Staff Profile | School of Engineering

Dr Oktay Cetinkaya

Lecturer in Sensor Systems

Email: oktay.cetinkaya@ncl.ac.uk
Personal Website: https://www.oktaycetinkaya.com/
Address: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
School of Engineering
Merz Court, E2.14
Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU, UK

Dr Oktay Cetinkaya (Senior Member, IEEE) is a Lecturer in Sensor Systems at Newcastle University. In addition to his role at Newcastle, he is also a Senior Research Associate at the University of Oxford, working as a Synthesis Fellow of the PETRAS National Centre of Excellence for IoT Systems Cybersecurity.

Before joining the Oxford e-Research Centre (OeRC) at the Department of Engineering Science to synthesise the diverse elements of the PETRAS research base, Dr Cetinkaya worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sheffield (focusing on Wireless Network Performance) and the University of Southampton (specialising in Networked Embedded Systems), dedicating two years to each institution. He received his PhD in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Koç University, Turkey, and holds a double major in Electrical Engineering and Electronics and Communication Engineering (H. Hons).

Dr Cetinkaya's research is focused on achieving energy neutrality in drone (UAV) networks and the Internet of Things (IoT) through novel applications of energy harvesting and wireless power transfer techniques. His work addresses challenges unique to those energy-neutral settings, including efficient deployment and trajectory design, throughput maximisation, and secrecy outage minimisation. With over 40 peer-reviewed publications across prestigious journals, conference proceedings, and book series, Dr Cetinkaya's research contributions are widely recognised. In addition to his research, he actively engages with the academic community through seminars, talks, expert panels, and as a reviewer for prominent journals. Furthermore, Dr Cetinkaya participates in conference organizations as a TPC member and leads journal special issues as a Guest/Associate Editor. His expertise also extends to evaluating proposals for various European Council-funded projects and hubs as a Technical Expert.

Beyond academia, Dr Cetinkaya collaborates closely with various British organisations, such as the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSIT), and the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng), contributing to/providing expert opinions and insights into emerging technologies. As a Senior Member of the IEEE and a Member of the BSI’s IOT/1 Internet of Things and Digital Twin Committee, Dr Cetinkaya actively contributes to the discourse and standards within his field. He also serves as a Steering Group Member of the eFutures Network and a Governance Board Member of PETRAS, contributing to the electronic systems and cybersecurity research ecosystem in the UK.