Many thanks to Natarajan Kumarapan from India and Jesùs Giovanni Estrada Cardenas from Mexico who are giving us their insights about the European Microwave Week 2023 (EuMW).

What is EuMW?

Being part of EMIMEO (presently EMIMEP), all students get an opportunity to participate in the European Microwave Week (EuMW). EuMW has been a prominent annual gathering for the European microwave community since 1998. Our intake participated in the EuMW held in Berlin during September 2023. By this time, we were enrolled in different universities for our 3rd semester. The reunion of the class in Berlin added to my excitement for the Microwave week.

The largest platform to share knowledge

EuMW had a diverse agenda ranging from conferences, keynote speeches, exhibitions, tradeshows, workshops, and networking events. Multiple events were happening in parallel. So, I planned my schedule for the week based on my interests. I participated in the Tom Brazil Doctoral School – « Artificial Neural Networks for Radar-Based Gesture Recognition » which helped me understand how to effectively combine my microwave domain knowledge with data science methods to build a real-time application. Some of my friends attended the student microwave school to learn about advanced characterization techniques at high frequencies. There were dedicated forums for automotive, defence and space applications. I also followed some selected paper presentations from  EuMIC, EuMC, and EuRAD conferences to get insights into the research trends in Integrated circuits, applied EM, and Radars. I was delighted to see many contributions from XLIM and other EMIMEP partner institutes at the conference. We also had the chance to volunteer and help in organizing the event.

Much more than an academic event

EuMW is not merely an academic conference. EuMW also hosts the largest exhibition for products and services related to the RF industry. There were 300+ exhibitions from key industrial players all around the world. I visited as many exhibitions as possible and interacted with the exhibitors. They were also happy to explain the new features in their simulation software, their on-wafer characterization devices, printers for microwave devices, and so on. Some of the industrial exhibitors also conducted workshops for students. I attended the student career event where I had the chance to meet potential employers and learn about the opportunities in their company. This event was followed by a career party with company speed dating, competitions, an open bar, a buffet, and a DJ. It was a platform to interact with the managers in a casual and comfortable environment.

A milestone in my EMIMEO Journey

EuMW happened during a vital phase of my EMIMEO journey when I was evaluating various options for the master thesis and beyond. EuMW helped me to explore different areas within microwave electronics, and talk to engineers and researchers to understand what it would be like to be in their roles. I think it helped me to have a better picture of the different sub-fields in the domain and choose a path.

A memory to cherish

Natarajan said « Apart from all the seriousness of the conference, we didn’t miss the chance to have fun in Berlin. We explored the city in the evening, tried different cuisines, hit a few parties, and grabbed the best beer. We didn’t have to worry about the flight tickets, accommodation, event registration, etc. as all of it was covered by the EMIMEO consortium in coordination with EuMW organizers. We just had to immerse ourselves in the experience.

Being a student of high-frequency technology, EuMW is an event that you wouldn’t want to miss. Thanks to EMIMEP, EuMW is well integrated with the study program and participation is an easier and enriching experience ».

Giovanni said us « the EUMW week in Berlin was a very enriching experience. Volunteering during the event allowed us to learn first-hand the ins and outs of organizing an international event. Likewise, learn about the latest advances and innovations in the field of microwaves, which is directly related to the topics we study in our EMIMEO master’s degree. By attending the conferences I learned what is expected of a speaker and was able to see how I should present the results of my future research and developments.