The 2026 IEEE International MTT Symposia (IMS2026) announced its Technical Program and Plenary Speakers for the annual gathering of RF and microwave engineers, set for 7-12 June 2026, at the Thomas M. Menino Convention and Exhibition Center (MCEC) in Boston. This year’s program reflects a restructuring of the overall Symposia to better align with how the RF and microwave industry is evolving. RFIC, RFSA, and RFTT are each uniquely positioned to address specific technical areas such as integrated circuits, systems and applications, and the traditional technology and techniques that have been a mainstay of IMS.

The Symposia’s two Plenary Sessions reflect those priorities directly. The IMS Joint RFSA/RFTT Plenary Session & Fireside Chat will bring together John Martinis, 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics winner, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Santa Barbara, CTO and Cofounder, Qolab, and William Oliver, Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), to examine how quantum systems are moving into RF engineering practice. The RFIC Plenary Session will feature Asad Abidi, Professor, University of California, Los Angeles, and Oliver Dial, Ph.D., Vice President of Quantum Systems, IBM, addressing integration challenges across semiconductor and system design.

“Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) in 6G, the RF engineering challenges of quantum systems and the use of AI in the implementation of RF technology are moving from research to reality — and the decisions that come with that shift require collaboration and a forum for conversations. IMS2026 is that forum and we built this year's program around bringing together the people and the work that reflect where RF and microwave engineering stands right now… and where it is headed,” said Timothy Hancock, General Co-Chair, IMS2026. 

That shift is visible throughout the IMS2026 Technical Program, which spans 200+ Technical Sessions, Workshops, and Bootcamps across RFIC, RFSA, and RFTT. 

Semiconductor choices now shape everything — packaging, thermal design, and system architecture. RFIC and RFSA sessions explore trade-offs across the full design chain, from front-end components to full system implementation, including work at millimeter-wave and sub-THz frequencies to meet the requirements of emerging sensing and communication applications.

6G deployment in the face of spectrum constraints is challenging engineers to address coexistence, infrastructure readiness, and measurable system performance in congested spectral environments. Within the RFSA Symposium, ISAC-related paper submissions saw a 15-fold increase compared to prior years, reflecting how integrated sensing and communication is moving into practical system design.

Automotive, aerospace, and defense applications demand more from RF systems. Work presented across RFSA, RFTT, and measurement-focused sessions demonstrate how engineers are addressing reliability and validation earlier in the design process to meet those expectations.

“The gap between published research and deployed systems is where most engineering challenges live. IMS is where those challenges get examined directly, with engineers presenting research alongside engineers building systems, working through the same problems from different angles,” said Timothy Hancock, General Co-Chair, IMS2026.

For more than 70 years, IMS has served as the global meeting place where RF and microwave professionals share research, evaluate emerging technologies, and align on the engineering priorities that matter most to the field. IMS2026 builds on that legacy with a program designed around where the work is happening now.

Advance registration closes 5 June 2026. For more information about IMS2026, visit ims-ieee.org.