From The Editor | May 23, 2023

RF's Biggest Event Sailing Into San Diego

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By John Oncea, Editor

IMS '24

IMS 2023 returns to San Diego and promises to provide the opportunity for industry professionals to gather, exchange ideas, and assess where the industry is and where it’s going.

The last time we talked about IMS2023 we took a look at the whole enchilada.* This time, let’s focus on the event’s focus themes created to highlight three specific areas of RF and microwave engineering that are of topical interest or impact.

* In case you’re curious, here’s Say Hey San Diego’s ranking of the 13 best enchiladas in San Diego.

First up: systems and applications. IMS notes the development of RF, microwave, mmWave, and THz systems continues to expand in several areas, with many application examples. This broad topic can encompass design from semiconductors through devices/modules to the overall system and applications. At IMS2023, particular attention will be paid to:

  • Wireless Communications, including 6G developments
  • Wi-Fi
  • RF and microwave system-on-chip integration
  • Massive MIMO systems and subsystems
  • Wireless Power Transfer
  • Automotive Systems
  • Model-Based Systems Engineering, including Digital Twins

The second theme is space which includes such topics as satellite communications, design for reliability, radiation hardness, internet of space systems, and CubeSats. Finally, there are biomedical applications and the use of RF and microwave techniques and technologies within them.

According to IMS, these technical themes will be identified on different days** of the conference to form a Systems Forum and will comprise special Focused Technical Paper Sessions, Panel Sessions, Invited Speakers, and Workshops. The Exhibition will feature a Systems Pavilion illustrating several practical examples of RF through THz systems and applications as well.

** Tuesday is systems and applications; Wednesday is space; and Thursday is biomedical applications.

Plenary And Closing Sessions, Connected Future Summit, Workshops, And Boot Camps

Ed Godshalk will be delivering Monday’s Plenary Session – The Role Of The Transmission Line In Connecting People – tracing the formative years of electrical engineering and the evolution of transmission line engineering that enabled a global communications network over 120 years ago. With over 40 years of experience as an Electrical Engineer, Godshalk has worked for various startups, including Tektronix and Maxim Integrated.

During his tenure at Cascade Microtech (1989-94), he invented the world's first waveguide input wafer probe, followed by the Air Coplanar Probe (ACP), which has been imitated extensively. During his 22-year tenure at Maxim, from where he retired in 2019, he established the Electromagnetics Group and holds over a dozen patents.

This year’s Connected Future Summit, a collaboration between IEEE MTT-S and the IEEE Communications Society (COMSOC), will explore future Next G (6G) networks, focusing on why they will need to deliver a quality experience through seamless integration of communication, computation, and artificial intelligence. During the Summit, there will be a discussion on how the technical specifications for Next G are being turned into standards by 3GPP and the ITU's Radiocommunication Sector. Additionally, the impact of these Next G deployment standards on the future of connectivity will be explored, including next-generation Wi-Fi technologies and broadband satellite networks.

A total of 33 workshops led by industry and academia experts will take place Sunday, Monday, and Friday. There will be three boot camps as well with the Quantum and AI/ML boot camps taking place on Sunday and the RF boot camp on Monday.

Thursday’s closing session – Inspiring The Next Generation Into STEM/STEAM – will be led by Saura Naderi and focus on her experience engaging youth in engineering activities. Naderi will discuss the value of encouraging more young people into engineering career pathways and how the audience can do their part in helping the next generation succeed in STEM fields.

Much of her talk will focus on what she is currently working on at the Halicioǧlu Data Science Institute at UC San Diego where she is the outreach and diversity director.

Good Food, Good Friends

IMS2023 is being held at the San Diego Convention Center, located on the bayfront and adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter, the social center of San Diego. Home of several famous landmarks – USS Midway, Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo, and SeaWorld – San Diego is also at the border between North America and Latin America. As a nod to that location, the conference is highlighting RF and Microwave research in Latin America and there will be a Latin America flavor to social events throughout the week.

Organizers are encouraging more industry participation this year from attendees, exhibitors, and presenters of technical papers and workshops. IMS2023 we will continue the Industry Showcase, a reception where presenters can present a poster to highlight their work and their company.

There are also contests for best industrial paper, and best-advanced practice paper, with the top three ranked papers awarded a full-page ad in IEEE Microwave Magazine or Microwave Journal. And for the first time, there will be an Early Career best paper competition for authors with less than ten years of professional experience as a way to encourage young engineers. In addition, there will be a full menu of student events including design competitions, best paper awards, and social events.