Satish Sharma of San Diego State University (SDSU)

This talk will explore the state-of-the-art in multifunctional antennas and arrays, which are capable of delivering
multiple functionalities, such as frequency agility, frequency and polarization reconfiguration, and radiation pattern
reconfiguration, including their possible combinations. This topic is crucial for antenna engineers and researchers,
particularly in the context of 5G/6G technology, where multifunctional antennas and arrays are expected to play a
significant role. As the demand for high data throughput increases, the need for antennas that are multifunctional,
compact, low-profile, lightweight, and cost-effective becomes more critical. However, achieving these capabilities also
adds complexity to antenna design and implementation. The talk will begin with an introduction to the different types of
multifunctional antennas and the various design approaches used to create them. It will showcase representative
examples, including those developed at the Antenna and Microwave Lab (AML) at San Diego State University. The
discussion will also cover multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) and massive MIMO antennas that incorporate
multiband, frequency-tunable, and reconfigurable radiating elements, designed for practical wireless communication
devices such as cell phones, base stations, multimedia devices, and routers. For handheld devices like cell phones, the
presentation will address specific absorption rate (SAR) and the impact of human hand and head proximity on antenna
performance. Challenges in antenna design, fabrication, and measurement will be explored, along with future research
directions in this field.

Biography:

Dr. Satish Kumar Sharma, IEEE Fellow, received his Ph. D. degree in Electronics Engineering from the Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), India, in August 1997. He received his Bachelor of
Technology in Electronics Engineering from Kamla Nehru Institute of Technology, India 1991. He was a Post-Doctoral
Fellow at the University of Manitoba, Canada, from March 1999 to May 2001. He joined InfoMagnetics Technologies
(IMT) Corporation, Winnipeg, Canada, as a Senior Antenna Engineer from May 2001 to August 2006. While at IMT, he
was also a Part-Time Research Associate at the University of Manitoba until August 2006. Dr. Sharma joined San Diego
State University (SDSU) as an Assistant Professor in August 2006. He established the Antenna and Microwave
Laboratory (AML) shortly after joining SDSU and has led the AML as its Director since then. He became a tenured
Associate Professor in August 2010. He was promoted to full Professor in August 2014 and currently holds this
position. He received the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s prestigious faculty early career development (CAREER)
award in 2009. He also received the 2015 IEEE AP-S Harold A. Wheeler Prize Paper Award. He was Associate Editor
of the IEEE Transactions on Antennas & Propagation and IEEE Antennas, Wireless & Propagation Letters. He is an
IEEE AP-S Distinguished Lecturer (2025-2027), IEEE AP-S AdCom member (2025-2027), and the 2025 inaugural
Chair of the Technical Committee on Security (TC9): Security, Defense, Disaster Management. His research lab can
analyze, design, develop, and verify antennas from VHF to millimeter wave (110 GHz) frequencies. He has advised and
mentored more than 110 undergraduate/graduate students and Post-Doctoral Fellows/visiting research scholars.
Dr. Sharma has published over 335 journal and conference papers and holds three US and Canadian patents. He co-
edited three volumes of “Handbook of Reflector Antennas and Feed Systems”, published by Artech House in May/June
2013. His other co-authored book, “Multifunctional Antennas and Arrays for Wireless Communication Systems”, was
published by IEEE-Press/Wiley in April 2021. He has collaborated with industry professionals on SBIR/STTR Phase I
and II projects funded by DARPA, SPAWAR, Missile Defense Agency, and the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) in
addition to projects from the NSF and Office of Naval Research (ONR). He has also served as an engineer/consultant
for several wireless and defense companies. He is also the CEO/founder of 5GAntennaTech, LLC. His research interests
include microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies, beam steering antennas, flat panel phased array antennas,
reconfigurable and tunable antennas, 3D printed antennas, inkjet printed conformal antennas, massive MIMO antennas,
antennas for Cube-Satellites, reflector antennas and their feed systems, and metasurface antennas.

Email:

Address:5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego State University Antenna and Microwave Lab (AML), San Diego, California, United States, 92182-1309