utility patent stage.

ANDRO continues to leverage its growing portfolio of patents and military heritage of products to expand its operations. The company has been providing research, engineering, and technical services to defense and commercial industries since 1994.  The independently-owned company focuses on research, development and the application of advanced computer software and hardware solutions for secure wireless communications, cognitive software defined radio networking, software waveform development, advanced multisensor data fusion, and sensor resource management. ANDRO recently opened a field office in San Diego, CA to support West coast DoD/Navy customers. Visit www.androcs.com for more information on ANDRO’s technologies, products, and patents including job placements.

Read the Sentinel story here

Read the Central New York Business Journal story here

Dr. Andy Drozd, CEO and chief scientist of ANDRO Computational Solutions, LLC was a panelist at the Artificial Intelligence Roundtable Discussion hosted by County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. and New York State Sen. Joseph Griffo.

The free event, which is open to the public, took place on May 23, 2024 at the Mohawk Valley Community College Rome Campus at 1101 Floyd Ave.

The panel discussed what artificial intelligence is, its potential benefits and drawbacks, and other related topics. Panelists will include: 

• Anthony Martino, director of the Northeast Cybersecurity and Forensics Center at Utica University
• Charles Green, cofounder, president and CEO of AIS
• Andy Drozd, president, CEO and chief scientist of ANDRO Computational Solutions, LLC
• Stephen J. Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties and member of the National Association of Counties Artificial Intelligence Exploratory Committee

“Artificial Intelligence has become a hot button topic as of late, and like with many other things, there are legitimate concerns and outright falsehoods surrounding it,” Picente said. “AI has the potential to significantly improve many areas of our lives, but we must tread carefully as we explore its capabilities and the negative aspects that could arise. I look forward to educating the public through a robust discussion about the pros and cons of this emerging technology and I thank Sen. Griffo and our panelists for participating.”

“The use of artificial intelligence is becoming more and more common,” Griffo said. “Given its widespread emergence, many people have questions and/or concerns and want to learn more about this technology. I thank Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. and our panelists for taking part in this important and informative discussion.”

Read the full Observer-Dispatch story here

ANDRO Computational Solutions, LLC is excited to be at DySPAN this week!

Don’t forget to stop by the 𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗥𝗢 exhibit and visit with Timothy Woods, 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀, and 𝗗𝗿. 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝘇𝗱!
Held May 13-16, 2024 in Washington, D.C. The IEEE International Symposium on Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks will break new ground in spectrum access by uniting industry experts, academics, and innovative minds from across the globe.

ANDRO Computational Solutions, LLC is excited to share a significant milestone in the academic and professional community of signal processing and the Internet of Things (IoT). Dr. Jithin Jagannath has been appointed as the IEEE Signal Processing Society Representative to the Internet of Things Journal Steering Committee. This prestigious position not only highlights Dr. Jagannath’s outstanding contributions to the field but also highlights his commitment to providing service to the IEEE and other organizations.  

Dr. Jagannath’s expertise spans across various facets of signal processing and IoT, making him an exemplary choice for this role. His dedication to advancing research, fostering innovation, and bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical applications has been commendable. As a representative, Dr. Jagannath is set to bring a fresh perspective and drive significant advancements in the IoT domain, influencing future technologies and applications that will benefit society at large.

Let’s extend our warmest congratulations to Dr. Jithin Jagannath on this remarkable achievement. We eagerly anticipate the contributions he will bring to the table, shaping the future of IoT and signal processing. Here’s to new beginnings and groundbreaking advancements!

#IEEE #SignalProcessing #IoT #Innovation #Leadership #Technology #Congratulations