The International Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics is the premier international meeting on microwave photonic devices, systems, and applications.

The broadband, low-loss transmission capability of optical fiber links has led to much interest in their use in the distribution and control of microwave and millimeter-wave signals. Application areas include antenna remoting for wireless data and cellular radio systems, optically controlled phased array antennas, optical processing of microwave signals and broadband cable television distribution. Photonics enables new microwave system functions such as long delays lines, fast spectrum analysis, frequency conversion, probing and control of microwave devices, low phase-noise oscillators, and ultra-fast analog-to-digital converters. Conversely, microwave techniques are enabling new generations of optical communication systems with capabilities exceeding 1 Tb/s/fiber.

Associated with the evolution of these systems is the development of high-speed optical sources, modulators and detectors with bandwidths extending into the millimeter-wave region.

The International Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics provides a forum for the presentation of new advances in this multi-disciplinary research area, ranging from novel devices to systems field trials. It is held annually and rotates between the Americas, the Asia-Pacific region and Europe.

MWP rotates on a triennial basis among locations in Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific regions. Since 1996, the conference has been held in the locations listed below.

MWP2022 Melbourne, Florida, U.S. (conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
MWP2021 Pisa, Italy (conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
MWP2020 Matsue, Japan (conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
MWP2019 Ottawa, Canada
MWP2018 Toulouse, France
MWP2017 Beijing, China
MWP2016 Long Beach, California, U.S.
MWP2015 Paphos, Cyprus
MWP2014 Sapporo, Japan
MWP2013 Alexandria, Virginia
MWP2012 Noordwijk, The Netherlands
MWP2011 Singapore
MWP2010 Montreal, Canada
MWP2009 Valencia, Spain
MWP2008 Gold Coast, Australia
MWP2007 Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
MWP2006 Grenoble, France
MWP2005 Seoul, Korea
MWP2004 Ogunquit, Maine, U.S.
MWP2003 Budapest, Hungary
MWP2002 Awaji-Yumebutai, Japan
MWP2001 Long Beach, California, U.S.
MWP2000 Oxford, UK
MWP1999 Melbourne, Australia
MWP1998 Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.
MWP1997 Duisburg, Germany
MWP1996 Kyoto, Japan

MWP2023 will be held the week of October 15 – 18, 2023. A report of the status of MWP2023 planning was submitted to the MWP conference’s International Steering Committee (ISC) in March 2023.

During a March 2023 meeting, the International Steering Committee for the conference also considered proposals for the location of MWP2024. The committee decided that MWP2024 will be held in the Fall of 2024 in Pisa, Italy. Further details are forthcoming.

The site selection process for the MWP series of meetings is conducted annually. At present, sites are selected two years in advance of the meeting year. The International Steering Committee has decided, however, that selecting sites three years in advance would be preferable. Hence the International Steering Committee is now accepting proposals for both MWP2025 and MWP2026. MWP2025 must take place in the Americas, and MWP2026 must take place in the Asia/Pacific region.

Proposals should be e-mailed to the current Chair of the International Steering Committee, Dr. Arthur Paolella (a.paolella@ieee.org) who will also respond to questions relating to the proposal submission process.

The proposal solicitation period for MWP2025 will be open until September 30, 2023. Proposals received by that date will be distributed to and reviewed by the MWP International Steering Committee prior to its meeting in October 2023. Proposers are strongly advised to make a presentation in person to the MWP International Steering Committee. Following any proposal presentations, the MWP International Steering Committee will discuss the proposals and vote to select the location for MWP2025. Proposers will be advised of the International Steering Committee’s decision following its meeting in October 2023.

To assist the evaluation process, the MWP International Steering Committee requests that proposers submit a written proposal (this is often in the form of a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, which the proposer then presents in person to the Committee) that includes at a minimum the following information:

1. The conference location.
2. Proposed dates for the meeting.
3. The names of the General Chair and Technical Program Committee Chair; information on their background, and their qualifications to organize a conference in general and the MWP conference in particular.
4. A preliminary budget, including registration fees that will be charged, and the break-even registration number.
5. Hotel locations and typical prices.
6. Microwave Photonics activities/companies in the local area.

Proposers may also wish to include the following additional information:

• Advantages of proposed location.
• Anticipated extent and sources of government or industry sponsorship.
• Planned topics for tutorials and/or workshops.