On 11 June 2025, the University of Liverpool played host to the 13th Colloquium on Antennas and Wireless Electromagnetics (CAWE’25), organised by the IET’s Antennas and Propagation Technical Network (APTN). This annual gathering brought together over 45 scientists, engineers, and researchers from academia, industry, and government to explore the latest advancements in antennas and wireless technologies.
Meet the Hosts and Key Speakers
The event was chaired by Professor Yi Huang, Chair in Wireless Engineering at the University of Liverpool, and co-chaired by Dr Anil Shukla (QinetiQ) and Dr Viktor Doychinov (University of Bradford), both long-standing IET volunteers.
Professor Huang opened the event with a keynote on “Advances in Liquid and Dispersive Antennas”, highlighting the potential of “Flexible and adaptive antenna systems as opposed to rigid metal structures”.
(image of Professor Huang)
Dr Murat Temiz from University College London followed with a compelling talk on “Integrated Sensing and Communications”. He emphasised a future in “Which sensing and communication technologies converged to maximise efficiency and use”.
Dr Anil Shukla rounded off the invited talks with “Exploiting Your Research”, offering practical advice on translating academic work into real-world impact. He stressed that “Innovation doesn’t stop at publication, but begins when you communicate you research to solve real problems”.
Highlights from the Colloquium
The event featured nine oral presentations, selected from 27 submitted abstracts, covering a wide range of cutting-edge topics including but not limited to:
Dispersive and Transparent Antennas
Sustainability in Electronics
Human RF Blockage at mmWave Frequencies
Antennas for Bee Tracking
Base Station Spoofing
Integrated Communications and Sensing
One of the standout features of CAWE’25 was the poster session, where early-career researchers were encouraged to give impromptu oral pitches. This spontaneous format fostered lively discussions and showcased the depth of emerging talent in the field.
“The informal and friendly atmosphere made it easy to connect and share ideas,” said one early-career attendee. “It’s rare to find such a welcoming space in technical conferences.”
A Glimpse into the Future: The Reverberation Chamber Tour
Attendees were treated to a tour of the University of Liverpool’s reverberation chamber, the largest of its kind at any UK university. This state-of-the-art facility is used for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing and can accommodate small vehicles and operates down to 150 MHz.
The chamber’s unique stirring paddle design allows for a highly predictable test environment, making it an invaluable resource for both academic and industrial research.
(Image of some of the delegates in the reverberation chamber).
Get Involved: Your Voice Matters
We’d love to hear from you! What topic from CAWE’25 did you find most exciting?
What was your favourite moment from CAWE’25? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Looking Ahead: Next Event for the Antennas & Propagation Technical Network
The APTN announced its next event, a “Lunch and Learn” online webinar titled: “The Midland mm-Wave and THz Measurements Facility” scheduled for Thursday, 25th September 2025, 12.00pm BST. The talks will be delivered by Dr Alex Bystrov and Dr Miguel Navarro-Cía, University of Birmingham, promising insights into terahertz research and applications. More details and to register.