One of the world's largest wireless-technology conferences is poised to open in Atlanta, thanks in part to collaboration between three academic and research groups at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

The International Microwave Symposium (IMS 2008), which takes over the Georgia World Congress Center from June 15-20, is expected to attract some 10,000 attendees and hundreds of industry vendors from around the world.

The conference and show will offer myriad presentations, panels and displays focusing on the cutting edge of wireless technology. Wireless, and the microwave technology that enables it, is the force behind cell phones, advanced sensors, radio-frequency identification (RFID) and the fast-developing mobile Internet.

"We're delighted to have an event of this magnitude and technical importance come to our city," said Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. "It shows that the South's largest city has become a magnet for both technology and tourism."

At Georgia Tech, IMS 2008 is being supported by the Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC), the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) in a variety of ways.

The show's general chair is Professor Joy Laskar, director of GEDC. Laskar and his ECE team have been working hard on the week-long IMS 2008 for a year.

"This is probably the largest technical event to take place in the Southeast, as well as a showcase for some of today's most pivotal technologies," said Laskar, who is the Schlumberger Chair in Microelectronics in ECE. "It will offer scores of panels and presentations on cutting-edge research from around the world, and it will also offer a hands-on experience with the latest developments from the wireless industry."

The International Microwave Symposium is an annual activity of the IEEE, the world's largest professional engineering society.

IMS 2008 will feature speakers of international renown, including Nobel Laureate Joe Taylor of Princeton University, and Mike Farmwald, founder of such companies as Rambus and Matrix Semiconductor and a leading venture capitalist.

"This is one of the key events in the wireless engineering world," said Professor Gary S. May, Steve W. Chaddick School Chair of ECE. "It's exciting for both its important research content and its show floor, and Georgia Tech is pleased to be playing an especially supportive role this year."

IMS 2008 will include scores of researchers and industry experts describing cutting-edge topics in the wireless world. Among the important subjects featured will be the FCC's latest wireless auctions, the open-access mobile Internet, multi-gigabit wireless technology and the rapid evolution of fourth generation (4G) wireless platforms.

Numerous faculty members from ECE and GEDC have made important contributions to the IMS 2008 technical program, including Manos Tentzeris, Kyutae Lim, Stephane Pinel and John Papapolymerou.

GTRI researchers are also contributing to IMS 2008. GTRI Principal Research Engineer Mike Harris is vice chair for the event and a member of the steering committee.

"This is an important event, with traditionally great attendance from both industry and defense companies," Harris said. "GTRI is pleased to be playing a role in making IMS happen."

Several GTRI employees have helped develop the IMS 2008 technical program, including Anya Traille, Jeff Kemp and Brent Wagner.

"In our field, IMS 2008 is certainly the place to learn about the latest research and technical achievements," said Kwang Wook Bae, director of the Samsung Design Center, an Atlanta-based group that partners with Georgia Tech on wireless research. "Samsung and many other corporations will be on hand to display their latest products and also to review research developments from around the world."

Among the hundreds of corporations participating in the conference will be Agilent Technologies, DuPont, ITT, Mitsubishi, Rohde & Schwarz, Samsung, Teledyne and Toshiba.

More information is available on the IMS 2008 website at www.ims2008.org.

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Media Relations Contacts: Rick Robinson (404-694-2284) or (rick.robinson@innovate.gatech.edu).

Writer: Rick Robinson