Report from the MTT-S Education Committee [Education News]

The newly selected IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) Education Committee is ramping up for what's expected to be a strong year for the support of upcoming young engineers in the United States and internationally.     

Institute and Society Awards Presentations at the Honolulu IMS 2007 (Awards) [includes IEEE Fellows: Class of 2007]

Lists those individuals presented with IEEE and Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) awards at the IMS 2007, held in Honolulu, HI in June 2007. Also lists the IEEE MTT-S members designated as IEEE Fellows in 2007.     

RFIC 2009

Welcome to the IEEE Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits (RFIC) Symposium (www.RFIC2009.org), which will be held in Boston, Massachusetts, 7-9 June 2009. In conjunction with the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) International Microwave Symposium (IMS), it opens Microwave Week 2009, the largest world-wide RF/microwave meeting of the year.     

The IMS 2009 "Bonus" Issue [From the Editor's Desk]

This special issue of IEEE Microwave Magazine represents a new initiative of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) focused on the International Microwave Symposium (IMS) to be held in Boston, Massachusetts, 7-12 June 2009 (IMS 2009). In the pages that follow, you can read about the specific aspects of IMS 2009 and also the technical features that focus on the topics covered in the IMS 2009 panel, focus, and rump sessions. Our intention for this issue is to cover details of the IMS 2009, the Society's biggest meeting and one of the most anticipated events of the year for many microwave engineers, while still providing thought-provoking articles on state-of-the-art topics that will appeal to our readers who won't be attending the symposium.     

MTT-S--The premier forum for microwave engineers [President's Message]

Our Society is the premier forum to promote the RF and microwave engineering profession by advancing and distributing knowledge and supporting professional development. We have signifi cant global impact. We are the fifth largest Society under the auspices of the IEEE, which is the largest professional technical association in the world. We are a volunteer Society that is driven to excellence by its leaders with active participation of all its members on a global scale. The MTT-S provides benefi ts by creating, supporting, and promoting technical excellence in a global community environment. The activities sponsored by the MTT-S include a broad spectrum of conferences, symposia, workshops, tutorials, technical committees, chapter meetings, publications, and professional education programs. Our principal publications and conferences are world class, peer reviewed, and recognized as top of the class.     

Inside the MTT-S Administrative Committee [From the Editor's Desk]

The IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) is governed by a dedicated group of volunteers called the Administrative Committee (AdCom). This group of 21 elected members is divided into a number of committees that oversee key areas of the Society, including Education, Standards, Meetings and Symposia, Publications, Budget, Operations, Transnational Activities, Membership Services, Long-Range Planning, Technical Coordinating, Nominations and Appointments, and Awards. Ad hoc committees are formed as necessary. Even though AdCom members are involved in a diverse set of activities, they share a common goal of continuing to make the MTT-S an efficiently run, internationally renowned professional society that provides maximum benefit to its members.     

IEEE expert now: Do you know what I'm talking about?

The Education Committee of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) is deeply committed to providing opportunities to the Society's Members to foster and improve their knowledge in the broad field of microwave theory and techniques. It is important that these opportunities address the real needs of our Members, whose careers in the microwave field may be just beginning or have evolved into a particular area of expertise. The Education Committee aims at providing assistance to our Members in both the early and more advanced career stages. Scholarship awards provide financial support to the new generation of microwave engineers (see the "Education" link at www.mtt.org). The IEEE Expert Now Online Continuing Education Program makes technical information available to professionals looking for basic and advanced information in the field of microwave--and more! If you have not heard of Expert Now, this article will bring you up to speed. If you have used it, I hope you can find some new information in this article before moving on to the next one!     

Retrospective: student events at EMBC'08 [Student's Corner]

The IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) reaches the community and its members every year, bringing together researchers, clinicians, industry representatives, and trainees from around the world. The 30th annual international conference of the EMBS was held at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre in Vancouver, Canada, on 20-24 August 2008. The 2008 edition of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC) gathered more than 1,600 biomedical engineers in beautiful downtown Vancouver for four exciting days of science, networking, and social interaction.     

IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques

The flagship publication of the MTT-S is IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. As the premier journal in the microwave field, it seek to capture and disseminate knowledge of RF, microwave, guided-wave, and wireless technologies. Provide a service to many of members who want to publish their contributions, and provide a service to readers by presenting the best, rigorously reviewed papers in the microwave field. Also provide essential fundamentals - continuing education - that enable readers to develop core understanding from which new concepts and products can be developed.     

