Charles J. Carver, PhD
I am a member of the Technical Staff at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, researching and developing space-related systems at Lincoln Laboratory. My interdisciplinary academic, industry, and government research lies in the intersection of photonics and mobile systems, spanning application domains from underwater to space and fusing concepts from optics, networking, embedded systems, computer vision, signal processing, and robotics. I am dedicated to leveraging my strong leadership skills, technical expertise, and scientific creativity in all aspects of my research, engineering, and consulting career.
Education
Columbia University ( New York, NY)
Doctor of Philosophy, Computer Science
Master of Philosophy, Computer Science
- Dissertation: “Illuminating New Frontiers in Communication and Sensing with Laser Light”
- NSF Fellowship
- 4.26 GPA
Dartmouth College ( Hanover, NH)
Master of Science, Computer Science
- NSF Fellowship, M.S. Class Marshal
- 3.93 GPA
Fordham University ( Bronx, NY)
Bachelor of Science, Physics (Minor, Mathematics)
- Victor F. Hess Award for best record of achievement in Physics
- 3.70 GPA, magna cum laude
Appointments
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lincoln Laboratory ( Lexington, MA)
Member of Technical Staff
- Space systems research and development.
Columbia University, Department of Computer Science ( New York, NY)
NSF Fellow
- Advised by Dr. Xia Zhou (primary) and Dr. Shree Nayar (secondary).
- Led two multi-university collaborations investigating Gbps laser networking and mW-level power delivery for mobile systems.
- Designed novel optical/electronic systems, CV algorithms for neuromorphic cameras, and 3D-printed CAD prototypes.
- Published three times in highly selective (14-28% acceptance rates) conferences and journals.
- Funded by National Science Foundation Grant Nos. DGE-2036197 and CNS-1552924.
Google, Network Hotspots Team ( Mountain View, CA)
Research Intern; Student Researcher
- Advised by Dr. Hamid Bazzaz.
- Built production SQL modules to correlate application latency and network utilization using terabytes of data per day.
- Performed Python data analysis to measure impact on internal and production applications, including ML stack.
- Presented findings during two Technical Infrastructure engineering reviews and co-authored published manuscript (NSDI ’24).
Google, Optical Networking Technologies Team ( Mountain View, CA)
Research Intern; Student Researcher
- Advised by Dr. Tad Hofmeister.
- Directed investigation into optical polarization sensing of anthropic and seismic activity over terrestrial fiber-optic networks.
- Constructed a real-time Python pipeline for collecting and preprocessing gigabytes per day of fiber polarization data.
- Assisted in designing database schema for efficient, long-term data collection using Google’s infrastructure.
- Authored manuscript (Nature Comms. Eng.) quantifying sensing fidelity and network health/geophysical sensing implications.
Dartmouth College, Department of Computer Science ( Hanover, NH)
Graduate Research Assistant; NSF Fellow
- Advised by Dr. Xia Zhou.
- Led two multi-department collaborations exploring wireless, laser-based networking and 3D sensing between AUVs and UAVs.
- Prototyped PCBs, end-to-end software stacks, and experimental optical setups for embedded systems.
- Published six manuscripts in highly selective conferences (18-28% acceptance rates), one in top 4% Springer journals.
- Contributed three invited publications to one IEEE networking conference and two ACM magazines; filed two U.S. patents.
- Received three awards (including Best Paper Award and Best Demo Award), five press articles, and over 85 citations.
- Funded by National Science Foundation Grant Nos. GRFP-1840344 and CNS-1552924.
Fordham University, Department of Physics ( Bronx, NY)
Research Assistant
- Advised by Dr. Christopher Aubin.
- Created lightweight Python framework for SU(2) gauge theory (two-color Quantum Chromodynamics) simulations.
New York Institute of Technology, Department of Computer Science ( New York, NY)
NSF REU Fellow
- Advised by Dr. Ziqian Dong (primary) and Dr. N. Sertac Artan (secondary).
- Investigated secure phone-to-phone screen communication and passive indoor localization using ambient light.
- Published twice in selective IEEE conferences (30% acceptance rate) and awarded second place for best poster.
- Funded by National Science Foundation Grant No. CNS-1559652.
