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Making Waves: Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators Today
Through its proactive new talent development fund and campaign, the AP-S aims to build the talent pool in the dynamic field of antennas and propagation for generations to come
Making Waves: Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators Today
In 2024, the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S) proudly celebrated its 75th anniversary, marking a significant chapter in its long-standing commitment to advancing engineering and scientific developments in applied electromagnetics. The society has been instrumental in enhancing both terrestrial and space-based communication across generations.
As AP-S embarks on this new era, it strategically focuses on the future with the initiative “Waves of Support – Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators Today.” This campaign introduces the IEEE AP-S Talent Development Fund aimed at attracting and nurturing future technologists and innovators, ensuring that the field continues to flourish.
Addressing a Talent Shortage
Despite AP-S’s growth — now with over 13,000 global members and increased chapters — industry experts have raised concerns over an impending shortage of engineers, which could adversely affect engineering disciplines. The AP-S initiative directly tackles this issue by fostering a pipeline of skilled engineers poised to meet the field’s escalating demands.
The program offers students unrivaled access to cutting-edge technologies and connections with industry leaders and academic mentors. By engaging with these resources, students gain insight into the vast potential of the field and are encouraged to pursue innovative solutions to global challenges. Furthermore, the emphasis on skill development, networking, and career readiness equips participants to succeed in a competitive job market.
Proactively addressing this reality, the AP-S seeks to lay the groundwork for the upcoming generation of innovators by establishing the Talent Development Fund. This fund will exclusively support services and events for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as programs for early-career professionals, practitioners, and researchers in antennas and propagation. Past recipients emphasize that these types of initiatives effectively inspire aspiring engineers to explore opportunities within the AP-S and dedicate themselves to the profession.
Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators
Contributions to this fund will help draw, invest in, and empower future innovators while expanding opportunities for upcoming pioneers globally in the ever-evolving field of antennas and propagation. Read more about two opportunities on the next page.
Dr. C.J. Reddy, IEEE Fellow and Vice President of Business Development, Electromagnetics – Americas at Altair, shared his perspective on the importance of organizations like IEEE. For over three decades, IEEE and AP-S have significantly influenced his career growth. In 2019, he established the C.J. Reddy Travel Grant for Graduate Students, which annually awards US$1,500 grants to MS and PhD. students to attend the IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation. Dr. Reddy expressed, “Attending the annual IEEE AP-S/URSI Symposium significantly benefited me both professionally and personally. Supporting the AP-S Talent Development Fund will help give that opportunity to qualified young students.”
Promoting an enriching environment for future engineers, the IEEE AP-S Talent Development Fund aims to bridge the talent gap in the industry while inspiring the next generation of innovators in antennas and propagation. Through this initiative, AP-S is committed to ensuring a vibrant future for the field and fostering the innovators who will take it forward.
For more information or to make a donation to the “Waves of Support – Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators Today” AP-S Talent Development Fund, visit the campaign’s Donation Link or contact IEEE Foundation Senior Development Officer Michael Deering at +1 732-562-3915 or m.deering@ieee.org.
