Enrique Gonzalez, Sr. R&D Product Development Engineer, TE Connectivity
I AM...an R&D Engineer Solving Today's Challenging High-frequency Hardware Problems and Creating New Spaces for Future Engineers
What made you want to work in this industry?
During my undergraduate EM Theory course in Venezuela, I was captivated by the complex beauty of electromagnetic fields. The theory behind them explains our interaction with the world, and humanity's mastery of this theory has enabled significant technological development. I decided to specialize in RF Engineering and continue my education by pursuing a graduate degree. I found a home within the exceptional WAMI program at USF Tampa. The RF community is highly specialized and tight-knit, so seeing friends and colleagues at IMS each year almost feels like being part of a second family.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Designing new products and generating innovative ideas to solve challenging customer problems. Having worked with Qorvo enabling mobile communications, with Keysight on hardware R&D for next-generation subsystems, and now with TE Connectivity on high-speed connectors, I've always been interested in solving engineering challenges in cutting-edge technology spaces. I enjoy debugging challenging electromagnetic problems and validating theories and design approaches with measurements. It is extremely satisfying to see a very specialized product enter mass production, or be utilized by cutting-edge companies.
What were you most excited about for IMS2027?
Project Connect! I was the co-organizing chair for the program with Jena Staab (Emerson/NI) in 2026, and I am excited to meet a new cohort of students interested in joining the RF/Microwave community. I have been contributing to the program on and off as a volunteer since 2018, and I am an alumnus of the 2015 Project Connect. I genuinely believe programs like these are extremely important for expanding the reach of the amazing opportunities available to students interested in pursuing a career in RF Engineering. I cannot wait to meet this year's Project Connect cohort in person and help mentor a new generation of students into our field.