Honors and Awards
Best Demo Award, ACM MobiCom
Second Place Winner, ACM MobiCom Student Researcher Competition
M.S. Class Marshal, Dartmouth College Commencement
Grand Prize Winner, Dartmouth Innovation and Technology Festival
Best Paper Award, USENIX NSDI
Best Demo Award, ACM HotMobile
Victor F. Hess Award, Fordham University Department of Physics
Best Poster Runner-Up, NYIT 8th Annual Cybersecurity Conference
Funding
National Science Foundation, GRFP (DGE-2036197), $49,000
Association for Computing Machinery, SIGMOBILE Travel Grant, $1,110
National Science Foundation, GRFP (GRFP-1840344), $92,000
Dartmouth College, Guarini School, $32,510
National Science Foundation, REU (CNS-1559652), $7,800
Publications
- Charles J. Carver, Hadleigh Schwartz, Toma Itagaki, Zachary Englhardt, Kechen Liu Megan Graciela Nauli Manik, Chun-Cheng Chang, Vikram Iyer, Brian Plancher, and Xia Zhou. “Set Phasers to Stun: Beaming Power and Control to Mobile Microrobots with Laser Light.” 2025 (With Reviewers).
- Xiaoxin Wang, Charles J. Carver, Nicholas R. Shade, Eric R. Fossum, Xia Zhou, and Jifeng Liu. “High-efficiency, low-speckle contrast white laser lighting via multi-stage scattering and photon recycling.” Nature Light: Science & Applications. 2025 (With Reviewers). Preprint: doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3182555/v1
- Yanchen Liu, Minghui Zhao, Kaiyuan Hou, Junxi Xia, Charles J. Carver, Stephen Xia, Xia Zhou, and Xiaofan Jiang. “AIRA: A Low-cost IR-based Approach Towards Autonomous Precision Drone Landing and NLOS Indoor Navigation.” 2025 (With Reviewers). Preprint: doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2407.05619
- Hamid Bazzaz, Weiwu Pang, Yingjie Bi, Minlan Yu, Ramesh Govindan, Neal Cardwell, Nandita Dukkipati, Meng-Jung Tsai, Chris DeForeest, Yuxue Jin, Charles J. Carver, Jan Kopanski, and Liqun Cheng. “Preventing Network Bottlenecks: Accelerating Datacenter Services with Hotspot-Aware Placement for Compute and Storage.” In Proceedings of the 22nd USENIX Conference on Networked Systems Design and Implementation (USENIX NSDI). 2025.
- Charles J. Carver. “Illuminating New Frontiers in Communication and Sensing with Laser Light.” Columbia University. 2024. DOI: doi.org/10.7916/2c83-bn79
- Charles J. Carver and Xia Zhou. “Polarization sensing of network health and seismic activity over a live terrestrial fiber-optic cable.” Nature Communications Engineering. 2024. DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s44172-024-00237-w
- Charles J. Carver, Toma Itagaki, Kechen Liu, Megan G. N. Manik, Zachary Englhardt, Vikram Iyer, and Xia Zhou. “Demonstration of laser power delivery for mobile microrobots.” In Proceedings of the 10th Workshop on Micro Aerial Vehicle Networks, Systems, and Applications (ACM MobiSys DroNet). 2024. DOI: doi.org/10.1145/3661810.3663466
- Charles J. Carver, Hadleigh Schwartz, Qijia Shao, Nicholas Shade, Joseph Lazzaro, Xiaoxin Wang, Jifeng Liu, Eric Fossum, and Xia Zhou. “Catch me if you can: laser tethering with highly mobile targets.” In Proceedings of the 21st USENIX Conference on Networked Systems Design and Implementation (USENIX NSDI). 2024. DOI: usenix.org/conference/nsdi24/presentation/carver
- Charles J. Carver, Hadleigh Schwartz, Qijia Shao, Nicholas Shade, Joseph P. Lazzaro, Xiaoxin Wang, Jifeng Liu, Eric R. Fossum, and Xia Zhou. “Catch me if you can: demonstrating laser tethering with highly mobile targets.” In Proceedings of the 29th Annual International Conference on Mobile Computing and Networking (ACM MobiCom). 2023. DOI: doi.org/10.1145/3570361.3614081 Best demo award and 2nd place SRC winner.
