InnoFund expert
Dr Malcom Sande
R&D Technical Consultant
Combining rigorous academic research with cutting-edge industry consulting, Malcolm brings deep technical insight to projects across electrical engineering, telecommunications, and manufacturing.
Book a consultationExpertise & perspective
Expertise
Combining rigorous academic research with cutting-edge industry consulting, Malcolm brings deep technical insight to projects across electrical engineering, telecommunications, and manufacturing. His expertise encompasses next-generation wireless networks, RF hardware, digital systems design, and the practical application of machine learning theory to real-world business optimisation.
Throughout his postgraduate studies and professional career, Malcolm has built deep technical capability across telecommunications and signal processing. He currently serves as a Head of Programme and Senior Lecturer in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the Independent Institute of Education (IIE). His teaching and academic research are actively complemented by cutting-edge technology industry consulting, where he adds significant value to clients across the electrical engineering, telecoms, and manufacturing sectors, as well as wider industries where projects involve electrical engineering.
During his industry consulting experience, Malcolm worked with the University of Pretoria on a rural broadband project from 2015 to 2017, which aimed to provide internet access to rural and remote areas using long-range Wi-Fi technology. In 2018 and 2019, he developed a free open-source software migration methodology tailored specifically for SMEs. Additionally, he has delivered specialised consulting work on the use of artificial intelligence for business optimisation and growth for an SME incubation company.
Qualifications & accreditation
Professional & academic qualifications
- PhD Electronic Engineering - University of Pretoria
- MEng Electronic Engineering with Distinction
- BEng Honours Electronic Engineering with Distinction
- ECSA Candidate Engineer
- IEEE ComSoc Member - Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
Career & experience
Malcolm is an academic and part-time industry consultant in Electronic Engineering.
Malcolm holds a PhD in Electronic Engineering from the University of Pretoria, where his doctoral thesis focused on resource management and backhaul routing in millimetre-wave IAB networks using Deep Reinforcement Learning. He also earned an MEng with distinction from the University of Pretoria, conducting research on fast-converging robust beamforming for downlink massive MIMO systems in heterogeneous networks. From the research work carried out under the University of Pretoria and the IIE, he has published approximately 10 peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers.
His technical proficiency spans advanced programming in MATLAB, intermediate hardware description and networking skills in VHDL and Linux Networking, and foundational programming in Python, C++, and Assembly language. Throughout his academic journey, Malcolm has been consistently recognised for his excellence, receiving the SABS Academic Award in 2012, the Dean's Merit List Award from 2010 to 2011, and the Golden Key Award from 2010 to 2013.
News & insights
Insights featuring Dr Malcom Sande
Your next step
Discuss your next project.
A focused first conversation can help identify the technical, tax, evidence or funding questions most relevant to your work.
- 30 minutes
- Expert guidance
- Commitment free