JONATHAN W. DIXON
j.dixon@ieee.org
SUMMARY
RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave engineer. Excellent design and troubleshooting
abilities. Strong computer and laboratory skills. Extensive leadership and
education experience.
- Military projects in radar and satellite communications.
- Commercial projects in LMDS and mm-wave point-to-point
communications.
- Directed actions of assembly specialists, technicians,
and engineering assistants.
- Extra Class amateur radio license.
- Secret clearance.
- Co-holder of US Patent # 5,539,758.
SKILLS
Design
- Member of design team for 38-GHz point-to-point
TX and RX radio modules. Participated in selection of appropriate MMICs and
components to meet customer specifications. Performed system- and component-level
simulation. Presented results at PDR. Design resulted in customer placing
significant order for modules.
- Design engineer for PA proposal. Combined experimental
multilayer technology and materials with a revolutionary power amplifier
topology to enhance performance and expand available design options. Led
to project interest by sponsors to further the development effort.
- Lead engineer, RF subsystem for submarinesatellite
communications. Evaluated power amplifier options for transmitter, especially
highefficiency designs. Developed system topology and specifications
for transmit and receive RF electronics. Resulted in program receiving authorization
to proceed to experimental phase.
- Lead engineer, RF front end for photonics receiver.
Designed, fabricated, and tested circuits and RF system to meet space and
performance specifications. Replaced previouslydesigned custom LNA with
COTS part, resulting in better performance at 13% of the cost. Interfaced
with industry partners to improve design manufacturability. Resulted
in successful completion of prototype phase and transition to industry partners
for implementation.
- Research assistant for development of Electromagnetic
Wave LifeDetection System for PostEarthquake Rescue Operations.
Member of team that developed prototype unit. Designed simulated victim to
provide system testing in realistic clutter environment. Testing was ongoing
at the conclusion of my involvement.
Troubleshooting
- Lead engineer, 38-GHz LMDS mm-wave module production
troubleshooting. Collaborated with production personnel to identify issues
causing excessive fall-out of modules at production test. Generated initial
problem description and directed test personnel in experiments to verify
problem areas. Interfaced with production personnel to ensure manufacturability.
Compiled results, implemented fixes, and updated engineering designs and
documentation. The changes yielded lower assembly times and higher first-pass
yields for TX and RX modules.
- Support engineer, 38-GHz point-to-point radio module
prototype effort. Developed and implemented test procedure for DC boards.
Advised and oversaw efforts of engineering assistants to attain compliance
to specifications for TX modules. Directed testing for detector circuit options,
resulting in change of circuit for better manufacturability while meeting
customer specifications. Assisted in preparing drawing changes resulting
from prototype efforts to enable successful transition to production effort.
Leadership
- Supervisor for SMT prototyping facility. Developed
facility resources and directed work of assembly specialist. Cut minimum
fabrication and rework times from 1 day to minutes for rewiring or an hour
for part replacement.
- Scoutmaster, Troop 212, Chelmsford, MA, since 1998.
Directed reactivation of oldest American Legion-sponsored troop, with continued
efforts at growth of the troop membership and programs. Before that, served
one year as Scoutmaster for Troop 273, Boulder, CO, overseeing a 55% growth
in troop membership. Prior service includes eight years as an Assistant Scoutmaster
in MD and CO.
- Chair, Youth Ministry Committee, Trinity Lutheran Church,
Chelmsford, MA, since 1999. Administer ministries of church to youth in the
congregation and community. Recruit adult advisors to implement programs
of this ministry. Voting member of Trinity Lutheran Church Planning Council.
President, Christus Rex Lutheran, Boulder, CO, from 1995 until 1997. Served
in other capacities on planning councils of Christus Rex Lutheran and University
Lutheran Church, East Lansing, MI, for 4 years.
- Member of Emergency Response Team and Environmental
Health and Safety Committee at M/ACOM. Assisted company nurse with emergency
situations and collaborated to remedy safety issues within company.