- Alberto Quattrini Li, Charles J. Carver, Qijia Shao, Xia Zhou, and Srihari Nelakuditi. “Communication for underwater robots: recent trends.” Springer Current Robotics Reports. 2023. DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s43154-023-00100-4
- Charles J. Carver, Qijia Shao, Samuel Lensgraf, Amy Sniffen, Maxine Perroni-Scharf, Hunter Gallant, Alberto Quattrini Li, and Xia Zhou. “Sunflower: locating underwater robots from the air.” In Proceedings of the 20th Annual International Conference on Mobile Systems, Applications and Services (ACM MobiSys). 2022. DOI: doi.org/10.1145/3498361.3539773 Grand prize winner at the ’22 Dartmouth Innovation and Technology Festival.
- Charles J. Carver, Qijia Shao, Samuel Lensgraf, Amy Sniffen, Maxine Perroni-Scharf, Hunter Gallant, Alberto Quattrini Li, and Xia Zhou. “Sunflower: locating underwater robots from the air: video.” In Proceedings of the 20th Annual International Conference on Mobile Systems, Applications and Services. 2022. DOI: doi.org/10.1145/3498361.3538656
- Charles J. Carver, Zhao Tian, Qijia Shao, Hongyong Zhang, Kofi M. Odame, Alberto Quattrini Li, and Xia Zhou. “Air-water communication and sensing with light.” In Proceedings of the 2022 14th International Conference on Communication Systems & Networks. 2022. DOI: doi.org/10.1109/COMSNETS53615.2022.9668473
- Vimal Kakaraparthi/Qijia Shao, Charles J. Carver, Tien Pham, Nam Bui, Phuc Nguyen, Xia Zhou, and Tam Vu. “FaceSense: sensing face touch with an ear-worn system.” In Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies. 2021. DOI: doi.org/10.1145/3478129
- Charles J. Carver, Zhao Tian, Hongyong Zhang, Kofi M. Odame, Alberto Quattrini Li, and Xia Zhou. “AmphiLight: direct air-water communication with laser light.” In Proceedings of the 17th USENIX Conference on Networked Systems Design and Implementation. 2020. DOI: usenix.org/conference/nsdi20/presentation/carver Best paper award.
- Charles J. Carver, Zhao Tian, Hongyong Zhang, Kofi M. Odame, Alberto Quattrini Li, and Xia Zhou. “AmphiLight: direct air-water communication with laser light.” GetMobile: Mobile Computing and Communication. 2020. DOI: doi.org/10.1145/3447853.3447862
- Zhao Tian, Charles J. Carver, Qijia Shao, Monika Roznere, Alberto Quattrini Li, and Xia Zhou. “PolarTag: invisible data with light polarization.” In Proceedings of the 21st International Workshop on Mobile Computing Systems and Applications. 2020. DOI: doi.org/10.1145/3376897.3377854 Best demo award.
- Zhao Tian, Charles J. Carver, Qijia Shao, Monika Roznere, Alberto Quattrini Li, and Xia Zhou. “Demo: PolarTag - invisible data with light polarization.” In Proceedings of the 21st International Workshop on Mobile Computing Systems and Applications. 2020. DOI: doi.org/10.1145/3376897.3379160
- Charles J. Carver, Tianxing Li, and Xia Zhou. “Lighting the way to wireless efficiency.” XRDS: Crossroads, The ACM Magazine for Students. 2019. DOI: doi.org/10.1145/3357229
- Matthew Stafford, Adriana Rogers, Shela Wu, Charles Carver, N. Sertac Artan, and Ziqian Dong. “TETRIS: smartphone-to-smartphone screen-based visible light communication.” In Proceedings of the 2017 IEEE 14th International Conference on Mobile Ad Hoc and Sensor Systems. 2017. DOI: doi.org/10.1109/MASS.2017.101 Best poster runner-up at NYIT 8th Annual Cybersecurity Conference.
- Charles Carver, Shela Wu, Adriana Rogers, Matthew Stafford, N. Sertac Artan, and Ziqian Dong. “Indoor localization through visible light characterization using front-facing smartphone camera.” In Proceedings of the 2017 IEEE 14th International Conference on Mobile Ad Hoc and Sensor Systems. 2017. DOI: doi.org/10.1109/MASS.2017.102
Patents
“Localizing underwater robots from the air,” C Carver, Q Shao, A Quattrini Li, X Zhou
“Speckle-suppressing lighting system,” X Wang, C Carver, E Fossum, J Liu, X Zhou, N Shade
Talks and Presentations
“Illuminating New Frontiers in Communication and Sensing with Laser Light.” Columbia University, CS Dept.
