Call for MTT-S Administrative Committee Nominations
The MTT Society is governed by an elected body, the Administrative Committee (the "AdCom"). This committee meets three times each year for rather lengthy meetings (often 10 hours over two days) with numerous committee reports, and votes on proposed initiatives. It is very much a working committee! There are a minimum of seven members of the MTT-S Administrative Committee elected each year (more if there are in-term vacancies). Of the seven positions, six are elected by the current Administrative Committee membership, and one is elected by the MTT-S members in an at-large election. Typically, members nominate their peers (or themselves). This is done by sending the names of candidates to the AdCom Nominations and Appointments Committee at Nom_Appointments@mtt.org. A second possible approach is to nominate a candidate by petition. The rules for petition nomination can be found on the MTT-S website (http://mtt.org/index.html) by clicking "MTT-S ByLaws" and going to paragraph 4.1.2.1. But please be aware that there has never been a nomination by petition for the MTT-S AdCom! Presumably this is because it is so much easier to submit a candidate for nomination directly to the Nominations and Appointments Committee.
If a member is interested in submitting a possible candidate to the N&A Committee, they should first obtain the consent of the candidate. Serving on the AdCom is a major commitment of time and energy, and it typically involves travel to the three AdCom meetings per year. Those submitting nominations to the N&A Committee should include:
- Candidate's full name, contact info, and a brief draft (less than 300 words) of qualifications, society service, and motivation.
- The candidate's preference to be placed on the at-large (full membership) ballot, or the AdCom member voted ballot (one cannot be on both ballots).
- Nominator's name and contact information (including email address).
Nominations are due by April 30, 2010. The MTT-S N&A Committee will present the full list of candidates to the AdCom at their spring meeting (just before the MTT-S International Microwave Symposium). After receiving any comments and/or additional nominations at the spring AdCom meeting, the N&A committee will select at least two candidates for the at-large voting by the full membership, and at least 1.5 times the number of openings (typically 10 to 15 candidates) for the ballot presented to the AdCom for voting.
The two primary responsibilities of the N&A committee are: first, to assure that there are sufficient candidates for the election; and second, to limit the total number of candidates to a reasonable number. Obviously, the number of unsuccessful candidates equals the total number of candidates minus the number of positions to be filled. Having too many candidates is therefore a recipe for disappointment and potentially counterproductive over the long term. This is a challenging assignment for the N&A committee, and it is the committee's objective to proceed with as much fairness and transparency as possible. It is, of course, the nature of elections to have competition and this is a part of the democratic process. We all respect those MTT-S members who are willing to be candidates for the MTT-S AdCom, and for their participation in the election process. For more information, please see the MTT-S web site at the address listed above.
IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation and Microwave Theory and Techniques Special Issue on Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) Technology
Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless techniques represent a breakthrough in the use of antenna arrays in wireless systems. Unlike traditional phased array or diversity techniques that improve the sensitivity to one signal of interest, MIMO systems employ antenna arrays jointly at transmit and receive to spatially multiplex signals over multipath or near-field channels. Measuring system performance in terms of channel capacity, MIMO systems offer the exciting possibility of linear capacity increase with additional antennas compared to more modest logarithmic growth of traditional diversity systems. The large potential of MIMO techniques is evidenced by rapid adoption into recent wireless standards, such as 802.11n, LTE, and WiMAX.
Although MIMO systems offer impressive possibilities, the paradigm shift to multiple independent channels presents new questions and challenges to the RF community. For example, modified performance metrics and methodologies for array design are required to provide explicit goals for near-optimal design. Novel circuit and device designs are needed that yield peak capacity, coupled with multi-channel transceiver architectures with high sensitivity, low power consumption, and minimal cost. The interplay between various MIMO modes and the impact on the circuit requirements is also of interest. Characterization and modeling of the propagation channel should adequately capture the spatial environment and antenna effects, yet provide simple enough descriptions for efficient link-level simulation. Developments in MIMO also warrant revisiting applications such as relay systems, radar, physical-layer security, and cross-layer design, where detailed knowledge of propagation physics now becomes more critical.
The focus of this special issue is on recent developments in antennas, propagation and microwave related aspects of MIMO technology, including fundamental theory, new modeling and design methodologies, and novel applications. This Special Issue is a joint activity of the Antennas and Propagation and Microwave Theory and Techniques Societies. It will be published in the Transactions on Antennas and Propagation. Manuscripts should therefore conform to the requirements for regular papers of this Transactions as specified in the information for Authors in the inside back cover of a recent issue or on the web site (http://ieeeaps.org/aps_trans/index.htm). Potential contributors may contact one of the Guest Editors by email (with the contact information provided below) to determine the suitability of their contribution to the special issue. All papers must be submitted online through the AP Transactions Manuscript Central web site (http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tap-ieee), with a statement to the Editor-in-Chief of the AP Transactions, Dr. Trevor S. Bird, that they are intended for this special issue.
Paper Submission Deadline: June 1, 2010
Publication Date: June 2011
MTT-11 Contest on Creativity and Originality in Microwave Measurements
What is the contest? The purpose of the contest is to highlight creative and original microwave measurement setups or procedures and to recognize one that is truly remarkable. There is no need to use the latest or most expensive equipment, only to have an original idea that presents a creative solution to an existing measurement problem. Ideas may include software, hardware, calibrations, and/or theory that focus on making the job of the bench-level engineer easier or more satisfying.
What is the prize? $1000
Who can participate? The contest is open for all individuals or groups, students as well as non-students.
When is the deadline? May 3, 2010
How does one participate? One enters the contest by emailing a 2 page PDF-file describing the microwave measurement setup or procedure to Rashaunda Henderson (rmhen@ieee.org) by May 3 2010. Measurement results and a picture of the setup must be included with the entry. The contest idea should not have been previously published or submitted for publication in accordance with IEEE publications.
Who will win? All entries are judged by the members of the MTT-11 committee. The winner is the one whose entry is, according to the MTT-11 committee, the most creative and original microwave measurement setup or procedure.
When will the winner be announced? The winner will be announced Thursday May 27, 2010.
Who are the organizers of the contest? The contest is organized by the IEEE MTT-11 committee. For questions please contact Rashaunda Henderson (rmhen@ieee.org). For more information visit the MTT-11 website: www.mtt.org/~mtt11.