Education
- Developed and presented tutorial on LMDS for M/A-COM
Engineering Conference.
- Trained assembly specialist in use of RF measurement
equipment to measure gain, return loss, noise figure, and linearity. Resulted
in coupling of rework and measurement processes, improving cycle time for
design evaluation.
- Trained fellow staff members in the use of CAD/CAE
software, allowing them to increase their design abilities.
- Elmer and instructor for Novice and Technician Class
amateur radio license for several people in Chelmsford, MA. Three have successfully
received FCC license, and two more are finishing work towards the license.
- Mentor for seventh-grade science fair project. Project
received “Best in Grade” award at McCarthy Middle School, Chelmsford,
MA.
Research
- Ph. D. Thesis: Linear and Nonlinear Modeling of
QuasiOptical Oscillators and Amplifiers.
- Summer fellow in NRL Optical Techniques Branch. Investigated
fiber loop properties for use in fiber gyroscope. Reported results to supervisor,
enabling selection of appropriate fibers for desired applications. Further
characterized doped fibers for amplifying properties. Developed 810 nm fiber
laser, resulting in awarding of U. S. Patent # 5,539,758.
- Programmer and research assistant, cell impedance measurement
effort. Designed and coded automated test program to control and augment
capabilities of Solartron Impedance Analyzer. Characterized and reported
on frequency response problems of analyzer. Measured red blood cell impedances
from 1 Hz to 32 MHz.
- SEAP student in NRL Microwave Technology Branch. Implemented,
adapted, and executed device simulations. Coded programs to enable automated
measurement of superconductive cavity resonances. Resulted in receiving AFCEA
Educational Fund award in 1987.
Computers
- Computer Languages: Perl, Fortran, BASIC, C, Assembly
- Operating Systems: Linux, HPUX, MS Windows (95,
NT, and ME)
- Familiar with wide variety of software, including office
applications, circuit simulation tools, and graphics packages.
WORK EXPERIENCE
- current
- Senior Engineering Specialist, Microwave Systems, Advanced Engineering and Sciences Division, ITT Industries, Lowell, MA
- 2000-2001
- Principal Engineer, mm-Wave and Sensor Products,
Components Business Unit, M/A-COM, Inc., Lowell, MA
- 1997-2000
- Member of Technical Staff, Advanced Electromagnetic
System Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington,
MA
- 1993-1994
- Summer Fellow, Optical Techniques Branch, Naval
Research Laboratory, Washington, DC
- 1992
- Undergraduate Research Assistant, Department of Electrical
Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
- 1990-1993
- Private Government Contractor and Commissioned
Officer Student Training and Extern Program participant, Electrophysics
Branch, Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, MD
- 1986-1988
- Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program
participant, Microwave Technology Branch, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington,
DC
EDUCATION
- 1997
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Ph. D., Electrical Engineering (Electromagnetics), Zoya Popovic,
Advisor
- 1993
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
M. S. Electrical Engineering (3.8/4.0 GPA)
- 1992
- Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
B. S. Electrical Engineering, B. S. Mathematics (3.9/4.0 GPA)
- other
- M/A-COM Global Learning Center
- System Level Electronic Packaging, 2001
- ERP PDM for Engineers, Designers, and Approvers, 2000
The New England Consortium
- 24-Hour Basic Health and Safety for Emergency Responders, 2000
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory
- Presentation Skills Course, 1999
- Managing Small Projects Course, 1999
- ElectroOptics II (Photonic System Applications) Course,
1998
- ElectroOptics I (Photonic Physics and Engineering) Course,
19971998
- Radar Systems Course, 19971998
Boy Scouts of America Wood Badge Leadership Training
- Longs Peak Council, CO, Owl Patrol, 1996
HONORS
- 1992
- Office of Naval Research Graduate Fellowship, National
Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, Alton B. Zerby Outstanding Electrical
Engineering Student Award Honorable Mention, Churchill Scholarship finalist
- 1990
- Phi Kappa Phi, Tau Beta Pi
- 1989
- Eta Kappa Nu, Order of the Arrow -- Vigil Honor, Golden
Key National Honor Society
- 1988
- National Merit Scholarship finalist, MSU Alumni Distinguished
Scholarship
- 1985
- Eagle Scout
ACTIVITIES
- Extra Class amateur radio operator (AA1VO).
