Microwave Journal
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EuMW Chairman: Record Registration and Overflowing Conference Sessions

September 11, 2006

"We could not have hoped for a better start to European Microwave Week,” Professor Chris Snowden, EuMW chairman, exclusively told the EuMW Online News Service. He added, "The Week is benefiting from record advance registration in all areas – the conference and the workshops, together with record numbers for the European Microwave Exhibition with over 300 exhibiting companies."


An innovation this year has been the addition of an extra day yesterday (Sunday 10 September), focussed specifically on workshops and short courses, which was very well received. Snowden commented, "Yesterday we had just under 500 people attending the workshops, which is great and illustrates the fact that people like the idea of separating the workshops from the normal conference week."

Today has seen the EuMW Opening Ceremony and the commencement of three conferences, the European Microwave Conference (EuMC), the European Microwave Integrated Circuits Conference (EuMIC) and the European Conference on Wireless Technologies (ECWT). The European Radar Conference (EuRAD) begins on Wednesday.

At the EuMW Opening Ceremony Professor Tibor Berceli from Budapest was awarded the 2006 EuMA Distinguished Service Award by Professor Ligthart, the chairman of the Prizes Committee, in recognition of his service to microwaves in Europe in general, and also his support of EuMA and the previous microwave conferences. Also, Professor Roberto Sorrentino, president of the European Microwave Association, introduced the delegates to the EuMA and set out its goals.

Giving his initial thoughts, Snowden stated, "Today has started extremely well with very full conference rooms. There has been particular interest in emerging technologies such as activities above 100 GHz, where the room was full to overflowing. At ECWT the Power Amplifiers for Wireless Systems was similarly well attended."

He also highlighted an exciting presentation at EuMC given by Professor Sir Martin Sweeting from Surrey Satellite Technologies, which is a university spin out that has launched 23 satellites with a value of over $300 M. The presentation addressed the roles of micro and mini satellites and, in particular, making space development cost effective.

EuMIC, which was previously the GAAS® conference and is now a EuMA conference co-sponsored by GAAS®, has a record number of papers. Professor Snowden commented, "This shows that despite the progressive move of the semiconductor industry to the East, there is still a lot of technical interest in Europe."

Similarly ECWT has started well with a record number of papers and record participation. Snowden said, "This is good to see because again I think there is a feeling that perhaps the wireless market has moved East, but this shows that actually from an engineering perspective there is still a firm base and interest in Europe and the West."