SupervisoryTeam
Miguel Ángel Gómez Laso
Supervisor Details
Email: mangel.gomez@unavarra.es
Organization Type: University
Organization Name: UPNA
Short Biography: Prof. Laso leads the Microwave Circuit activities at UPNA. He holds several international positions such as: President of the URSI (International Union of Radio Science) Committee in Spain, Associate Editor of the flagship microwave journal IEEE Trans. on Microwave Theory and Techniques (MTT), and Chair of the Working Group of Standards for Microwave Filter Definitions, IEEE Standards Committee. He is also member of the MTT Filters Committee and MTT Education Committee. He is Technical Program Committee member of the most important conferences in his field, including the IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (IMS) and the EuMA-European Microwave Week (EuMW). He served as the General Co-Chair of the European Microwave Conference (EuMC) held in Madrid in 2018 and he has also served as Chair of the Awards Committee and others in several international conferences. He is the co-founder of the SME TAFCO S.L.
Aintzane Lujambio
Co-Supervisor Details
Email: aintzane.lujambio@altertechnology.com
Organization Type: Non-academic institution
Organization Name: Alter Technology Tüv Nord
Short Biography: The supervisor of the PhD student for technical matters at ALTER TECHNOLOGY TÜV NORD will be Dr. Aintzane Lujambio, Head of the Microwave Laboratory and representative within the Microwave and RF Passive working group of the Components Technology Board, which is the body responsible for the formulation of strategic programs and work plans for technology research and development in the area of European EEE space components. She obtained the Telecommunication engineering degree and Ph.D. in Communications at UPNA in 2006 and 2014 respectively. She joined Alter in 2017 as development engineer for microwave components. With an experience of more than 10 years in the microwave industry, she is working at the EEE parts laboratory department as Head of the Microwave Laboratory. She has been involved in testing activities such as screening and qualification of microwave components for different space missions such as ESA’s JUICE and PLATO. She is currently co- supervising a PhD along with the University of Cantabria.
Added Value: The stay of the student at ALTER will allow him/her learn about qualification testing (part inspection, environmental tests, and reliability) required for the satellite components, as well as to design lower-cost lower-weight passive devices (sometimes using 3D printing approaches) that withstand qualification tests. The student will also get familiar with the equipment for testing and typical space requirements and will learn how to plan and perform specific validation tests developing ad-hoc test-sets if required. Overall, the PhD will gain experience in parts testing and qualification in a leading European company in this sector, which has contracts with ESA and other major players and their space missions. Not only the student will acquire hands-on experience but he/she will also be exposed to many other satellite companies in Europe, making his/her own developments closer to market too (higher TRL).
ResearchGroup
Description: The Optical Communications and Electronic Applications group has around 25 years of history, +50 researchers and many different research lines. The group shares the equipment in 5 different labs (Photonics, Teralab, Sensors, Projects, Microwaves), closely collaborating with other groups at the Institute of Smart Cities (headquarter of some of the group’s spin- off companies). Research lines: optical communications, fiber sensors, nano-structured materials, communication and electronic applications, and microwave circuits. In the microwave circuit area, there are 5 permanent researchers, plus students. Key research facilities (microwaves only): µwave to sub-mm-wave lab equipped with VNAs & extenders up to 0.5 THz. Clean-room facilities (100 sqm, ISO7-5) for micro and nano-fabrication: thin- film photolithography, dry etching, wet etching, DC sputtering, e- beam deposition, lift-off and wafer dicing, MENLO spectroscopic measurements 0.1 THz -5 THz, Focus Ion Beam, SEM, and Laser Cross Beam.
ResearchLine
Description: Microwave components for Earth Observation payloads — The 2021-7 EU Space Program is being implemented by all EU States together with the European Union Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA), the European Space Agency (ESA), EUMETSAT, and many other public/private players. One of the European flagship space programs is COPERNICUS, which is the EU Earth Observation satellite constellation and the first world provider of space “big data”. COPERNICUS supports the management of our natural resources and helps mitigate the effects of climate change. Future space missions are being planned to monitor the biomass, winds, ice, water resources, tides, etc. on our planet that rely on high-frequency components, which need to be designed and tested in conditions that resemble those found in space. These are part of missions that help us understand the climate and space weather dynamics. Spain is at the forefront in this sector, e.g. leading the LSTM (Land Surface Temperature Monitoring) mission.
