By: Utkarsh Unnikrishna, Tushar Sharma, Kiran Rajmohan and Irfan Ashiq.

The Young Professionals in Microwave is all set to make its youthful spirits felt again at the IMS to be held at SF Marriott Marquis on May 24th, 2016. Last year, in Phoenix, we had focused on entrepreneurs in the field of engineering sharing their experience on building a successful company. Picking a key focus area in today’s vibrant research landscape is typically a daunting task. But in this case, we had a clear winner. With all the excitement surrounding 5G, smarter vehicles, crisper and deeper imaging, defense technologies; millimeter-wave Technology and Research won the game hands down.

 

All through the planning, the organizers had a very clear vision in mind. To ease a great dilemma faced by many Young Professionals which comprises of students pursuing undergraduate, graduate or doctoral programs in academia or those beginning their careers in industry. These initial years can be an uncertain and difficult time for many reasons, mainly due to the lack of clear information available about market trends, academic avenues as well as technological advancements in their respective fields.  For instance, a doctoral candidate might choose a topic of study without realizing that the topic is itself obsolete, already researched or lost market significance.  Or an undergraduate student might choose a particular specialization without realizing that it is stagnant or in decline. Clear out these annoying doubts at the back of our minds and we can forge ahead confidently to make history. 

The mmw-Wave market comprising of various fields is projected to reach US $7.14 Billion by 2022. With this in mind, a panel session has been organised with the purpose of elaborating and highlighting key areas in mm-Wave research for Young Professionals and students. The key focus will be on mm-Wave research goals and objectives as defined by industry, academia and government agencies for the short and long term.  The panel features 6 respected names from industry, entrepreneurs, academicians and researchers, and members of government agencies sharing their views and experience on cutting edge emerging technologies in key focus areas. 

 

 

Date: Tuesday, May 24th 2016.

Venue: SF Marriott Marquis, Yerba Buena Salons 4-6.  (This is located on the Lower B2 Level).

Timing: 15:30 – 17:00

 

The panel consists of the following eminent and highly respected researchers in the field:

  1. Dr. Madhu Gupta  -  Director of the Communication Systems and Signal Processing Institute, SDSU.
  2. Dr. Taylor Barton  -  Assistant Professor in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas.
  3. Dr. Dominik Schmidt  -  Heads QVT Financial's Silicon Valley operations, with a focus on semiconductor, software and telecommunication opportunities.
  4. Mr. Damon Holmes  -  Advanced Design Technology Manager at NXP Semiconductors.
  5. Dr. Goutam Chattopadhyay  -  Principal Engineer/Scientist at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology.
  6. Dr. Joy Laskar (moderator)  -  Partner at Anayas360.

 

No Young Professional meet is ever complete without a proper networking opportunity.

So we cap off the panel session with a Reception to be held at Jillian’s at the Metreon, a sports bar and restaurant, located within a block of the Moscone Center.  This will be a wonderful opportunity to meet and network with young professionals from all over the world and diverse backgrounds at IMS 2016. Our menu for the evening includes:

 Food - butler passed and stationed:

- Grilled cheese bites
- Mini corn dogs with spicy mustard
- Crispy vegetable spring rolls with sweet chili dipping sauce
- Chicken quesadillas with lime sour cream
- Mini crab cakes with lemon aioli
- Skewered meatballs with tomato sauce
- Spinach dip with chips
- Shrimp skewers with Thai glaze
- Proscuitto wrapped melon

 

We will be distributing drink tickets in advance, non-alcoholic options are also available. We will have a DJ on site for music along with Billiards table to meet and network over. One never knows who you might meet!  

Date: Tuesday, May 24th 2016.

Venue: Jillian’s at the Metreon, 175 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94103 (located one block from the Moscone Center). 

Timing: 18:00 – 20:00

 


About the author

 Utkarsh Unnikrishna is a Staff Microwave R&D Engineer with the Microwave Components Group at National Instruments – Silicon Valley (NISV) in Santa Clara, California. He has been a member of the IEEE since 2003 and is co-chair of the IMS Young Professionals Committee of IMS-2016. His research interests include Microwave and Millimeter-wave circuits and systems in 5G communication, automotive sensor systems, and test and measurement systems. He has published related papers in international conferences. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering from Mumbai University and a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California.