“Illuminating New Frontiers in Communication and Sensing with Laser Light.” University of Pennsylvania, ESE Dept.
“Sunflower: locating underwater robots from the air.” ACM MobiSys. Video: youtu.be/hmLn4MgBs4E
“AmphiLight: direct air-water communication with laser light.” Fordham University, Physics Dept.
“AmphiLight: direct air-water communication with laser light.” USENIX NSDI. Video: youtu.be/red-Q16MYWU
“Extreme-High Frequency Communication: Visible Light.” Dartmouth College, CS Dept.
“The Physics of Visible Light Communication.” University of New Hampshire, Physics Dept.
Press
“Voices of CS: Charlie Carver and Hadleigh Schwartz.” Columbia University. 2024. Source: cs.columbia.edu/2024/voices-of-cs-charlie-carver-and-hadleigh-schwartz
“A Sunflower Eye in the Sky.” Dartmouth College. 2022. Source: home.dartmouth.edu/news/2022/06/sunflower-eye-sky
“Computer science professors create laser light system to detect robots underwater.” The Dartmouth. 2022. Source: thedartmouth.com/article/2022/07/james-rodil-professors-create-sunflower-laser-light-system
“A Sunflower Eye in the Sky.” Dartmouth College, Department of Computer Science. 2022. Source: web.cs.dartmouth.edu/news/2022/06/sunflower-eye-sky
“Poster session showcases CS and Engineering research.” Dartmouth College, Department of Computer Science. 2022. Source: web.cs.dartmouth.edu/news/2022/05/poster-session-showcases-cs-and-engineering-research
“Work on Air-Water Laser Link Won NSDI Best Paper Award.” Dartmouth College, Department of Computer Science. 2020. Source: web.cs.dartmouth.edu/news/2020/03/work-air-water-laser-link-won-nsdi-best-paper-award
Peer Review
IEEE Photonics Technology Letters
IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing
IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering
Computer Communications
Leadership and Activities
MS Applicant Reviewer, Columbia University
PhD Pre-Applicant Review Program, Columbia University
REU Alumni Panel, New York Institute of Technology
REU Alumni Panel, New York Institute of Technology
Vice President, Dartmouth Graduate Student Council
- Co-Chair of Benefits Ad-Hoc Committee
- Co-Chair/Co-Founder of Alumni Representation Ad-Hoc Committee
- Co-Chair/Co-Founder of Housing Ad-Hoc Committee
- Voting Member on College’s Ad-Hoc Council of Work-Life Issues
- Graduate Representative on Board of Trustees Student Liaison Committee
- Graduate Representative on Jed Foundation Exploratory Committee
- Legislator for External Affairs Standing Committee
Wellness Coach, Dartmouth Wellness Center
Web Co-Chair, ACM MobiSys ’21
CS Department Representative, Dartmouth Graduate Student Council
Mentor, New York Academy of Sciences STEMU Program
Head of IT, Fordham University Department of Physics
Tutor, Fordham University Department of Physics
Teaching Experience
Columbia University, Department of Computer Science ( New York, NY)
Topics in Mobile Computing, Head Teaching Assistant
Dartmouth College, Department of Computer Science ( Hanover, NH)
Introduction to Programming and Computation, Head Teaching Assistant
Software Design and Implementation, Head Teaching Assistant
Discrete Mathematics in Computer Science, Teaching Assistant
Fordham University, Department of Physics ( Bronx, NY)
Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics, Grading Assistant
Fordham University, Department of Mathematics ( Bronx, NY)
Calculus II, Grading Assistant
Finite Mathematics, Grading Assistant
Fordham University, Department of Physics ( Bronx, NY)
Physics I Lab, Lab Assistant
Technical Skills
Languages: Python, C/C++, MATLAB, SQL, Bash, Verilog, PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS.
Technologies: Zemax, Autodesk (CAD/EDA), SPICE, Vivado, Git/GitHub, Jupyter, Photoshop, LaTeX, gnuplot.
Frameworks: NumPy, Pandas, Dask, Matplotlib, OpenCV, SciPy, Scikit-learn, Tensorflow.
Hardware: Arduino, Raspberry Pi, OpenMV, NVIDIA Jetson, AMD FPGAs, ROS-based systems.
Prototyping: Analog/digital circuit design, PCB design, 3D-printed CAD modeling.