Others
Description: The research group at UPNA has incorporated sustainability within its strategic objectives, actively seeking to reduce resource and energy usage, and support the use of renewables, green purchasing, teleconferencing, and sustainable transportation. During the PhD, we will make use of the MSCA guidance material outlining general environmental, travel, and green practices to help support this. In particular, we will keep physical mobility as a central component of the PhD but cutting out any unnecessary travel. We will support the use of the most sustainable and low-carbon forms of transport possible, as well as the use of carbon offsetting. Throughout the PhD lifecycle, we will seek to avoid negative environmental impact, in particular from the involved technological and manufacturing processes. We will make the student be aware of the general environmental issues in support of the European Green Deal and the MSCA Green Charter. Information will be provided to the PhD by both UPNA and the non-academic partner on relevant recycling and environmental procedures to enable the student to minimize and, if possible, prevent, production of waste, harmful substances and emissions throughout the project life. Finally, the PhD looks for new high- frequency components for satellite applications, always aiming for lower loss and lighter weights. These key technical outcomes will also result in significant environmental improvements. Lower losses will lead to more effective use of power supply of the satellites and, hence, energy saving. Lighter-weight components will lead to the use of less resources as well as to lower satellite payload weights (leading also to less energy consumption during launching). One of the fabrication techniques to be considered in the PhD is additive manufacturing (3-D printing), which, in addition to being waste-free, also saves energy, compared to other types of mechanical subtraction manufacturing.
CareerDevelopment
Objectives
- Future postdoc employment at the University
- Increased employability in the non-academic sector
- International mobility
- Building collaborative networks
- Trainings to enhance career opportunities
- Application of postdoctoral grants (MSCA, Juan de la Cierva, etc.)
- Application for projects and funding (Horizon Europe, national plans, etc.)
- Involvement in teaching, supervision, or mentoring
Expected Outputs
- PhD defense
- Application of grants (MSCA, Juan de la Cierva, etc.)
- Publication of articles
- Developing new products, solutions, or services
- Attendance to international conferences
Training Skills
- Project Management
- Time Management
- Grant Writing
- Communication to the civil society and public engagement
- Open Science
- Gender and diversity dimension of research
- Ethics and Research Integrity
- Teaching
- Supervision
- Policy making, such as Green Deal and sustainable practices
- Intellectual Property
- Research Valorization
- Business skills, negotiation, marketing
- Entrepreneurship
- Leadership
- Training for job interviews, CV writing
- Advanced Digital Skills
- Responsible use of Artificial Intelligence
- Spanish
ProposedSecondment
Name of Institution: Alter Technology Tüv Nord
Type of Organisation
- Large Enterprise
Other Comments:
Co-supervision in the Non-Academic Institution
Dr Lujambio will help the student get familiar with Alter Microwave Lab and the equipment for qualification testing (part inspection, environmental tests, and reliability) of space components. She will also help the student to consider thermal, mechanical, and other aspects in the RF design of the devices as part of Earth Observation missions. Ad-hoc set-ups will be designed in need and some other lab technicians may be involved as well as Mr. J.C. Hidalgo, EEE Parts Laboratory Director.
Duration of the Secondment
Duration: 6 months
Objectives
- Learning on the job
- Technology transfer
- Intellectual property rights (IPR) management
- Entrepreneurship
- Leadership skills
- Learning negotiation skills
- Professional development opportunities (employability)
- Building partnerships
- Application of grants or projects in collaboration
- Using key research infrastructure
Added Value
The candidate will not only be exposed to companies and real missions at ALTER, while learning on RF design at UPNA, but he/she will also gain experience with space qualification (RF test lab, microscopy lab, environmental and mechanical lab, materials & processes, and physical test lab), which is a training rarely made available to fellows during a PhD. Space qualification involves using complex equipment and companies are usually reluctant to use it for R&D with universities. This will make the PhD research outputs more realistic, enhance their TRL and, as the same time, the candidate will be professionally qualified to do these advanced tests in the future.