Boarding into the New Era of RF to THz Technologies and Applications
A landmark workshop bringing together global microwave engineering expertise and Brazil’s next generation of innovators in the heart of Brasília.
On September 24 and 25, 2026, the Broadening Participation Committee (BPC) of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society (MTT-S) brought together students, researchers, professionals, industry representatives, and IEEE volunteers in Brasília, Brazil, for the IEEE MTT-S BPC Workshop – Boarding into the New Era of RF to THz Technologies and Applications.
Hosted at the University of Brasília (UnB), with activities spread across the Darcy Ribeiro Campus (FT) and the Gama Campus (FCTE), the event was designed to connect students, academia, industry, and IEEE leadership to innovation pathways in RF, microwave, STEM, and technology. The program combined inspiring STEM talks, technical sessions, mentoring, career conversations, student competitions, and networking activities. As part of UnB’s University Week (SEMUNI 2026), the two-day event also welcomed high school and technical school students, offering an opportunity to get a closer look at engineering, research, and career possibilities in technology.
Sediado na Universidade de Brasília (UnB), com atividades distribuídas entre o Campus Darcy Ribeiro (FT) e o Campus Gama (FCTE), o evento foi projetado para conectar estudantes, a academia, a indústria e a liderança do IEEE aos caminhos de inovação em RF, micro-ondas, STEM e tecnologia. O programa combinou palestras inspiradoras sobre STEM, sessões técnicas, mentoria, conversas sobre carreira, competições estudantis e atividades de networking. Como parte da Semana Universitária da UnB (SEMUNI 2026), os dois dias do evento também acolheu estudantes do Ensino Médio e Ensino Técnico, oferecendo uma oportunidade de conhecer de perto a engenharia, a pesquisa e as possibilidades de carreira em tecnologia.
International and Regional Leadership
The workshop featured prominent IEEE MTT-S leaders and experts, including Debabani Choudhury, Glauco Fontgalland, and Imran Mehdi.
Regional speakers and representatives included Dr. Maria da Conceição (UFPA), Dr. Hugo Figueroa (UNICAMP), Dr. Jonas Augusto Kunzler (UFG), Dr. Melissa Monteiro (UnB), Dr. Glécia Luz (UnB), and Dr. Robson Domingos Vieira (UnB). The event also featured a special session by Samsung Ocean Brasil, presenting experts such as Dr. Palloma Vieira Muterlle, Dr. Luiz Henrique Morais Aguiar, and Dr. João Luiz Azevedo de Carvalho. Their participation transformed the workshop into a meeting point between the international MTT-S leadership and the Brazilian academic and industrial community.
Students at the Center of the Workshop
A key element of the workshop was the active participation of students through dedicated competitions and recognitions:
The Three-Minute Presentation Competition (3MPC) challenged participants to communicate their technical ideas or research clearly to a non-technical audience in just three minutes, using only one static slide.
The Proposal Writing Competition offered a hands-on workshop where collaborative teams learned how to structure and write research summaries and proposals in a concise and persuasive manner.
A Rocket Competition took place in a didactic workshop inspired by the models of the Brazilian Rocket Olympiad (OBAFOG). During the afternoon of the second day, students put their knowledge into practice by building their own paper rockets, adapted from OBAFOG Level 2, which allowed them to explore fundamental physics concepts such as aerodynamics, center of mass, stability, action and reaction, and oblique launch. There were launches of PET bottle rockets powered by water and compressed air (Level 3 model) in a controlled space.
The PPGEB Research Excellence Award (II Lourdes Brasil Award) recognized the best master’s dissertations defended in 2024 and 2025 within UnB’s Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering.
Building a Stronger MTT-S Community
Beyond the technical program, the workshop in Brasília helped create new connections between students, universities, and the global IEEE MTT-S community. The event demonstrated the talent and enthusiasm present in the region, promoting a more inclusive participation and representing an important step toward a stronger, more connected future for radio frequency and microwave technologies and applications.
