Industrial Young Professionals Travel Grant
Congratulations to 2026 IEEE AP-S Industrial Young Professionals Travel Grant Recipients!
Abhishek Kumar is a Senior Antenna Design Engineer specializing in RF, microwave, radar, and electronic warfare (EW) antenna systems with hands-on experience in the design, simulation, development, and testing of advanced antenna technologies for industrial and defense applications.
Currently working at Unistring Tech Solutions Pvt. Ltd. in Hyderabad, he has contributed to the development of high-performance antenna systems, including 5G sector antennas, omnidirectional antennas, Wi-Fi and GPS antennas, X-band anti-drone radar antennas, jammer antennas, MIMO systems, reflector antennas, horn antennas, and RF/microwave components. His expertise spans electromagnetic simulation, RF system optimization, antenna measurements, and anechoic chamber testing.
Abhishek holds an M.Tech in Microwave Electronics from the University of Delhi and a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University. He is proficient in industry-standard EM simulation tools, including CST Microwave Studio, Altair FEKO, and Ansys HFSS.
He has also completed research internships at DRDO and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, strengthening his foundation in defense and space-oriented RF technologies.
In addition to his industry experience, Abhishek has authored multiple technical publications on ultra-wideband dielectric windows, metasurface-assisted RF structures, radar antenna arrays for drone detection and Ultra-Wideband Tx and Rx Discone Antenna for Multi-frequency Operation. His research interests include wideband antennas, meta-surfaces, radar systems, EW technologies, CubeSat antennas, and next-generation wireless communication systems.
Currently working at Unistring Tech Solutions Pvt. Ltd. in Hyderabad, he has contributed to the development of high-performance antenna systems, including 5G sector antennas, omnidirectional antennas, Wi-Fi and GPS antennas, X-band anti-drone radar antennas, jammer antennas, MIMO systems, reflector antennas, horn antennas, and RF/microwave components. His expertise spans electromagnetic simulation, RF system optimization, antenna measurements, and anechoic chamber testing.
Abhishek holds an M.Tech in Microwave Electronics from the University of Delhi and a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University. He is proficient in industry-standard EM simulation tools, including CST Microwave Studio, Altair FEKO, and Ansys HFSS.
He has also completed research internships at DRDO and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, strengthening his foundation in defense and space-oriented RF technologies.
In addition to his industry experience, Abhishek has authored multiple technical publications on ultra-wideband dielectric windows, metasurface-assisted RF structures, radar antenna arrays for drone detection and Ultra-Wideband Tx and Rx Discone Antenna for Multi-frequency Operation. His research interests include wideband antennas, meta-surfaces, radar systems, EW technologies, CubeSat antennas, and next-generation wireless communication systems.
Zijian Shao (Senior Member, IEEE) received the B.S. degree in electronic engineering from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China in 2015, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China in 2021. From 2022 to 2025, he was a Postdoctoral Researcher with Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA, where he is currently an Associate Research Scholar. Since 2025, he has also been a co-founder of Waybox Inc., a startup focused on physics AI-driven consumer electronics. His current research interests include integrated antennas and arrays, AI-driven electromagnetics, and software-defined radios for integrated sensing and communications.
Dr. Shao was a recipient of the 2025 IEEE AP-S Fellowship Award. He was a co-recipient of the Honorable Mention Award at ICMMT 2019 and IEEE APCAP 2023, and the Best Paper Award at IMS 2025. He has served as a TPC Member or Session Chair for IEEE CAMA 2022, IEEE APCAP 2022, IEEE MTT-S IWS 2023, and IEEE APS/URSI 2024. He is an Associate Editor of IET Electronics Letters and serves on the editorial boards of Electromagnetic Science and the International Journal of Antennas and Propagation. He was also a Guest Editor for the IEEE Open Journal of Antennas and Propagation, Electronics, and IET Electronics Letters.
Dr. Shao was a recipient of the 2025 IEEE AP-S Fellowship Award. He was a co-recipient of the Honorable Mention Award at ICMMT 2019 and IEEE APCAP 2023, and the Best Paper Award at IMS 2025. He has served as a TPC Member or Session Chair for IEEE CAMA 2022, IEEE APCAP 2022, IEEE MTT-S IWS 2023, and IEEE APS/URSI 2024. He is an Associate Editor of IET Electronics Letters and serves on the editorial boards of Electromagnetic Science and the International Journal of Antennas and Propagation. He was also a Guest Editor for the IEEE Open Journal of Antennas and Propagation, Electronics, and IET Electronics Letters.
Debi Dutta (Member, IEEE) is currently working with HCL Technologies Ltd. (HCLTech), India, in the domain of Signal Integrity and Power Integrity (SI/PI), with a focus on high-speed signal behavior, power delivery networks, and electromagnetic analysis in advanced electronic systems. She received the M.Tech. degree in 2017 and the Ph.D. degree in 2024 in Radio Physics and Electronics from the University of Calcutta. She was a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Information Engineering at the University of Pisa from 2023-25.
