Low power electronics associated with advances in new devices and materials, as well as novel photonic technologies are acquiring a key role for wireless communication. These and other important topics, such as high bandgap semiconductor devices, interconnections and packaging for high speed and high frequency devices, Photonic BandGap (PBG) devices, 3D electromagnetic modelling of microwave devices and circuits will be discussed in the proposed Commission D program for the Toronto General Assembly, including other more traditional subjects on electronics and photonics.

The major event during the past three years is the successful accomplishment of ISSSE '98. In addition, Commission D supported a number of scientific and technical symposia and meetings throughout the world.

As the wireless technology becomes increasingly more pervasive to our lives, International Symposium on Signals, Systems and Electronics (ISSSE) becomes one of the most important meetings for URSI that is emphasizing the telecommunication.

ISSSE series has been organized by Commissions C (Signals and Systems) and D (Electronics and Photonics). The first meeting was held in Erlangen, Germany in 1989, which was followed by Paris in 1992 and San Francisco in 1995.

At Lille General Assembly, Commissions C and D formed the ISSSE Steering Committee to maintain continuity and to enhance visibility for the future ISSSE series as well as to assist organizers. The Steering Committee has also the task of receiving and evaluating proposals and selecting the conference site. Professor Tatsuo Itoh, immediate past Chair of Commission D, was appointed as Coordinator and point of contact of the committee.

One of the recommendations by this Steering Committee is that the meeting be held in close proximity (in time and space) of a major meeting of interest to either Commission. Another recommendation is to select a well-meaning theme to the meeting, rather than a collection of papers.

ISSSE ’98 was held on 29 September – 2 October, 1998 at Palazzo dei Congressi in Pisa, Italy. The dates fall in the week prior to the European Microwave Conference in Amsterdam to satisfy the recommendation of the Steering Committee as described above. The conference theme was "Co-design of Radiocommunication Terminals: From Waves to Silicon through DSP." General Chairman was Professor Marco Luise of University of Pisa who was assisted by Giorgio Vittetta for local arrangement and by Filippo Giannetti for publication, both from University of Pisa. Technical Program Committee consisted of three co-chairs, T. Itoh (UCLA), U. Mengali (University of Pisa) and C. Trullemans (Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium). The TPC Co-chairs were assisted by 6 Vice Co-chairs and 18 committee members from various parts of the world. The meeting was technically co-sponsored by IEEE Communications Society, Microwave Theory and Techniques Society and Electron Devices Society. The meeting was financially co-sponsored by URSI Commissions C and D.

The conference theme "Co-design of Radiocommunication Terminals: From Waves to Silicon through DSP" was particularly timely. According to Professor Luise, "It is likely that by the year 2010 the number of wireless communication links for information transmission will exceed the number of wired ones. Each and every wireless communication application, be it high-speed point-to-point or switched cellular, terrestrial or satellite-based, UHF or mm-wave, has benefited in terms of spectral and power efficiency by advances in VLSI, microwave and DSP components and techniques. The ultimate goal of the radiocommunication engineer is currently to exploit the sinergy of those advances through clever co-design of different, previously separately-designed subsystems. The Symposium will develop through parallel sessions in three main areas of DSP-based Communication Equipment and Systems, VLSI design and Components, and Microwave Theory and Techniques." All TPC shared his view in forming the technical program.

Following the reception in the evening of 29 September, the conference started on the morning of 30 September by a brief opening ceremony. Each morning of the following three days was started with an Invited Plenary Talk. These talks were:

After the Plenary Talk, there were three parallel sessions, a total of 21, typically one for Microwaves, one for Telecommunications and one for VLSI.

Microwave Sessions were:

WM1: Advances in Devices

WM2: New Materials and Architecture for Microwave and RF Circuits

TM 1: Progress of Numerical Characterization

TM 2: Millimeter Waves

TM 3: MW/Optical Interactions

FM 2: Nonlinear Circuit Design and Modeling

Telecommunication Sessions were:

WT1: Broadband Wireless Access

WT2: Transmission Systems

WT3: Multiple Access

WT4: DSP for Telecommunications

TT 1: Signal Detection and Synchronization

TT 2: Wireless Transceivers

TT 3: Modulation, Coding and Compression

FT 1: Third-Generation Wireless Systems

FT 2: Wireless Channel Equalization

VLSI Sessions were:

WV1: Wireless Transceivers

WV2: VLSI Technologies for RF Circuits

WV3: Broadband Techniques

TV 1: Data Communication/Processing Circuits

TV 2: Hardware/Softwared Co-Design of Telecommunication Systems

FV 1: Modeling and Design Techniques

The TPC received 57 submitted papers (including 37 in telecommunications) from 23 countries of which 41 papers were accepted. In addition, there are 53 invited papers. Therefore, 94 papers were given in 21 sessions. Essentially, no incidence of no-show was encountered. The number of participants was about 125 that includes 20 students and 8 Young Scientists who received full service at the registration fee identical to that for students.

The Conference Chairman, Professor Luise, was successful in raising a considerable amount of sponsor funds (more than 20,000 US$) from Italian telecommunication companies and from the University of Pisa.

The conference was very well organized and carried out in an relaxed and congenial atmosphere. There were ample occasions of technical exchange at coffee breaks and on-site luncheons for all participants. An excellent banquet was organized at a local restaurant with excellent Italian cuisine. On the afternoon of the third day, there was an optional excursion to a nearby town of Lucca.

During the conference, a meeting of the ISSSE Steering Committee was held including several guests and organizers and TPC members. The next venue was discussed. The recommended candidatewass Japan; United States was to be considered as a second option.

2. Conference Support

Commission D supported ISSSE as the main conference of the Commission by providing $4,000 which was matched by another $4,000 from Commission C. The commission also provided type-A sponsorship to a number of conferences around the world.

3. Travel Grant Program for URSI Toronto General Assembly

Commission D has decided to partially defray the cost of some of the Convenors and Invited Speakers for Commission D Sessions including the joint sessions led by Commission D. At the time of writing this report, Commission Chair and Vice Chair are finalizing the award recipients.

According to the guidelines adopted for the previous General Assemblies, travel grants will be awarded based on the following criteria: 1. Economic hardship; 2. Only one award to an institution; 3. As much as possible, distribute equally to all sessions, and 4. Geographical distribution. Award will be announced through the respective Convenors.

Prof. Roberto Sorrentino, Chair