Roblin named IEEE Distinguished Lecturer

Honoring more than 30 years spent as part of The Ohio State University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, professor Patrick Roblin was just named a Microwave Distinguished Lecturer by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Suddenly, he has a lot more travel plans.

Roblin will represent the Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S), which serves more than 11,000 members and 150 chapters across the world. Only four members are picked annually to become Distinguished Microwave Lecturers.

Aside from the prestige that comes with being named an expert by his own peers, Roblin will give up to seven lectures per year to different MTT-S chapters throughout his 2016 to 2018 term.

"I will be traveling quite a bit," Roblin said. "I am excited to have the opportunity to lecture around the world and meet new microwave researchers and students who are working on wireless microwave/RF front ends."

With the advent of Nonlinear Vector Network Analyzers (NVNA), Roblin explained, new nonlinear measurement, modeling and design techniques have emerged, all of which are having a profound impact on his industry.

“By 2019, mobile traffic is expected to grow by a factor of 10 and a new generation (5G) of wireless systems is expected to be introduced,” he said. “So this is certainly an exciting time to contribute to this field and serve the MTT-S membership world-wide.”

Originally from France, Roblin joined the Ohio State ECE department back in 1984. Today, he focuses his research within the realms of measurement, modeling, design, and linearization of non-linear RF devices and circuits - such as power-amplifiers, oscillators and modulators. He is also founder of Ohio State's Non-Linear RF Research Lab, and has developed two educational RF/microwave laboratories and associated curriculum for training both undergraduate and graduate students at the university.

Heading into the new year, Roblin said, a sabbatical first takes him to TELECOM, Paris-Tech, the leading French telecommunication engineering school, where he will conduct research on 5G wireless systems. Next year, he begins scheduling lecture dates as part of the MTT-S program. The topic of his lecture presentation will be, "Everything you can do with Vector Nonlinear Microwave Measurements.”