Research

Interests

My research interests lie at the intersection of information theory and machine learning, with an emphasis on rate-distortion-perception-classification representation for lossy compression. I am also deeply engaged in wireless communications, physical layer security, and advanced MIMO systems, combining theoretical insights with practical applications.

Research Areas:

• Intersection of information theory and machine learning: Rate-distortion-perception-classification representation for lossy compression, neural data compression, representation learning.
• Wireless communications and networks: Channel capacity, signal processing, optimization, and machine learning for advanced MIMO communication systems, physical layer security for MIMO, beamforming techniques, wireless networking and technology for 5G/6G.
• Free-space quantum key distribution networks: Design, analysis, and optimization of link-layer retransmissions and relaying techniques.

Research Experiences

Oregon State University, Communications and Signal Processing Group

Position: Research Assistant
Duration: Dec. 2022 – Present
Location: Corvallis, OR, US
Advisors: Prof. Thinh Nguyen and Prof. Bella Bose
Topics: Representation learning, neural data compression, statistical signal processing & Bayesian inference, non-convex optimization, wireless communications, physical layer security

Project: Universal Rate-Distortion-Classification Representations for Lossy Compression

Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. CCF-2417898

• Developed a universal representation framework in lossy compression to handle multiple distortion-classification tradeoffs with a single encoder.
• Proved the approximate achievability of the universal rate-distortion-classification function using theoretical information-theoretic methods.
• Implemented and evaluated novel deep learning algorithms for classification-enhanced neural image compression models (using Autoencoder + GAN + CNN Classifier) on MNIST and SVHN datasets with PyTorch, achieving performance comparable to designing separate encoders for each objective.
• Outputs: 1 accepted conference paper and 1 journal paper manuscript [1], [2].

Project: Design and Security Analysis of Symbol Error Probability-Based Beamforming in MIMO Gaussian Wiretap Channels

• Served as the lead researcher and first author on a paper addressing low-complexity, high-performance beamforming for Gaussian MIMO Wiretap Channels.
• Formulated a mathematical model and PHY signal design (using binary antipodal signals and M-ary detection schemes) and proposed a novel low-complexity algorithm utilizing KKT conditions, generalized eigen decomposition, and projected gradient descent.
• Conducted numerical experiments in MATLAB to evaluate the proposed beamforming scheme, analyzed results, and authored the paper.
• Outputs: 1 published conference paper and 1 journal paper submission [3], [4].

Applied Artificial Intelligence Initiative, Deakin University

Position: Machine Learning Research Intern
Duration: July. 2025
Location: Burwood, Australia
Advisors: Prof. Mohamed Abdelrazek

Project: AI Agentic Negotiation

• Conduct research on AI agentic negotiation, focusing on how large language models (LLMs) perform in multi-agent bargaining and argumentation scenarios under uncertainty.
• Identify and analyze key negotiation strategies from existing literature, and evaluate the capabilities of various LLMs in executing these strategies.
• Design experimental setups to simulate negotiation dialogues, incorporating belief updates, offer-counteroffer dynamics, and strategic reasoning

Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, Optical Communications Research Group

Position: Research Assistant
Duration: Mar. 2019 – Mar. 2023
Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
Advisors: Prof. Vuong Mai and Prof. Ngoc Dang
Topics: Free-space quantum key distribution (QKD) networks, optical communication systems

Project: Design and Security Analysis of Satellite-Based Free-Space Quantum Key Distribution Systems for Wireless and Vehicular Networks

Sponsor: National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED, Vietnam), Grant No. 102.02-2019.08

• Led research and served as the first author on four papers related to satellite-based free-space QKD systems for wireless networks.
• Innovated by expanding terrestrial BPSK modulation/direct-detection QKD systems to satellite-based QPSK modulation/QKD systems.
• Designed and analyzed satellite-based QKD systems, including aspects such as link-layer retransmissions, relaying techniques, and performance evaluations under atmospheric turbulence-induced phase fluctuations.
• Executed numerical experiments in MATLAB to assess system performance, analyzed results, and authored multiple research papers.
• Outputs: 2 published conference papers and 2 published journal papers [5], [6], [7], [8].

