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Dr Heungjae Choi

Dr Heungjae Choi

Lecturer in High Frequency Engineering

Email
choih1@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44(0)29 2087 0533
Campuses
Room E3.25, Queen's Buildings - Central Building, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA
Users
Available for postgraduate supervision

Overview

I am

I do

  • Microwave interdisciplinary science, where microwave can accelerate dielectric sensing and heating process. Cardiff University microwave device to help diabetics.
  • RF/Microwave power amplifiers and applicators design, for efficient microwave power generation and delivery, and mmWave on-wafer device characterisation of GaN on Si, GaN on SiC, and GaN on Diamond transistors.
  • COMSOL Multiphysics electromagnetic modelling, of microwave circuit design, dielectric sensing and heating problems.

Biography

Education and qualifications

  • 2011: PhD Linear RF/Microwave High Power Amplifier, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
  • 2006: MSc Information and Communication Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
  • 2004: BSc Electronics and Information Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea

Career overview

  • 2021-present: Lecturer in High Frequency Engineering
  • 2020-2021: As a Sêr Cymru (Star of Wales) Research Fellow at the Centre for High Frequency Engineering, Cardiff University, I am currently working on a GaN-GaME (Gallium Nitride on Diamond) project funded by EPSRC as a collaboration of University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, University of Glasgow, and University of Birmingham.
  • 2017-2020: I have worked as a Sêr Cymru (Star of Wales) Research Fellow at the Centre for High Frequency Engineering, Cardiff University, pursuing commercialisation of the microwave non-invasive blood glucose monitoring sensor with an industrial collaborator.
  • 2013-2016: I have worked on the development of non-invasive continuous blood glucose monitoring sensor, funded by Wellcome Trust. This includes development of microwave wireless wearable sensor device and a series of clinical trials.
  • 2011-2012: I have worked on the development of active harmonic load-pull system for modulated RF waveform using National Instruments’ PXI-based modular instruments by using LabVIEW. With the project funded by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), I had two successful live demonstrations at the exhibition of National Instruments stand (Booth no. 317) in European Microwave Conference 2012 in Amsterdam, and Radio and Wireless Week 2013 in Austin, TX.

Honours and awards

  • 2018 International Symposium on Information Technology Convergence 2018: Best Paper Award, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
  • 2016 GE Healthcare Life Sciences - Sensors Challenge (sponsored by GE Healthcare Life Science): Phase 1 Winner with "Non-invasive Microwave Sensor for Cell Therapeutics"
  • 2016 SET for BRITAIN Awards 2016 (sponsored by the UK government): Finalist in Engineering category with “Bloodless, Painless, and Accurate Microwave Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring Sensor”
  • 2010 16th Human Tech Thesis Prize Awards (sponsored by Samsung Electronics): Honor Prize with “Efficiency Enhancement of Feedforward Amplifiers by Employing a Negative Group Delay Circuit”
  • 2009 8th Electromagnetic Wave and Broadcasting Paper Contest (sponsored by the Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering Science): Silver Prize with “Efficiency Enhancement of Feed-forward Amplifiers by Employing a Negative Group Delay Circuit”
  • 2008 Research achievement contest in 2008 Chonbuk IT-Open Fair (sponsored by Advanced Graduate Education Center of Chonbuk for Electronics and Information Technology-BK21): Creative Research Award with “Digital Controlled Co-channel Feedback Interference Cancellation System with Broadband Cancellation”
  • 2008 Student High-Efficiency Power Amplifier Design Competition (sponsored by IEEE MTT-S High Power Amplifier Components Committee): Outstanding Achievement Award with “class-AB power amplifier with 68% PAE at 2.14 GHz”
  • 2006 5th Electromagnetic Wave and Broadcasting Paper Contest (sponsored by the Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering Science): Bronze Prize with “Dual-band Feedforward Linear Power Amplifier Using Equal Group Delay Signal Canceller”

Professional memberships

  • K-TAG (Korea Technology Advisory Group): Member, 2020-now
  • IEEE: Member, 2006 - now
  • EuMA (European Microwave Association): Member. 2018 - now
  • KIEES (Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science): Member. 2004 - now
  • KSEAUK (The Korean Scientists and Engineers Association in the UK): Member. 2019 - now

