In this episode of The Antenna Podcast, Dermot O’Shea sits down with Professor Gabriel Rebeiz (UC San Diego), a globally recognized leader in antennas, phased arrays, and millimetre-wave systems, with over three decades of experience spanning academia and industry. Gabriel shares his journey into electromagnetics from circuits at Caltech to becoming one of the pioneers behind breakthroughs in terahertz antennas, RFICs, MEMS technologies, and early phased array systems. He walks through the evolution of his work, including foundational contributions to terahertz antenna design, the development of beamformer ICs, and some of the earliest fully integrated 5G phased arrays - built before the technology became mainstream. The conversation dives deep into how antenna engineering has evolved across applications such as SATCOM, automotive radar, and 5G communications. Gabriel explains why modern antenna systems are becoming increasingly complex, requiring tight integration across RF, mechanical, thermal, and system-level design disciplines. He highlights the real-world challenges engineers face when scaling arrays to thousands of elements, managing isolation, wideband performance, and preventing instability in high-frequency systems. Beyond the technical discussion, this episode explores the broader realities of the RF industry. Despite the explosion in wireless technologies, Gabriel argues that antenna engineering remains a highly specialized and under-supplied field. As more graduates gravitate toward software and AI, the demand for RF and antenna expertise continues to outpace supply -creating long-term career opportunities for engineers willing to master the fundamentals. A key theme throughout the episode is the importance of hands-on engineering. Gabriel emphasizes that true understanding comes not just from simulation, but from building, testing, and iterating real hardware. He shares lessons learned from working closely with companies like Rockwell Collins, Qualcomm, and Keysight, where cross-functional collaboration is essential to turning designs into reliable, high-performance products. The episode closes with practical advice for aspiring engineers: study antennas, embrace the challenge of electromagnetics, and most importantly -build things. Because in a field where detail matters and complexity is the norm, experience is everything. Welcome to The Antenna Podcast with Dermot O’Shea, your go-to source for in-depth discussions, expert insights, and cutting-edge developments in the world of antennas and wireless communication.
