Fifty-one doctorate students from 12 countries will receive sponsorships to attend the IEEE MTT-S 2012 International Microwave Symposium (IMS 2012), June 17-22, 2012 in Montréal. The program is part of a new initiative established and sponsored by the IEEE MTT-S Administrative Committee (ADCOM) specifically targeted toward students who have not previously attended IMS to increase their education in RF and microwave engineering.

“Students play a vital role in the future of MTT-S, IMS and the industry as a whole,” said Alaa Abunjaileh, elected MTT-S ADCOM member. “This new program will give these 51 students important opportunities for professional growth, networking and experiential education, which will help shape them into the future leaders of RF and microwave engineering.”

The sponsorships include four nights' accommodation in Montréal, public transportation within the city, breakfast, lunch and registration for IMS 2012. The awardees will spend one day volunteering with the IMS2012 team and will also participate in either the Graduate Student Challenge or submit an evaluation of one presented paper, one poster paper and a short report about a single product from the exhibition.

The United States led with 17 awardees, including eight students from the University of Colorado at Boulder, followed by Canada, Germany and Italy, which are each sending four students. To be eligible for sponsorship, students were required to be first- or second-year doctoral students as well as IEEE MTT-S members and submit a personal statement addressing why they would benefit from the sponsorship.

In addition to the Ph.D. student sponsorships, IMS 2012 will include a Graduate Student Challenge, student reception, student design competition, student volunteer opportunities and student paper competition. MTT-S is also proud to offer fellowships and scholarships for graduate and undergraduate students pursuing fulltime programs in RF and microwave engineering. The Society offers this support to encourage future leaders and key technical contributors in their pursuit of careers in RF and microwave engineering.