On behalf of the IMS 2013 Steering Committee, it is my privilege to welcome you to Seattle and invite you to attend the International Microwave Symposium to be held the week of 2 June 2013.
It has been eleven years since IMS was held in Seattle and so much has changed. The city of Seattle has grown and its character continues to evolve. You will find it even more active, vibrant and fun than it was in 2002. The Northwest microwave community has evolved as well, with major industry contributors in RFID, avionics, semiconductors, and test and measurement.
In addition, our local companies have had a great part in expanding the scope and capability of our global wireless imprint. We can now create and communicate almost anywhere in the world as a result of the collective work of IMS attendees, presenters and exhibitors. The Pacific Northwest has participated in the most recent wireless revolution in a very significant way. Local companies based in Seattle, Portland and Vancouver, BC, have been at the forefront of key advancements such as the implementation of LTE and the development of semiconductors that have enabled new technology. You will witness significant participation by the Northwest community in the plenary and closing sessions, in the historical exhibit and on the exhibition floor.
Microwave Week has countless opportunities to present, learn and connect with other members of our growing industry. No other event in the RF and microwave world offers as much technical information, has as many exhibitors or provides as good a forum to exchange ideas and meet key personnel who truly move our industry forward. Co-located with IMS as part of Microwave Week are the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC) Symposium (www.rfic2013.org), and the Automatic Radio Frequency Techniques Group (ARFTG) Microwave Measurement Conference (www.arftg.org).
The plenary session will be held in the early evening on Monday, June 3. Our plenary address is being given by Patrick Ennis, the global head of technology for Intellectual Ventures. The Technical Program Committee has crafted an excellent program and topics include circuit theory, passive components, active components, systems and applications, and emerging technologies. Our closing session address will feature two speakers: Dr. David Tennenhouse, corporate vice president, technology policy, Microsoft Corp.; and Michael Thorburn, division head, National Radio Astronomy Observatory.
IMS 2013 hosts the world’s largest exhibition dedicated to RF and microwave technology. You will find components, semiconductors, subsystems, materials, design software and instrumentation. Everything from oscillators to antennas will be there! IMS 2013 will have over 500 exhibitors in 800+ booths. We would like to extend a special thank you to our sponsors for IMS 2013. Platinum: Agilent Technologies and AWR Corp./National Instruments. Gold: NXP Semiconductors and RFMD. Silver: CST of America Inc., Sonnet Software Inc. and TriQuint Semiconductor.
Seattle has so much to offer visitors. The city has a rapidly increasing downtown population, resulting in an area surrounding the hotels and convention center that is very vibrant. Seattle offers entertainment for all tastes, as well as a great variety of restaurants and activities. My favorite picks are: for oysters on the half shell, the Brooklyn Restaurant; for beef, the Metropolitan Grill (table 43 gives one a good view of the interesting crowd – there’s always something going on – plus they have a great happy hour); for Thai food, the Wild Ginger; for seafood, the Palisade Restaurant (a taxi ride – get the king crab legs). The Washington State Convention Center is located in the heart of the downtown area, close to all the action. Hotels are all within easy walking distance.
Our social program has a wide variety of interesting activities to choose from and it’s never too early to start making your plans. Visit our website (www.ims2013.org) often; it is evolving and will provide topical information as we approach June 2, 2013.
We look forward to seeing you in Seattle!