Engineering students welcome both competition and recognition. Traditionally, the IMS Student Paper Competition has offered them a way to achieve both. Every paper presents the research of an individual student. In a lengthy review process, judges and reviewers pinpoint the best paper—and hence the brightest students—in the microwave community. This year, however, IMS also is giving students another avenue of competition: the Student High-Efficiency Power-Amplifier Design Competition.
The High Power Microwave Components Committee (MTT-5) is holding this contest, which will take place in the Interactive Forum (IF) area during IF session hours. The contest will require that competitors design, build, and measure a high-efficiency power amplifier (PA) at a frequency above 1 GHz but less than 20 GHz. The PA must have an output power level that is a minimum of 5 W but less than 100 W into a 50-(omega) load.
The winner will be determined based on the design that demonstrates the highest power-added efficiency (PAE). During the Interactive Forum, the PAs will be tested in order to verify their performance. The prizewinner will receive both recognition and loot. He or she will receive $1000 and an invite to submit a paper, which describes the PA design, to IEEE Microwave Magazine. The contest will be open to any student or graduate student who is registered at an educational establishment.
In contrast, the winners of the lofty MTT-S Student Paper Competition will receive complimentary registration for IMS2005, tickets to the MTT-S Awards Banquet, and some travel subsidies. This year, 304 submissions were received for the Student Paper Competition. About half of those papers were accepted for presentation. From those papers, 20 student-paper finalists were then chosen. At Thursday's Student Awards Luncheon, six top papers and four honorable mentions will be chosen to receive cash awards, certificates, and gifts.
The Student Paper Competition finalists will present their papers at their regular scheduled sessions. They also will make special presentations at the Interactive Forum on Tuesday, June 14, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Try to attend the sessions or stop by the forum to hear firsthand what many judges dubbed the best paper that they reviewed.