Electrical and computer engineering (ECE) PhD student Ahmed Metwally Hegazy, under the supervision of Dr. Raafat Mansour, has been named a recipient of the 2026 IEEE MTT-S Graduate Fellowship by the IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society (MTT-S). This international fellowship recognizes outstanding PhD research contributions in RF and microwave engineering. Fellowship recipients are selected annually, with only 12–15 students chosen from around the world (≈20% success rate). Ahmed is the first University of Waterloo student to receive this fellowship since 2012.
He will formally receive the award in June during the IEEE International MTT Symposia (IMS) in Boston, where he will also present a recently accepted paper titled: “An 8-27 GHz PCM Switched Reflective-Type Phase Shifter in 180nm SiGe BiCMOS Process for X, Ku and K Band Beamforming Applications.”
Driving Impact Through Next-Generation RF Communications
Ahmed’s PhD research explores the use of Phase Change Materials (PCM) to design power-efficient, high-speed communication circuits with broad societal and technological impact. These circuits have applications ranging from satellite communications to future 5G/6G cellular systems and radar technologies. By enabling devices that are faster, more energy-efficient, and capable of higher data rates, Ahmed’s work has the potential to directly enhance how people communicate, navigate, and access information worldwide.
“By incorporating PCM technology in next-generation RF communication circuits, we can have cellphones with longer battery life, satellite links with higher data rates, and radars with superior resolution—technologies that will directly touch people’s lives and push the boundaries of modern communications,” explains Ahmed.
At the Centre for Integrated RF Engineering (CIRFE), led by Dr. Mansour, the team has already fabricated PCM RF devices and is demonstrating their superior performance compared to competing technologies. Collaborations with organizations such as the European Space Agency (ESA) are exploring real-world applications, underscoring the global relevance and impact of this research.
Ahmed’s Journey
Ahmed earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Benha University, Egypt in 2016 and moved to Canada in 2018 for a MASc degree in ECE at the University of Waterloo, fully funded by the merit-based Al Ghurair STEM Scholarship. During his MASc, he joined the Centre for Intelligent Antenna and Radio Systems (CIARS), under the supervision of the late Dr. Safieddin Safavi-Naeini, developing techniques for sensing materials remotely with low-cost radar boards. He also completed a hardware engineering internship at Google Nest in California.
After five years in industry working on satellite and optical communication systems, Ahmed returned to academia in 2024 to pursue his PhD, motivated by a desire to conduct original research and design novel RF systems with meaningful real-world impact.
“UWaterloo just resonated with my ambitions,” Ahmed says. “The joy of designing, fabricating, and publishing original work—and knowing it could improve devices people rely on every day—is unparalleled. I’ve experienced both industry and academia, and I can confidently say that I enjoy academic life more.”
Ahmed’s award highlights the University of Waterloo’s leadership in RF and microwave research and demonstrates the potential for innovative technologies like PCM to shape the future of global communications, making devices more efficient, networks faster, and technology more sustainable.
Congratulations, Ahmed!
