This proposal requests travel support for 16 students from U.S. universities in the Student Paper Competition at the 2004 International Microwave Symposium (IMS). The IMS is the annual meeting of the Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE). The IMS is also the major international conference in the microwave field and a focus of research results in wireless communications. In 2004, the IMS will be held in Ft. Worth, Texas, USA from June 6 to June 11.
Student Paper Competition
Each year, the MTT-S promotes student education and research in microwave through a number of mechanisms. For instance, it sponsors a highly competitive and prestigious Graduate Fellowship program under which several full-time graduate students are sponsored for education and research in microwave. However, the Society's broadest outreach to students is the annual Student Paper Competition at the IMS. This program is open to any full-time student (typically, although not necessarily, a graduate student) who is the lead and principal author of a paper presented at the IMS. The selective program brings the world's best students together in an integrated program in which they present their work not only to a technical audience but also to a group of judges. The program helps develop the students' technical acumen as well as their communication skills. It also introduces them to the international technical community and helps to build a community of students who will lead the next generation of microwave professionals.
The IMS provides financial support of various forms but does not reimburse travel expenses. Travel support from NSF will ensure that the program is open to the widest range of interested applicants from U.S. universities.