MTT-S Technical Committees - our motive power to progression [President's Message]

After a year of serving as the IEEE MTT-S President, I am happy and proud to see the Society undoubtedly about the summit of its activities. Such a strength and potency of our Society, apart from the great number of dedicated volunteers and many active Chapters, lies in the hands of our Technical Committees. These bodies are, above all, the source of novel technical solutions and ideas and in them the IEEE sister Societies are brought together and take concerted actions. There are 23 Committees which deal exquisitely with various areas of activities of the Society. They stand behind the success of the International Microwave Symposium as well as constitute the base of reviewers of the MTT-S periodicals and Distinguished Lecturers.     

MTT-S Ombudsman

As your Ombudsman, I received six inquiries (three, non-U.S.) from Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) members from 19 February 2009 to 15 April 2009. All inquiries were typically acted on within one week, and replies were sent to all MTT-S members.     

Student Branch Chapters and social networking [Chapter News]

When people talk about which universities have the strongest microwave program, will they mention your school? The typical route that students get involved with IEEE activities is by joining an IEEE Student Branch through their university; there are over 1,400 Student Branches worldwide. IEEE Student Members can then join MTT-S to receive Society periodicals and get discounts at MTT-S conferences.     

MIKON 2008 [Transnational News]

The following reports, which are closely related to recent 2008 transnational events of our MTT-S interest, come from two different organizers: Prof. Wojciech Gwarek ? presenting the status of MIKON 2008 or 17th International Conference on Microwaves, Radar and Wireless Communications that was held in Poland, and Prof. Zhizhang (David) Chen, giving a snapshot of the lecturing trip of three active MTT-S members in China. I hope that I could receive more reports from you and share them with our colleagues as I know there are many hidden news treasures in the world that should interest our MTT-S members. Before wrapping up my last column in 2008, I wish all of you an innovative and productive new year with excellent health and joyful life.     

Education news [RF and microwave education]

In this issue, we recognize recent recipients of MTT-S Undergraduate Scholarships. Award of these scholarships and graduate fellowships is one of the ways the MTT Society encourages academic pursuits in microwaves, RF, and related areas. Also, we include an article based on the recently held International Seminar on e-Learning at the University of Florence, Italy. The IEEE MTT-S was represented at this seminar by Prof. K.C. Gupta, who delivered a keynote address, entitled "The Future of Higher Education and Web-Based Learning," and discussed MTT-S plans for Web-based tutorial publication.     

Yesterday's Flashpoint, Today's Accepted Wisdom [Editorial]

The U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NEA) recently held a workshop in Washington D.C. on the topic "Engineering, Social Justice, and Sustainable Community Development." The event was convened by the NEA's Center for Engineering, Ethics, and Society, and brought together practicing engineers, academics, and government officials to discuss ongoing projects, educational issues, and plans to implement new initiatives. The meeting was lively and informative, and most of the discussions centered around the kinds of ideas typically found in the pages of IEEE Technology & Society Magazine. We discovered that the invitees included at least four past and present T&S editors, and one board member of our sponsoring society, IEEE SSIT.     

I&CPS and REPC Conferences [Conference News]

The IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS) held the 2009 Industrial and Commercial Power Systems (I&CPS) Conference and Rural Electric Power Conference (REPC) in May and April, respectively.     

President's Message

Over the past decade, the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) has expanded its international outreach in a number of areas. Almost half of the EMBS members now reside outside the United States. The international efforts of the EMBS can be seen in many of the activities summarized below.     

Stranger than fiction? [Microwave Surfing]

Discusses the career and predictions of futurist Ray Kurzweil, who is scheduled to be a keynote speaker at the 50th Anniversary Conference for the IEEE Professional Communications Society (IPCC 2007), to be held 1-3 October 2007 in Seattle.     

EMBC 2009 at a glance. . . [Student's Corner]

Another year has gone by and while you are all enjoying summertime, keep in mind that every year, near the end of the summer, it's time for the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC). This year, the 31st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) will be held 2-6 September 2009 at the Hilton Hotel in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, the world capital of the medical device industry. The meeting will bring together more than 2,000 of the world's experts in biomedical engineering, including academics, researchers, industrialists, clinicians, and trainees for five days of science, networking, and social events.