Benvenuto and welcome to the Eternal City of Rome where all roads, train tracks, bus routes and flight paths lead to the Fiera di Roma, which will play host to the 17th European Microwave Week from 5 to 10 October. During the week the three conferences: the 44th European Microwave Conference (EuMC), the 9th European Microwave Integrated Circuits Conference (EuMIC) and the 11th European Radar Conference (EuRAD), together with the European Microwave Exhibition and affiliated workshops and short courses will be the focus of the global RF and microwave industry.
The motto for 2014 is Connecting the Future, which relates to the connection between Rome’s cultural heritage and the future of modern technology. It epitomizes EuMW’s balance of the established and trusted with the ground-breaking and innovative, and illustrates a commitment to building firm foundations that promote and encourage the development of new technology and drive the industry forward.
To connect industry with academia, the Welcome Reception on Tuesday evening provides an opportunity for networking and encourages interaction between delegates and industry in a relaxed and convivial atmosphere. On Wednesday evening the Gala Dinner will offer a special blend of art, history, music and Italian food in the historical Palazzo Brancaccio, preceded by a vocal music concert in the magnificent ancient Basilica di San Martino ai Monti, featuring the famous Italian soprano Gemma Bertagnolli. A strong calendar of social events allows attendees to mix business and pleasure throughout the week.
With a city rich in historical landmarks such as the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps, Rome is the perfect setting for European Microwave Week to celebrate significant achievements in the history of technological innovation. Professor O. Bucci will kick off the week with his keynote speech commemorating the 150thanniversary of James C. Maxwell’s theory of Electromagnetism. An EuMC Special Session will also commemorate the 50thanniversary of the well-known “Black Bible,” by Matthaei, Young and Jones. Lead author Professor George Matthaei will provide his presentation via skype, offering insight into the historical aspects of the book, its contributors and its impact on the entire microwave industry.
While having Europe at its heart, EuMW embodies and embraces the global RF and microwave industry. As an example, in the framework of the fruitful collaboration established in 2007 between EuMA and the Asia Pacific Microwave Conference (APMC), a Special Session on APMC will feature three presentations highlighting recent achievements in microwave technology in this region.
The well-established Women in Engineering event, co-sponsored by the IEEE MTT-Society, will present “Exploiting Microwaves for Preservation and Enhancement of Cultural Heritages and Archaeological Sites,” and will fittingly end with a guided tour of the archaeological site of Ostia Antica.
The Roman Forum is another famous feature of the city and for one day EuMW will put the spotlight on its own Forum – the Defence, Security and Space Forum. Now a major feature of EuMW, this Forum will take place on Wednesday 8th October, with executives representing industry, academia, the military and space agencies. It will encompass the EuRAD Opening Session for the third year running and conclude with the Executive Forum.
In addition to Connecting the Future, EuMW 2014 will play a major role in connecting visitors and delegates with the industry that puts the theory into practice and products in the marketplace. The European Microwave Exhibition from 7 to 9 October offers the opportunity to get close-up and hands-on with the latest innovations from leading RF and microwave companies across the globe. Hall 9 will be filled to capacity with over 240 exhibiting companies taking up close to 8,000 square meters of gross space.
Engineers need practical solutions. The European Microwave Week Microwave Application Seminars (MicroApps) that will take place in the MicroApps Auditorium in Hall 9 for the entire three days of the exhibition offers a platform for education and discussion. The Exhibition Hall will also be the home of the conference Poster Sessions and Coffee Breaks which will feature the Publisher’s Corner and the ever popular Cyber Café.
Connecting the Future is particularly relevant for the youngest attendees, which is why EuMW continues to encourage student participation by offering two student competitions for master and doctoral students. The Student Challenge is a poster competition where groups of students develop new ideas based on papers presented at the conference. The Student Design Competition is a design and measurement contest where the students present the performance of prototypes they have designed and built. Also, after its successful introduction in Nuremberg in 2013, the Industrial Career Platform offers the opportunity for companies to meet students and young engineers looking for a career in the RF and microwave sector.
As you can imagine, preparing and hosting EuMW requires a major effort, from paper submission and review, to the on-site organization at the venue. On behalf of the Local Organizing Committee we would like to thank the Technical Programme Committees of the three conferences along with the reviewers who worked tirelessly to shape the conference programmes. We would like to acknowledge the EuMA Board for their continued advice and guidance and thank the Horizon House personnel assigned to EuMW for their indispensable expertise and support in organizing this major event. Recognition should also go to the organizers of workshops, special sessionsand student events as well as the significant financial and in-kind sponsorship of many industrial companies and organizations.
We hope that the comprehensive and varied, yet focused programme of events will lead YOU to Rome in October, and we look forward to seeing you there.