Sherry Hess
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In this article, I interviewed two of our newest Women in Microwaves (WIM) subcommittee members, Marie Mertens and Aurea Edna Moreno-Mojica. These young women, along with others who participate in the many events that the IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society (MTT-S) has to offer, were so inspired by their collective experiences that they joined WIM as well as expanding their involvement to aspects beyond the subcommittee.
Read on to get to know these amazing young women who are the next generation of women engineers.
After earning a master’s degree from KU Leuven (https://www.kuleuven.be/english/kuleuven) in Belgium, I began pursuing a Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering at the universities of KU Leuven and Polytechnique Montreal (https://www.polymtl.ca/en/) in Quebec, Canada, in 2021 (Figure 1). I had learned about the possibilities of studying and performing research abroad while participating in the European Erasmus exchange program at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology (https://www.kth.se/en/studies/exchange/exchange-studies-at-kth-1.6519), Stockholm, Sweden, and was eager to continue to learn from different research groups across the world.
Figure 1. Marie Mertens (https://mtt.org/profile/marie-mertens/).
In this Ph.D. research, I specifically investigate the GHz-to-THz broadband electromagnetic signature of biological matter by performing broadband frequency domain spectroscopic measurements of cells and biological liquids and tissues. The target is to describe the dielectric spectrum of artificial (cancerous and healthy) tissues for the purpose of improved cancer diagnostics.
I am working under the supervision of Prof. Dominique Schreurs (KU Leuven) and Prof. Ke Wu (Polytechnique Montreal). They are both very active members of the MTT-S and past presidents. My research topics of interest are microwave engineering, the production of measurement chips, biomedical data processing, cancer theragnostics, and biomedical equipment.
In my spare time, I love to go mountain biking and running and to discover new places. People describe me as positive and energetic.
My supervisor, Prof. Dominique Schreurs, introduced me to IEEE and the MTT-S and suggested I become a member. In addition, she introduced me to the Ph.D. initiative that gave me the opportunity to volunteer at the International Microwave Symposium (IMS) 2022 and follow the presentations, where I learned about the MTT-S members and their research and actions and was able to make connections with professionals in the field of microwaves all around the world. Afterward, I and other student volunteers were inspired to create a combined AP/COM/MTT Student Chapter (https://ieee-sb-leuven.be/ap-com-mtt-student-chapter-leuven/) (Figure 2).
Figure 2. The AP/COM/MTT Student Chapter logo.
My very first memory of WIM goes back to when I was applying for this Ph.D. position and started studying the work that had been done by my supervisor, Prof. Dominique Schreurs. I found interviews with her about the power of women in the field of microwaves, in our own country and across the world. Learning about her passion to make the research field more inclusive to different genders and cultures sparked my enthusiasm for the Ph.D. position. Prof. Schreurs immediately suggested I get involved with WIM, for which I had honestly been hoping ever since viewing her interviews. My first activity with WIM was at IMS in Denver in 2022 (Figure 3), where we organized a bingo game about the different members’ research. It was the perfect way of getting to know other female professionals in the field.
Figure 3. The fun and funny IMS2022 WIM T-Shirt logo designed by student volunteers.
Being part of the committee is a constant positive reminder of the competencies and achievements of women in the field of microwave engineering. It is inspiring. It gives me the feeling that people from all genders and cultures can achieve great things in this super interesting field of engineering.
I enjoy the special “Women In Microwave” focus issues of IEEE Microwave Magazine that highlight the research of women in the field. I hope this issue can continue to demonstrate the competencies and achievements of women in the field. I also want to strive for the representation of women in science and engineering as an example for younger women and girls such that they are reminded that the microwave field is a valid career for them and to let them believe in themselves as potential female microwave engineers. We can, for instance, do that through workshops for young engineers and even young high school and elementary school scholars where female engineers are fairly represented.
I’m from Mexico. I love to travel, scuba dive, and spend time with my dogs (Figure 4). I have a B.Sc. in electronic engineering, an M.Sc. in electronics design, and a Ph.D. in engineering sciences (https://mtt.org/app/uploads/2021/06/08_FR_Gen_Moreno-Mojica.pdf) from ITESO University (https://www.iteso.mx/) (Figure 5). My research interests include computer-aided modeling and design and the optimization of high-speed circuits for signal and power integrity.
Figure 4. Aurea Edna Moreno-Mojica.
Figure 5. An ITESO promotion featuring women.
Currently, I’m a solutions engineer at Synopsys, where I’m responsible for providing solutions to customers using CAD tools for signal and power integrity design and compliance testing for high-speed I/Os. I’m also a professor at ITESO University teaching electronic circuits and calculus undergraduate and graduate courses.
While I was pursuing my Ph.D., I was part of the Research Group on Computer-Aided Engineering of Circuits and Systems (CAECAS) at ITESO University under the leadership of Dr. José E. Rayas-Sánchez. They have a local Chapter of the MTT-S, and they asked if I wanted to be the Women in Engineering (WIE) representative of the group as I was the only woman in the group at the time.
In 2020, I was awarded one of 12 MTT-S worldwide microwave engineering fellowships, the purpose of which is to recognize and provide assistance to graduate students who show promise and interest in pursuing a graduate degree in microwave engineering. Usually, awardees are invited to attend IMS to receive the scholarship. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, IMS2020 was held virtually. I’m looking forward to attending IMS in 2023 and strengthening the exposure of the MTT-S here in Mexico.
As the WIE representative of my MTT-S local Chapter, I had the chance to work closely with the WIE lead for the Guadalajara Section (https://www.facebook.com/wie.gdl/) (Figure 6). We organized conferences to spotlight the achievements of women in technology and engineering. Dr. José E. Rayas-Sánchez encouraged me to get more involved with IEEE initiatives geared toward women. Thanks to him and the WIM chair, Sherry Hess (https://mtt.org/profile/sherry-hess/), I’ve had the opportunity to participate in the WIM planning for IMS2023 as well as to strengthen the WIM outreach into Latin and South America.
Figure 6. The WIE Guadalajara Chapter logo.
It’s a great opportunity to meet like-minded women who understand what it’s like to be a woman in engineering (Figure 7). I get to appreciate different life experiences and outlooks on this.
Figure 7. WIM subcommittee members (https://mtt.org/wim/).
I would like to see activities focused on generating interest in the world of microwaves, especially for young engineers. Currently, in Mexico, this area is not well known among young engineers.
It has been a pleasure getting to know these young women engineers and learning about their activities and thoughts on WIM. Stay tuned for more of these stories as other WIM members share their experiences as women engineers. Visit the IEEE WIM page (https://mtt.org/wim/) to learn more and get involved!
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MMM.2023.3277404