Speaking engagements

Media

Conferences

  • 2023: (invited) International Symposium on Iniformation Technology Convergence 2023 (online), January
  • 2022: (session convener) Europe-Korea Conference on Science and Technology, Marseille, France, October
  • 2021: (session convener) Europe-Korea Conference on Science and Technology, Cambridge, UK, October
  • 2019: (podium) 17th International Conference on Microwave and High Frequency Heating: AMPERE, Valencia, Spain, September
  • 2019: (session convener and podium) Europe-Korea Conference on Science and Technology, Vienna, Austria, July
  • 2018: (invited workshop +2 talks) International Symposium on Information Technologies Convergence, Jeonju, Republic of Korea, October
  • 2018: (invited workshop) IEEE European Microwave Week 2018, Madrid, Spain, September
  • 2017: (invited) Sensors Summit 2017, San Diego, CA, US, December
  • 2017: (invited) IEEE SENSORS 2017, Glasgow, UK, November
  • 2017: (podium) IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, Honolulu, HI, US, June
  • 2016: (poster) 4th Helmholtz - Nature Medicine Diabetes Conference, Munich, Germany, September
  • 2016: (invited lecture) 8th Int'l Workshop on Novel Developments and Applications in Sensor and Actuator Technology, ISAT Coburg, Germany, September
  • 2016: (podium) IEEE 2nd Australian Microwave Symposium, Adelaide, Australia, February
  • 2014: (poster) IEEE International Workshop Series on RF and Wireless Technologies for Biomedical and Healthcare Applications, London, UK, December
  • 2014: (invited, +2 talks) International Symposium on Information Technology Convergence, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
  • 2014: (podium) IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, Tampa, FL, US
  • 2013: (live demonstration) Radio and Wireless Week, Austin, TX, US
  • 2012: (live demonstration) European Microwave Week, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • 2011: (podium) IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, Baltimore, MD, US
  • 2010: (poster) Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference, Yokohama, Japan
  • 2010: (podium, poster) European Microwave Week, Paris, France
  • 2009: (podium, +1 talk) European Microwave Week, Rome, Italy
  • 2008: (podium) Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference, Hong Kong
  • 2008: (poster) European Microwave Week, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • 2007: (podium) Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference, Bangkok, Thailand
  • 2007: (poster) IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, Honolulu, HI, US
  • 2006: (podium, +2 talks) European Microwave Week, Manchester, UK
  • 2005: (podium) Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference, Suzhou, China

Invited seminar and public engagement

  • 2023: Museum After Dark, National Museum Cardiff, February
  • 2022: (invited) Pohang Institute of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, Republic of Korea, March
  • 2018: (invited) Korea Electrnoics Technology Institute, Bundang, Republic of Korea, October
  • 2018: (invited) Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea, October
  • 2018: (invited) Science Cafe, Porter's Cardiff, Cardiff, UK, October
  • 2017: (live demonstration) New Scientist Live, Excel London, UK
  • 2016: (invited) Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea, November
  • 2016: (invited) Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea, November
  • 2016: (live demonstration) National Eisteddfod, Abergavenny, Wales, UK
  • 2013: (invited) Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea, September
  • 2013: (invited) Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea, September

Committees and reviewing

  • Grant reviewer
    • UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) Future Leaders Fellowship Peer Review College member (link)
    • EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) Associate Peer Review College Member
  • Journal editor
  • International conference organisation
  • Journal reviewer
    • IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques
    • IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters
    • IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Regular Papers
    • IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Express Briefs
    • IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems
    • IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
    • IEEE Journal of Electromagnetics, RF and Microwaves in Medicine and Biology
    • IEEE Microwave Magazine
    • IEEE Sensors Letters
    • IET Electronics Letters
    • Nature Communications
    • Nature Scientific Reports
    • Progress in Electromagnetics Research
    • MDPI Sensors
    • MDPI Electronics
    • MDPI Applied Sciences
    • MDPI Catalysts
    • MDPI Diagnostics
    • MDPI Energies
    • MDPI Biosensors
    • MDPI Materials
  • Conference reviewer
    • IEEE BioSensors 2023
    • IEEE Sensors 2022
    • IEEE European Microwave Week 2021
    • IEEE Sensors 2021
    • IEEE Sensors 2020
    • IEEE Sensors 2019

Publications

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

Teaching

Module leader

  • EN3024 Engineering Project Management (Year 3)
  • EN3400 Individual Project (Year 3)

Contribution

  • ENT898 High Frequency Power Amplifiers (MSc)
  • EN4110 Mechatronics Design Group Project (MEng)
  • EN3461 Medical Electronics 1 (Year 3)
  • Project supervision (Year 3)
  • Project supervision (MSc)

Research aim

The aim of my research is to improve quality of life of people, therefore I focus primarily on the translation of laboratory-based technology into real-world application, through feasibility test, scaling up and commercialisation.

