Professor Tam Kam Weng in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), University of Macau (UM), has been elected an International STEM Ambassador of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), the world’s largest organisation in electrical and electronic technology. Prof Tam is the only scholar from Macao to have received this honour this year. In this position, he will assist IEEE in researching and formulating policies for international STEM education as well as hosting STEM training activities and competitions.
With financial support from UM and the Macao Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT), Prof Tam has carried out innovative STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) educational research, activities, and services at national and international levels, as well as for high school students in Macao, since 2008. Revolving around the theme ‘advanced wireless technology’, he has organised STEM research activities, Chinese-Portuguese science popularisation and academic exchanges, as well as STEM training and competitions in China and abroad.
Among the many students receiving STEM training from Prof Tam, Lou Wan Ian, a student from Sacred Heart Canossian College (English Section), used cutting-edge STEM research results to analyse the relationship between the energy absorption of an antenna and passive RFID tags. In her study, she analysed the nonlinear energy absorption phenomenon of the RFID tags in vertical and horizontal positions, and proposed installing the system in canes used by visually impaired people to allow them to operate the system with simple gestures (horizontal or vertical). Funded by FDCT (file number: 0046/2019/PS), this research project was presented in the IEEE Mega-Challenge 2017: Smart Cities Competition and won the championship.
Prof Tam is dedicated to the study of wireless communication, which has earned him an international reputation in the fields of RFID technology and microwave sensors. Since 2014, he has held important positions in various organisations, such as fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology in the United Kingdom, chartered engineer of the UK, member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s review committee for chartered engineers, and vice president of the IEEE Council on RFID. He was also a recipient of a scholarship from the European Union for visiting professors and Ted Williams Award of the Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility. He has also received awards from the FDCT, namely the Natural Science Award, the Technological Invention Award, and the Science and Technology Progress Award. Prof Tam currently serves as a member of the Macao SAR government’s Technical Accreditation Committee and a consultant for radiation safety research for the government. He has published more than 200 papers and has obtained five patents, in China and abroad.
IEEE is the world’s most renowned and largest multinational academic organisation in the fields of electrical and electronic engineering, computer, communications, and automation engineering technology. It has approximately 420,000 members and 39 professional chapters in more than 160 countries and regions. It is not only the most important driving force for innovation in the field of information technology, but also an important platform for international youth STEM education.
The title ‘IEEE International Ambassador’ aims to recognise members who have made outstanding contributions to STEM education. Recipients of the title are selected each year based on the number and impact of STEM education activities and the number of STEM education awards. Past recipients of this title come from prestigious universities around the world, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Griffith University in Australia.
澳門大學科技學院電機及電腦工程系教授譚錦榮獲全球最大的美國電機及電子工程師學會（IEEE—Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers）選為國際科普大使，是今屆唯一獲得此殊榮的澳門專家學者。譚錦榮將協助IEEE進行國際STEM教育的政策研究和制定，以及協助主持相關培訓及競賽活動。
譚錦榮憑藉澳門大學和澳門科學技術發展基金資助，從2008年開始以先進無線科技為主題在國內外和澳門為中學生開展創新卓越的多元STEM（Science 科學， Technology技術，Engineering 工程，Mathematics 數學） 教育研究、活動和服務，當中包括STEM研究、中葡科普交流、國內外STEM培訓、國內外STEM兢賽，植根澳門，深耕科普。
其中，獲培訓的澳門嘉諾撒聖心英文中學學生勞韻恩利用所學的前沿STEM研究成果，對無源射頻識別標籤與接收天線間的能量吸收進行分析，並根據市場上現有接收天線的獨突特性，提出無源射頻識別標籤在橫向和縱向時對非線性能量吸收的現象。她進一步將此發現與視障人士手仗相結合，使視障人士可以用簡單的手勢（橫向或縱向）進行無線操作。勞韻恩以此成果參與美國電機及電子工程師學會射頻識別技術研討會中的“智慧城市射頻識別技術＂國際超級挑戰大賽，於此世界賽中奪得冠軍，為澳門爭光。該項目由澳門科學技術發展基金（檔案編號：0046/2019/PS）資助。
譚錦榮長期從事無線通訊領域的研究，並在射頻識別技術、微波傳感器等領域享有國際聲譽。2014年起先後當選英國工程技術學會會士、英國特許工程師、英國工程技術學會特許工程師評審委員會委員、美國電機及電子工程師學會射頻識別技術議會副主席、歐盟訪問教授學者獎學金獲獎者、國際自動識別與移動技術獎、澳門科學技術獎的自然科學獎、技術發明獎和科技進步獎三獎獲獎者、澳門特別行政區政府認可技術委員會委員、澳門特別行政區政府無線電輻射安全研究顧問等。他發表的論文高達200餘篇，國內外發明專利5項。
IEEE是世界上電子、電氣、計算機、通信、自動化工程技術研究領域中最著名、規模最大的跨國學術組織，有160多個國家和地區約42萬會員和39個專業分會，不單是信息技術領域最重要的創新驅動源，還是國際青少年STEM教育重要平台。IEEE國際科普大使旨在表彰對STEM 教育做出卓越貢獻的全球會員。每年通過對STEM 教育活動的數量和影響力及獲得STEM教育獎項等嚴格評審指標，評定對STEM有卓越貢獻的專家學者予以嘉許獎勵。歷屆得獎者均來自全球著名學府包括美國麻州理工學院、澳大利亞格里菲斯大學等。
Prof. Tam Kam Weng 譚錦榮教授