- Chair, Youth Ministry Committee, Trinity Lutheran Church, Chelmsford, MA.
Voting member of Trinity Lutheran Church Planning Council.
- Scoutmaster, Troop 212, Chelmsford, MA.
- Webmaster for IEEE MTT-S. Active in IEEE GOLD for Boston Area. Also member
of IEEE APS and LEOS societies.
- Trumpet performance and composition.
PUBLICATIONS
- Jason Mix, Jonathan Dixon, Zoya Popovic, and Melinda Piket-May, "Incorporating
non-linear lumped elements in FDTD: the equivalent source method," Int.
J. Numer. Model, vol. 12, pp. 157--170, 1999.
-
Jason Mix, Jon Dixon, Zoya Popovic, and Melinda Piket-May, "Modeling
nonlinear devices in FD-TD: The equivalent source method," in USNC/URSI
National Radio Science Meeting 1998 Digest, June 1998, p. 75.
-
Jonathan Dixon, Gary O'Dell, Jon Schoenberg, Scott Duncan, and Zoya Popovic,
"60 GHz monolithic active antenna array," in IEEE AP-S Internat. Symp.
1997 Dig., July 1997, pp. 38--41.
-
Jonathan Dixon, Elizabeth Bradley, and Zoya Popovic, "Nonlinear time-domain
analysis of injection-locked microwave MESFET oscillators," IEEE Trans.
Microwave Theory Tech., vol. 45, no. 7, pp. 1050--1057, July 1997.
-
Jonathan Dixon and Zoya Basta Popovic, "Analysis of injection-locking
of microwave oscillators using nonlinear transistor models," in Proc. National
Radio Science Meeting, Jan. 1996, p. 151, Boulder, CO.
-
Zoya Popovic, Jon Schoenberg, Tom Mader, Wayne Shiroma, Stein Hollung, Milica
Markovic, Jonathan Dixon, and Scott Bundy, "Quasi-optical components
and subsystems for communications," in ISSSE'95 Proceedings, Oct. 1995, pp.
93--98.
-
Jonathan Dixon and Zoya Popovic, "Coupled nonlinear microwave oscillators,"
Electromagnetics Laboratory Report 120, University of Colorado, Feb. 1995.
-
Michael L. Dennis, Jonathan W. Dixon, and Ishwar Aggarwal, "High power upconversion
lasing at 810 nm in Tm:ZBLAN fibre," Electronics Letters, vol. 30, pp. 136--137,
Jan. 1994.
-
Michael L. Dennis, Jonathan W. Dixon, and Ishwar Aggarwal, "Upconversion-pumped
thulium-fiber laser at 810 nm," in OFC'94 Technical Digest, 1994, pp.
133--134.
-
Jon Schoenberg, Jonathan Dixon, and Zoya Basta Popovic, "A planar transmission
wave amplifier for free space power combining," in Proc. National Radio Science
Meeting, Jan. 1994, p. 22, Boulder, CO.
-
Robert E. Schmukler and Jonathan W. Dixon, "Microprocessor controlled bioimpedance
measurements," in Proc. 14th Annual Internat. Conf. IEEE EMBS, Oct. 1992,
p. 2381, Paris, France.
-
Jonathan W. Dixon and Robert E. Schmukler, "Computer control of the Solartron
1260 impedance analyzer," in Proc. 14th Annual Internat. Conf. IEEE EMBS,