Transforming RF Research and Teaching in a Major University
Case Studies
Building stronger links between theory and practice is a crucial challenge in the education of electrical engineers. Creating a superior learning experience demands the inclusion of hands-on time with the same types of equipment graduates will use when they go to work in industry. Recently, this concept became the focus of a new initiative at a major university in Japan. Within the college of electrical engineering (EE), the application was the evaluation of RF components such as antennas and filters that operate at frequencies below 6.5 GHz. Consistent with the school’s mission, the overall goal was to benefit students and faculty alike, whether making measurements in a teaching lab or a research lab. In support of that goal, the EE department went looking for a portable and flexible vector network analyzer (VNA) that would provide maximum value within the available equipment budget