Winston has worked for more than 16 years in a national research institute on mission-oriented research, taking ideas from theory to prototypes. Since joining Victoria University in 2009, he continues this mission-oriented research approach with a strong industry focus as a member of the Wireless Networks Research Group (WiNe). Winston works extensively with international collaborators on Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), Fog Computing, massively dense wireless networks, and trust & cooperation in wireless networks.

With the Internet of Things as the overarching application domain, his latest research includes algorithms and protocols for quantum networks, massive machine-type communications and ultra-reliable low-latency communications in Industrial IoT, as well as, novel approaches for network anomaly detection using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques. His research on quantum networking protocols and algorithms is supported by a James Cook Research Fellowship.

He has distinguished himself in the areas of networking protocol design for Wireless Sensor Networks Powered by Ambient Energy Harvesting (WSN-HEAP) as well as wireless sensor networks for land deformation and structural health monitoring. In the latter case, the technologies he developed have been patented and validated in various locations in New Zealand and overseas.

Winston strongly believes that research goes far beyond publishing papers and his underlying goal is to solve challenging real world problems using unconventional and innovative approaches.