From May 19 to 22, 2026, Lille hosted the 24th edition of the Journées Nationales Microondes (JNM), the must-attend event for the French microwave community.
This edition brought together nearly 600 participants from academia and industry, confirming the dynamism and appeal of the French microwave community.
Held every two years, the JNM serves as the primary forum for exchange within the French microwave community.
The 2026 edition was co-organized by the IEMN and the Catholic University of Louvain, a first-of-its-kind cross-border collaboration that brought together numerous academic and institutional partners.
The figures reflect the estate’s vitality:
A Focus on the Technologies of Tomorrow
The 2026 JNM kicked off with two highly attended themed days. The first, dedicated to embedded artificial intelligence applied to microwaves, highlighted new synergies between intelligent information processing and RF technologies. The second, organized as part of the “Electronics” and “Networks of the Future” PEPRs, explored the challenges of optical and radiofrequency technologies for the connectivity infrastructures of the future.
This year’s event also broke new ground with the organization of two sessions by the GDR Ondes, providing a dedicated forum for discussion on recent advances in electromagnetism, innovative materials, and smart antennas.
High-Level Guest Lectures
Throughout the conference, leading figures from academia and industry spoke on strategic topics: satellite constellations, 3D RF integration, silicon and III-V co-integration, next-generation radar and communications, emerging technologies for defense.
The participation of speakers from organizations including the National Center for Space Studies (CNES), STMicroelectronics, 3DiS Technologies, the Defense Innovation Agency (AID), the Laboratory for Material-to-System Integration (IMS), and the Institute of Microelectronics and Components (IMEC) highlighted the diversity and excellence of the fields covered by the JNM.
IEEE at the Heart of JNM
The IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S) and the IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society (MTT-S) contributed to the international reach of JNM 2026 by supporting the participation of two renowned speakers. Nacer Chahat (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory) presented his work on antenna design and propagation modeling for space exploration. Luca Perregrini (University of Pavia) led a workshop on scientific writing as well as a “Young Professionals” event dedicated to early-career researchers.
The IEEE MTT-S/AP-S booth also contributed to the conference by facilitating discussions about IEEE student branches and the Senior Member and Fellow tracks, in the presence of Francesco P. Andriulli, the incoming president of IEEE AP-S.
A Tribute to Henri Happy
It was also an emotional occasion during a special session dedicated to the memory of Henri Happy, who passed away in November 2025.
Colleagues, collaborators, and friends from France, Europe, and the United States shared their memories and spoke of the scientific and personal legacy he left in the microwave community. This well-attended session was one of the highlights of the event.
Celebrating Scientific Excellence
As with every edition, several awards were presented to recognize the best work presented at the conference.
The Compact Gain Challenge gave young researchers and students the opportunity to showcase their creativity in the design of compact antennas. The EuMA, IEEE MTT-S/AP-S, and Albert Papiernik awards recognized the best oral presentations, posters and written papers.
Promoting Diversity and Engagement Among Younger Generations
The Women in Microwave Engineering (WIM) initiative, supported by IEEE MTT-S, was organized around two main components to promote women’s roles in engineering and inspire future careers. Ph.D. students participated in informal, interactive sessions that will contribute to an IEEE WIM column. Twelve Ph.D. students were recognized by IEEE for their commitment. In addition, a large quiz based on the doctoral students’ work—featuring an IEEE award—provided a fun way to learn about their research.
Scientific exchanges… but also social gatherings
Beyond the technical sessions, the 2026 JNM offered many opportunities for socializing. The gala evening held at the Musée de la Fête Foraine allowed participants to continue their discussions in a unique and festive atmosphere. Cultural activities, including a tour of Tournai, were also offered to participants.
Thank you to the entire community.
The exceptional success of JNM 2026 is due to the involvement of all participants, authors, reviewers, exhibitors, partners, sponsors, and volunteers.
This record-breaking edition confirms the vitality of the French-speaking microwave community and its leading role in the innovations of tomorrow.
See you in 2028 in Brest for the next edition of the Journées Nationales Microondes.
Kamel Haddadi
Chair of the JNM 2026 Local Organizing Committee
