About the journal
Lifelong Learning
The September issue of the IEEE Microwave Magazine is out! This issue covers a wide range of topics from circuit design to digital communications and even silicon photonics. And adding even more variety to your reading is over a dozen columns, several concerning business and education in the days of COVID-19. So there is lots to learn in this issue.
If you start with the feature articles you will learn that microwave filters do not have to be LC networks, transmission lines or cavities but can be implemented with silicon photonic networks. Our second feature will excite radio designers, software programmers, Amateur radio operators and even the curious diehard analog engineer as it gives and overview of where we are in direct RF sampling. And the diehard analog engineers strike back with a feature on complex impedance transformers. The complexity comes from dealing with non-fifty ohm resistive loads in an systematic way. Practical designers and lovers of bilinear transforms will enjoy this article.
Some of us like to start the issue with the columns. The columns are about everything from the issue itself to our society, our education and our work. Our Editor’s Desk reviews the “new normal” from a technology perspective and gives us a tour of the issue. Our President’s column is next and it focuses on the MTT-S Resource Center and how disseminating information is our trademark. Our MicroBusiness column has a similar theme of disseminating information but it focuses on the serendipity of management by walking around. You will enjoy reading the column as it will give you a perspective on how our world has changed and what we have to be careful of losing. It also reminded me of the hours I enjoyed browsing through the technical library at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville AL when I was a co-op student. Google and the web are great for research – but they do not replace a good library.
All of our columns have useful information, but often they deal with our integral part of society as technologists. Our Health Matters column this month considers how the Coronavirus has been confused with the 5G WiFi rollout. We all need to know about public concerns of microwaves and how to thoughtfully educate those outside of engineering. Our columns also give us a wide tour and our book reviews are usually intriguing. This month’s book review concerns MIMO and RADAR. And our Society News has a new look with an interview regarding our administrative committees. Check it out.
Education is a major part of our IEEE goal, as echoed in our President’s column. This issue has four columns dealing with education. Our Women in Microwaves column reminds us the difference good teachers make. Our Education News column celebrates the 2019 MTT-S Undergraduate/Pregraduate Scholarship Awards. You will enjoy reading about what all these young adults are doing. And our Educator’s Corner discusses teaching in the time of COVID-19 and offers a number of helpful ideas. I also include our Enigmas column in education and this month you can brush up on your Poincare Metric with passive circuits.
Another problem solver is our Ombudsman. Check out how he has been helping people. And our final puzzle is discussed in our Around the Globe column with the question of if planets and life are abundant in the universe. This is a fun issue and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
As always, check out the Conference Calendar.
Summary by Alfy Riddle