Her research interests include RFID systems, antenna near-field analysis, printed antenna and arrays for space-borne and mobile applications. Dr. Dutta was a recipient of the Young Scientist Award at the URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium 2023. She also received the C. J. Reddy Best Young Professional Award at the IEEE Indian Conference on Antennas and Propagation 2018 and the IEEE AP-S/URSI Ph.D. Travel Grant for the IEEE AP-S/URSI 2021. She served as the Chair (2020–2022) and Vice-Chair (2019–2020) of the IEEE APS Student Branch Chapter at the University of Calcutta.
Her research interests include RFID systems, antenna near-field analysis, printed antenna and arrays for space-borne and mobile applications. Dr. Dutta was a recipient of the Young Scientist Award at the URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium 2023. She also received the C. J. Reddy Best Young Professional Award at the IEEE Indian Conference on Antennas and Propagation 2018 and the IEEE AP-S/URSI Ph.D. Travel Grant for the IEEE AP-S/URSI 2021. She served as the Chair (2020–2022) and Vice-Chair (2019–2020) of the IEEE APS Student Branch Chapter at the University of Calcutta.
Iskandar Ghorbel is a Petroleum Engineer at Mazarine Energy Tunisia BV, with experience spanning oil and gas production operations, well intervention, HSE management, and industrial engineering applications. He has been an active member of IEEE since 2019 and is currently an active member of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S). He also holds Young Professional membership within IEEE and serves on the executive boards of both the IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS) Tunisia Section Chapter and the IEEE Young Professionals Tunisia Affinity Group.
Beyond his operational role, Iskandar is engaged in initiatives advancing professional development, engineering innovation, and technology in the energy sector. His areas of interest include AI-driven engineering solutions, energy technologies, integrity and safety management systems, and digital transformation in the oil and gas industry.
Beyond his operational role, Iskandar is engaged in initiatives advancing professional development, engineering innovation, and technology in the energy sector. His areas of interest include AI-driven engineering solutions, energy technologies, integrity and safety management systems, and digital transformation in the oil and gas industry.
Paul Ogolla is a Junior ICT Systems & Infrastructure Officer at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), specializing in industrial RF engineering and wireless network deployment. He designs and optimizes mission-critical antenna systems and propagation models across Kenya’s diverse terrains, ensuring reliable communication networks for national revenue operations. An active IEEE Young Professional and Mt. Kenya Section volunteer, Paul is passionate about practical RF solutions in resource-constrained environments. He strongly advocates for inclusive engineering and accessibility, leveraging his unique technical perspective to drive resilient infrastructure design and mentor the next generation of East African telecommunications engineers.
Travel grants of up to USD $2,000 each are awarded by the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S) to support Industrial Young Professionals attending the IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation (AP-S Symposium).
Who Should Apply & Participation Commitment
This travel grant is intended for industry-affiliated IEEE Young Professionals who will actively contribute to IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S) Symposium technical, industrial, and outreach activities.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
- Be a current IEEE AP-S member
- Qualify as an IEEE Young Professional
- (graduated from first professional degree within the past 15 years - https://yp.ieee.org/)
- Be currently employed in industry
- Not be a previous recipient of this travel grant
- (each member may receive only one award; no award stacking is permitted)
Required Participation Commitment
Applicants must plan for and commit to active participation in the AP-S Symposium. Participation includes both required and additional engagement activities, as outlined below.
Required participation:
- Industry paper authorship and presentation at the AP-S 2026
- OR organization of an industry session
- OR industry panel participation
- OR being a booth staff member of your company at the APS exhibit
Additional participation (including, but not limited to):
- Appearing in short video features or interviews (e.g., Young Industry Champions)
- Contributing brief written or video summaries highlighting:
- Technical sessions, panels, or exhibits attended
- Key insights, trends, or innovations of interest
- Perspectives on industry relevance and impact
By submitting an application, candidates acknowledge and agree to support AP-S visibility, community engagement, mentoring, and industry-academia collaboration through these activities, as requested by the Society.
What You Will Need to Submit
Before starting the application, please ensure you can provide:
- Proof of industry affiliation
- (letter from employer or official webpage showing your name and role)
- A motivation letter explaining:
- Your interest and involvement in AP-Ss
- AND Why you require travel support
- AND a CV or résumé
All materials must be submitted in English and combined into one single PDF.
Application Deadline
February 15, 2026
Important Notes for Awardees
- Funds are released only after attending the APS 2026
- All applicable taxes are the responsibility of the recipient
- Awardees may be featured in a 1-minute “Young Industry Champions” video on AP-S LinkedIn and YouTube
Link to apply: https://form.fillout.com/t/gvc1ckvKMrus
Contact
For more inquiries about this IEEE AP-S Industrial Young Professionals Travel Grant, please contact:
Giacomo Oliveri
giacomo.oliveri@unitn.it
George Shaker
gshaker@uwaterloo.ca