Publications

1. Nam Nguyen, Thuan Nguyen, Thinh Nguyen, Bella Bose, “A Theory of Universal Rate-Distortion-Classification Representations for Lossy Compression,” 2025. [Paper]
2. Nam Nguyen, Thuan Nguyen, Thinh Nguyen, Bella Bose, “Universal Rate-Distortion-Classification Representations for Lossy Compression,” IEEE Information Theory Workshop, 2025 (Accepted). [Paper] [Poster]
3. Nam Nguyen, An Vuong, Thuan Nguyen, Thinh Nguyen, “On Symbol Error Probability-based Beamforming in MIMO Gaussian Wiretap Channels,” submitted to IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, 2024. [Paper] [Simulation]
4. Nam Nguyen, An Vuong, Thuan Nguyen, and Thinh Nguyen, “On Minimizing Symbol Error Probability for Antipodal Beamforming in Gaussian MIMO Wiretap Channels,” 2024 IEEE 100th Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC2024-Fall), Washington, DC, USA, 2024, pp. 1-5. [Paper] [Simulation]
5. Nam Nguyen, Thang V. Nguyen, Vuong V. Mai, and Ngoc T. Dang, “Performance of Satellite Quantum Key Distribution under Atmospheric Turbulence-Induced Phase Fluctuations,” 40th International Communications Satellite Systems Conference (ICSSC 2023), Bradford, UK, 2023, pp. 84-88. [Paper] [Simulation]
6. Nam D. Nguyen, Hang T. T. Phan, Hien T. T. Pham, Vuong V. Mai, and Ngoc T. Dang, “Reliability Improvement of Satellite-based Quantum Key Distribution Systems using Retransmission Scheme,” Photonic Network Communications, 42, 27–39, 2021. [Paper] [Simulation]
7. Nam D. Nguyen, Hien T. T. Pham, Vuong V. Mai, and Ngoc T. Dang, “Comprehensive Performance Analysis of Satellite-to-Ground FSO/QKD Systems using Key Retransmission,” Optical Engineering, Vol. 59, No. 12, pp. 126102-1-25, Dec. 2020. [Paper] [Simulation]
8. Nam D. Nguyen, Hien T. T. Pham, Vuong V. Mai, and Ngoc T. Dang, “Performance Enhancement of Satellite FSO/QKD Systems using HAP-based Relaying and ARQ,” 2020 International Conference on Advanced Technologies for Communications, Nha Trang, Vietnam, pp. 12-17, 2020. [Paper] [Simulation]

Technical Reports

1. Nam Nguyen, “Universal Representations for Classification-enhanced Lossy Compression,” Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science, Oregon State University, AI535 Deep Learning, Final Project, Mar. 2025. [Report] [Slide] [Simulation]
2. Nam Nguyen, “Reading Report of Jeffreys Prior Regularization for Logistic Regression,” Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science, Oregon State University, ECE565 Estimation, Filtering, and Detection, Final Project, De. 2023. [Report] [Slide] [Simulation]
3. Nam Nguyen, “Reading Report of A Khatri-Rao Subspace Approach to Blind Identification of Mixtures of Quasi-Stationary Sources,” Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science, Oregon State University, AI539 Matrix Analysis for Signal Processing and Machine Learning, Final Project, Jun. 2022. [Report] [Simulation]

Theses

• [M.Sc.] Nam Nguyen, “On Minimizing Symbol Error Probability Using Beamforming in MIMO Gaussian Wiretap Channels”, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Oregon State University, United States, Dec. 2024.
• [B.Eng] Nam Nguyen, “Performance Enhancement of Satellite-based Free-Space Quantum Key Distribution Systems using Key Retransmission and Relaying Techniques”, Department of Telecommunications Engineering, Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, Vietnam, Mar. 2021.