Getting Social with Emile Davies-Venn

From Sierra Leone to High Speed Interfaces, Mr. Emile Davies-Venn is a graduate from University of Minnesota where he was part of the Microwave Packaging and Circuit Technology Group (MPACt group). With 3 US patents and more on the way, and having chaired the Young Professionals track for 2015 International Microwave Symposium (IMS 2015), Emile is certainly a dynamic MTT-S Young Professional Volunteer. Let’s explore more about him and his experiences with IEEE

1. Mr. Davies-Venn, please tell us a little about yourself, what work do you do at Intel, what are your interest areas?

I grew up in Sierra Leone, then migrated to the United States, where I completed graduate studies in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Minnesota. I currently work in the assembly and test technology development organization at Intel exploring high speed interfaces and RF packaging development.

2. How did you get involved with IEEE? What or who brought you to this organization?

I first became involved in IEEE as a student member in graduate school with the encouragement of my advisor, Professor Rhonda Franklin. I continued my professional membership when I joined Intel and became more active after getting involved in the local IEEE Waves and Devices chapter of MTT just after Phoenix was selected to host the 2015 International Microwave Symposium (IMS 2015).

3. How and what has been your experience volunteering for IEEE MTT Society?

It has been a great experience working with the IEEE MTT society. As part of the IMS 2015 steering committee, I chaired the Young Professionals program which featured a discussion session on entrepreneurship and also served as a webmaster for the Technical Program Committee. It exposed me to different aspects of the organization and gave me the opportunity to interact with colleagues within the society, to collaborate and to share ideas.

4. As a Young Professional, what are some things/initiatives or projects you think could be improved, or can be introduced?

The society must continue to encourage more young professionals to be more active within the society. As the theme for the young professionals program at IMS this year appropriately stated, “MTT-S and IMS recognize the importance of fostering the professional growth and development of its future and emerging leaders “, the future of the profession and the society as a whole depends on the interest and participation of the younger generation.

5. Could you tell us more about IMS 2015?

IMS 2015 was an exciting experience as a whole. It was great to see everything come together after several years of planning and anticipation. It was great hosting the young professional’s (YP) reception as I got to meet individuals from all over the world as well as learn about some of the cutting-edge research going on in different fields of applied RF and Microwave Engineering. I also got to work with a great group of local and international volunteers who helped to make the YP program a success. I must also commend the leadership of IEEE YP global for their collaboration and support they provided to the IMS YP program. IMS is really an international conference in all aspects.

6. What were some insights/ takeaways from IMS 2015?

My biggest takeaway from IMS 2015 is that as professionals in our field, we can influence the lives of individuals throughout the world with the work that we do. There are also lots of opportunities available to volunteer within the organization on projects that will enable you to grow professionally while positively impacting the lives of others.

The technical program was quite extensive and detailed. The workshop program was very comprehensive with sessions covering a wide range of topics. If I am not mistaken it might have had one of the largest number of sessions in the recent past at IMS. The technical program overall gave me a better sense of how fast the field of Microwave engineering continues to expand and evolve touching every aspect of our lives.The historic exhibition was also quite interesting for me as it help me get a better grasp of how far Microwave technology has come since its inception.

There were also several initiatives geared towards introduction engineering in general and microwave engineering specifically to a wide range of audience ranging from elementary school student all the way to graduate students. These included initiatives such as Project connect, Student design competitions, STEM, High school invitational to name a few. Some of these program also gave students the opportunity to showcase their work and keep them motivated to continue their exploration into engineering and science. These programs in general I believe are great opportunities to expose young mind to Microwave engineering and hopefully build a pipeline for the society. I have to commend all the volunteers who spent countless hours making these programs a reality. The society and IMS must strive to continue these initiatives as we move into the future.

7. Have you personally benefited from IEEE? How?

I have benefited quite a lot from IEEE over the years both as a student and later as a professional. Some of these have included access to some of the latest and cutting edge technology and research in the field of electrical engineering available on IEEE Xplore as well as access to seminars, sessions, banquets, etc.organized by the local Phoenix chapter.It has provided me with a great opportunity to expand my professional network and meet some great individuals.

8. What suggestions would you give out to a Young Professional, who is not an IEEE member and seeks information on “Why she/he should be one?”

Being part of IEEE Young Professionals gives you access to career and professional development resources including but not limited to mentoring, technical knowledge and webinars as well as volunteer opportunities that can be very helpful as you navigate your educational or professional career. It is also a great way to expand your horizon beyond your immediate colleagues at your company or your university. In addition, it will give you an opportunity to meet a diverse range of individuals who share similar interests and with whom you can collaborate.

~ Reported by Kiran Rajmohan