Biography
I am a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Associate Director for Faculty Support with the Institute for STEM Education at Clarkson University. I received the BE degree in Telecommunications Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University, Karnataka, India, in 2005, the MS degree and the PhD degree, both in Electrical Engineering, from Arizona State University in 2007 and 2010, respectively. My research areas include Signal Processing, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, and STEM Education. I am a member of the Tau Beta Pi and the Eta Kappa Nu honor societies.
I am an NYS EMT and volunteer with the Potsdam Volunteer Rescue Squad.
I am also the director of the CoSiNe Lab at Clarkson University.
Education Background
Electrical Engineering Ph.D. - 2010 Arizona State University
Electrical Engineering M.S - 2007 Arizona State University
Telecommunications Engineering B.E. - 2005 Visvesvaraya Technological University
Courses Taught
- Digital Signal Processing
- Systems and Signal Processing
- Hands-on Introduction to Machine Learning
- Detection and Estimation Theory
- Adaptive Signal Processing
- Signal Processing and Applications
- Digital Control
Teaching Interests
Digital Signal Processing, machine learning, signals and systems, statistical and adaptive signal processing, digital and wireless communications
Service
University Service
- Secretary, Faculty Senate
- Chair: Financial Review Committee
- Member: Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Committee (SLOAC)
- Member: Climate and Engagement Committee
Department Service
- Chair: ABET Committee
- Member: Awards Committee
- Member: Graduate Committee
- Member: Electrical Engineering Curriculum Committee
- Faculty advisor: IEEE-HKN Gamma Gamma Chapter, IEEE Student Branch, K2CC Amateur Radio Society
Research Interests
Signal processing, machine learning, complex networks, and applications including cybersecurity, behavioral biometrics, and continuous authentication, STEM Education
Awards
- Clarkson University Outstanding Advisor Award, 2019
- Outstanding Teaching Award - Clarkson University HKN - 2015-2016
- Graduate Teaching Excellence Award (awarded by the Graduate and Professional Students Association, Arizona State University): Nominated thrice; won for the year 2008-2009.
Patents
B. Ayotte, D. Hou, M.K. Banavar, S. Schuckers, “System and method to authenticate users on a computing system using a free text behavioral biometric method,” United States Patent US20220245225A1, 2024.
M.K. Banavar, J. Sun, S. Wickramasinghe, “Determining Localization from Ordinal Comparison Data,” United States Patent US11356805B2, June 7, 2022.
M.K. Banavar, K. Mack, “Localization using wireless signals,” United States Patent US10117051B2, October 30, 2018.
X. Zhang, C. Tepedelenlioglu, M.K. Banavar, A. Spanias, “Distributed location detection in wireless sensor networks,” United States Patent US10028085B2, July 17, 2018.
X. Zhang, C. Tepedelenlioglu, M.K. Banavar, A. Spanias, “Maximum likelihood localization in the presence of channel uncertainties,” United States Patent US9507011B2, November 29, 2016.
- R. Santucci, M.K. Banavar, A. Spanias, C. Tepedelenlioglu, “Energy efficient distributed estimation using nonlinear amplifiers,” United States Patent US9461676B2, October 4, 2016.
Publications
For a full list of patents, journal articles (some with downloadable links), and conference papers, go here.
Selected journal articles are listed here:
D. Mahto, P. Yadav, M. Banavar, J. Keany, A.T. Joseph, S. Kilambi, “Development and validation of SXI++ large numerical model (LNM) algorithm for sepsis prediction,” J Med Artif Intell, vol. 8, no. 32, 2025.
C. Sahu, M.K. Banavar, J. Sun, “Data-Driven Nonlinear TDOA for Accurate Source Localization in Complex Signal Dynamics,” IEEE Sensors Journal, 2024.
J. Križaj, R. O. Plesh, M. Banavar, S. Schuckers, and V. Štruc, "Deep Face Decoder: Towards understanding the embedding space of convolutional networks through visual reconstruction of deep face templates," Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, vol. 132, pp. 107941, 2024.
C. Sahu, M. Banavar and S. Schuckers, “A novel non-linear transformation based multi user identification algorithm for fixed text keystroke behavioral dynamics,” IEEE Transactions on Biometrics, Behavior, and Identity Science, 2022.
P. Sattigeri, J. Thiagarajan, K. Ramamurthy, A. Spanias, M. Banavar, A. Dixit, J. Fan, M. Malu, K. Jaskie, S. Rao, U. Shanthamallu, V. Narayanaswamy, S. Katoch, “Instruction Tools for Signal Processing and Machine Learning for Ion-Channel Sensors,” International Journal of Virtual and Personal Learning Environments (IJVPLE), vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 1-17, 2022.
M.K. Banavar, S. Wickramasinghe, M. Achalla, J. Sun, "Ordinal UNLOC: Target Localization With Noisy and Incomplete Distance Measures," in IEEE Internet of Things Journal, vol. 8, no. 23, pp. 17111-17119, Dec, 2021.
M.K. Banavar, S. Rivera, B. Ayotte, K.V. Mack, D. Barry, A. Spanias, C. Sahu, T. Yang, “Teaching Signal Processing Applications using an Android Echolocation App,” Computers in Education Journal, vol. 12, no. 1, 2021.
- B. Ayotte, M. Banavar, D. Hou and S. Schuckers, "Fast Free-Text Authentication via Instance-Based Keystroke Dynamics," in IEEE Transactions on Biometrics, Behavior, and Identity Science, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 377-387, Oct. 2020.