Professor Costas Constantinou BEng, PhD, FIET, MIEEE, MInstP, CEng, CPhys

Professor Costas Constantinou

Department of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering
Professor of Communication Electrodynamics
College of Engineering and Physical Sciences Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer

Contact details

Address
Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Costas Constantinou is Professor of Communication Electrodynamics in the School of Engineering.

Costas has published over 150 research papers in scientific journals, international conferences and book chapters in a broad range of topics in the area of communications engineering that include optics, electromagnetic theory, electromagnetic scattering and diffraction, electromagnetic measurement, radiowave propagation modelling, mobile radio and future communications networks architectures. He also contributed to two patent applications on highly resilient routing protocols in computer networks and a patent application on electrically small antennas.

He has received major grants from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), industry and government.

Qualifications

• Chartered Physicist, 1995
• Chartered Engineer, 1995
• PhD in Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Birmingham 1991
• BEng (Hons) in Electronic and Communication Engineering, University of Birmingham 1987

Biography

Costas came to Birmingham University from Cyprus to Study Electronic and Electrical Engineering in 1984 on a Commonwealth Scholarship. After graduating with a first class honours BEng in 1987 he went on to study for a PhD in the area of Integrated Optics. Halfway through his PhD studies in 1989 he joined the faculty of the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering as a Lecturer. 

He was awarded his PhD in Electronic and Electrical Engineering on interdisciplinary work in modelling integrated optical waveguides by adapting techniques of mathematical physics in 1991. His entire research career has since been characterised by working on the interface between physics, mathematics and communications engineering on topics that are not naturally aligned (e.g. Complexity Science, Theoretical Physics and Computer Networking). 

In 2005 he cofounded and became a director of a spin-off company, Prolego Technologies Ltd., until 2009.

He is currently director of the Antennas and Engineering Electromagnetics Laboratory in the School of Engineering and Deputy Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.

Teaching

Teaching Programmes 
• MEng4/MSc Electromagnetics, Antennas and Propagation 
• MEng4/MSc Satellite, Mobile and Optical Communication Systems 
• MSc Introductory Module for Communications

Postgraduate supervision

PHD RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Professor Constantinou is always happy to consider inquiries and applications from prospective PhD students interested in a topics in engineering electromagnetics, antennas and radiowave propagation. 

Prospective applicants prior to approaching Costas need to prepare a *short* statement of proposed research, no more two sides of A4 (in addition to the usual personal statement and CV) indicating the following: 

• Show a reasonable understanding of existing work in the field (what is the state of the art?) 
• Identify an area for new work (what is worth pursuing?) 
• Have concrete goals and deliverables for the first year (how do intend to start this and how can I help as a supervisor?) 
• Indicate that you know how to achieve them (what are your specific skills and experiences that make you a suitable person to study for a PhD)

Research

Research Themes


• Radiowave Propagation 
• Applied Electromagnetics 
• Antennas

Other activities

• Member of the IET Antennas and Propagation Technical and Professional Network

• Member of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society Education Committee

Publications

Recent publications

2016

Konstantinidis, K, Feresidis, A, Constantinou, C, Gashinova, M, Hoare, E, Lancaster, M & Gardner, P 2016, A THz Dielectric Lens Antenna. in 2016 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation., 1407, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2016 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation , Fajardo, Puerto Rico, 26-1 July. DOI: 10.1109/APS.2016.7696453

Norouzian, F, Du, R, Gashinova, M, Hoare, E, Constantinou, C, Lancaster, M, Gardner, P & Cherniakov, M 2016, Signal reduction due to radome contamination in low-THz automotive radar. in 2016 IEEE Radar Conference. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2016 IEEE Radar conference, Philadelphia, PA, United States, 2-6 May. DOI: 10.1109/RADAR.2016.7485217

Willetts, B, Gashinova, M, Stove, A, Constantinou, C, Hoare, E & Marchetti, E 2016, 'Low-THz Overhead Power Cable Signatures: The effect of surface features on Low-THz reflectivities'.

Norouzian, F, Du, R, Gashinova, M, Hoare, E, Constantinou, C, Lancaster, M, Gardner, P & Cherniakov, M 2016, 'Signal Reduction due to Radome Contamination in Low-THz Automotive Radar' Paper presented at 2016 IEEE Radar conference, Philadelphia, PA, United States, 2/05/16 - 6/05/16, .