Show-case: Microwave Non-invasive Blood Glucose Monitor

https://youtu.be/CrHd9ClCfD4

Funding

TitlePeopleFunderValueDuration
High efficiency power amplifierH Choi (PI), R Quaglia (Co-I)RFHIC£40,00003/2023 - 06/2023
Knowledge Transfer PartnershipA Porch (PI), H Choi (Co-I)Innovate UK£284,00004/2023 - 03/2025
Non-invasive blood glucose monitorH Choi (PI), A Porch (Co-I)GlucoRX£15,00005/2022 - 07/2022
Non-invasive blood glucose monitorH Choi (PI), A Porch (Co-I)GlucoRX£15,00002/2022 - 04/2022
Non-invasive blood glucose monitorH Choi (PI), A Porch (Co-I)GlucoRX£36,00011/2021 - 01/2022
Non-invasive blood glucose monitorA Porch (PI), H Choi (Co-I)GlucoRX£234,70007/2022
GW4-PATHG Lasseter (PI), H Choi (Co-I) (and others)GW4 Crucible 2019 Seed-Funding£5,41307/2019 - 04/2020
Sêr Cymru II Research FellowshipH ChoiWelsh Government - ERDF£191,66605/2017 - 04/2020

Supervision

Supervised areas

I am available to supervise PhD, MSc students, project students (undergraduate and postgraduate), interns and visiting students on the following topics:

  • Microwave non-invasive sensing problems
    • Microwave dielctric characterisation and sensing
    • Microwave resonators and cavity perturbation technique
    • Microwave sensor electronics design
  • Microwave heating problems
    • Resonant and non-resonant power applicators
    • Bespoke power amplifiers
    • Oprimised power amplifier-applicator design
  • Microwave circuit problems
    • High power amplifiers
    • High efficiency amplifiers
    • Power amplifier linearisation
    • Miniaturised microwave electronics
  • Multiphysics modelling problems
    • Resonator design
    • Microwave continuous and pulsed heating modelling
  • I am also open to other disciplines!

Current supervision

TitleStudentDegreeYearRole
RF methods in additive manufacturingJake JonesPhD07/2022-06/2026Co-supervisor (25%)
Metal-Free Catalyst Development Using MicrowavesSampurna DasPhD10/2022-09/2026Co-supervisor (25%)

Current supervision

Jake Jones

Research student

Sampurna Das

Research student

Past projects

MSc projects

TitleStudentDegreeYearRole
Electromagnetic modelling of GaN-on-SiC and GaN-on-Diamond transistors for 5GRui ZhengMSc2023Supervisor
Miniaturised Vector Network Analyser Design for Wearable Sensor ApplicationWeinan SunMSc2023Supervisor
Portable Microwave Power Amplifier for Rapid DNA releaseAarish MushtaqMSc2022Supervisor
Electromagnetic modelling of GaN-on-SiC transistors layout for 5GJiale NiuMSc2022Supervisor

MEng Mechatronics group projects

TitleStudentsDegreeYearRole
STAR: Star Tracker for AstrophotographyLauren Shea, Bethan Soanes, Harry Stracey, Sam SowdenMEng2023Supervisor
STAR: Star Tracker for AstrophotographyMarcus Flint, Jean-Baptiste Urvoy, Joe Goodwin, Kacper Tomczyk, Toby Bugler, Rupert I/ronside-SmithMEng2022Supervisor

Research internship projects

TitleStudentHome InstitutionYearRole
Sampling using microwaves in brewing process to avoid contaminationBlaise Ardillon, Florian MansouriENSEIRB-MATMECA Bordeaux INP, France2022Supervisor
Portable microwave power amplifier for rapid DNA releaseChristopher Moreau, Corentin GuerardENSEIRB-MATMECA Bordeaux INP, France2018Supervisor
DNA detection based on microwave absorptionZachary HiggsIowa State University, IA, US2018Co-supervisor