2015

Guo, M, Lancaster, M & Constantinou, C 2015, 'A new multi-passband filter synthesis technique' Paper presented at ARMMS Conference (November 2015), Wyboston, United Kingdom, 9/11/15 - 10/11/15, .

Wen, T, Lyu, X, Kirkwood, D, Chen, L, Constantinou, C & Roberts, C 2015, Co-simulation Testing of Data Communication System Supporting CBTC. in IEEE Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems, Proceedings, ITSC. vol. 2015-October, 7313520, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, pp. 2665-2670, 18th IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems, ITSC 2015, Gran Canaria, Spain, 15-18 September. DOI: 10.1109/ITSC.2015.428

Kabiri, Y, Gardner, P & Constantinou, C 2015, Wideband two-port injection matched antenna. in IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society, AP-S International Symposium (Digest). vol. 2015-October, 7305081, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, pp. 1384-1385, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society International Symposium, APS 2015, Vancouver, Canada, 19-24 July. DOI: 10.1109/APS.2015.7305081

Wu, X, Nechayev, Y, Constantinou, C & Hall, P 2015, 'Interuser interference in adjacent wireless body area networks' IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, vol 63, no. 10, pp. 4496-4504. DOI: 10.1109/TAP.2015.2465856

Norouzian, F, Qi, F, Willetts, B, Gashinova, M, Constantinou, C, Gardner, P, Hoare, E & Cherniakov, M 2015, Characterisation of Attenuation at Low THz Frequencies in Radar Sensors. in 12th European Radar Conference Proceedings. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. DOI: 10.1109/EuRAD.2015.7346247

Kabiri, Y, Gardner, P & Constantinou, C 2015, Simultaneous Two-port Injection Matched Antenna. in European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2015, 9th., 15416429, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, pp. 1-3.

2014

Nechayev, YI, Constantinou, CC, Wu, X & Hall, PS 2014, 'De-polarization of on-body channels and polarization diversity at 60 GHz' IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, vol 62, no. 12, 6915677, pp. 6519-6523. DOI: 10.1109/TAP.2014.2361140

Li, X, Nechayev, YI & Constantinou, CC 2014, 'Medical wireless body sensor networks at microwave versus mm-wave bands' 2014 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Workshop Series on RF and Wireless Technologies for Biomedical and Healthcare Applications (IMWS-BIO), United Kingdom, 8/12/14 - 10/12/14, pp. 1-3. DOI: 10.1109/IMWS-BIO.2014.7032413

Kabiri Isfahani, Y, Gardner, P & Constantinou, C 2014, A novel approach for wideband tunable electrically small antennas. in European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2014, 8th., 6902617, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, pp. 3633-3637, 8th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2014, The Hague, United Kingdom, 6-11 April. DOI: 10.1109/EuCAP.2014.6902617

Kabiri Isfahani, Y, Gardner, P & Constantinou, C 2014, Investigation of radiation from an injection matched antenna. in 2014 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference, LAPC 2014., 6996318, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, pp. 52-54, 2014 10th Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference, LAPC 2014, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom, 10-11 November. DOI: 10.1109/LAPC.2014.699631

Li, X, Nechayev, YI, Constantinou, CC & Hall, P 2014, Multi-hop channel modeling at 60 GHz for on-body communications. in European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2014, 8th., 6902271, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, pp. 2286-2289, 8th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2014, The Hague, United Kingdom, 6-11 April. DOI: 10.1109/EuCAP.2014.6902271

Faghih, A, Constantinou, C & Stewart, E 2014, Signal propagation on a railway wireless condition monitoring system. in IET Colloquium on Antennas, Wireless and Electromagnetics 2014. Institution of Engineering and Technology, IET Colloquium on Antennas, Wireless and Electromagnetics 2014, London, United Kingdom, 27-27 May.

Kabiri Isfahani, Y, Gardner, P & Constantinou, C 2014, 'Injection matched approach for wideband tunable electrically small antennas' Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation, vol 8, no. 11, pp. 878-886. DOI: 10.1049/iet-map.2013.0700

View all publications in research portal

Expertise

Professor Constantinou can provide technical expertise on radio communication services and networks, with particular emphasis on coordination and coexistence issues, including spectrum management strategies. Additionally, Costas has technical expertise on the use and limitations of radio location tools as evidence for forensic services.

Policy experience

Professor Constantinou's research expertise on radio propagation indirectly contributed to the standardisation process for 3 generation mobile communications via the BT Laboratories. Moreover, Costas has undertaken consultancy on the use of radio location methods which has been adopted as a forensic operating policy by a UK police force.