Tutorial: EMC & Signal Integrity using SPICE, page 44 - IEEE EMC ...
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26<br />
<strong>EMC</strong> Personality Profile<br />
Frank Sabath, Associate Editor<br />
Introducing Farhad Rachidi<br />
With this personality profile I<br />
would like to draw your<br />
attention to a colleague who<br />
has an international professional biography.<br />
The person I would like to introduce<br />
is Farhad Rachidi. In the <strong>EMC</strong> Society,<br />
Farhad is well known for his research<br />
work on lightning discharge and its electromagnetic<br />
effects. In addition to his<br />
research activities, he is active in several<br />
societies, conference committees and technical<br />
committees. Personally, I have met<br />
Farhad several times at conferences. In<br />
2008, I had the honor to serve under his<br />
leadership on the EUROEM 2008 committee.<br />
As I thought about the profile for<br />
the current issue of the <strong>EMC</strong> Newsletter,<br />
I thought it was time to write something<br />
on Farhad Rachidi. Consequently, I wrote<br />
an email, asking for some background<br />
information. I expected a personal flavor,<br />
but Farhad’s response surprised me.<br />
Farhad Rachidi was born in 1962<br />
in Geneva where both his parents were<br />
studying. At the age of three months<br />
his family went back to Tehran where<br />
he grew up. He was raised in a family<br />
of artists. His father is a well-known and<br />
respected actor and director of theater<br />
and cinema. Farhad’s father is still active<br />
and one of his last plays he directed was<br />
Richard III by Shakespeare. Farhad has<br />
also two aunts in the movie business (one<br />
is a director and the other is an actress)<br />
Farhad Rachidi with his wife at the EUROEM 2008<br />
cocktail party.<br />
and his little sister is<br />
in Canada. From April<br />
also a theater actress in<br />
1998 until September<br />
Tehran. After Farhad<br />
1999, he was with Mon-<br />
got his high school ditena<br />
<strong>EMC</strong> in Switzerploma<br />
from the French<br />
land. Finally, he returned<br />
School, he intended to<br />
to the Swiss Federal<br />
stay in the family busi-<br />
Institute of Technolness<br />
and study art. But<br />
ogy (EPFL) and became<br />
his life turned to anoth-<br />
a professor. Currently, he<br />
er direction.<br />
is the head of the <strong>EMC</strong><br />
Due to the Iran revo-<br />
Group at EPFL. His re -<br />
lution, the universities<br />
search interests con-<br />
were closed down and<br />
Farhad Rachidi had ei- Farhad Rachidi<br />
cern electromagnetic<br />
compatibility, lightning<br />
ther the choice of go-<br />
electromagnetics and<br />
ing to military service<br />
electromagnetic field in-<br />
or studying abroad. The Iran government teractions with transmission lines.<br />
restricted studying abroad to studies in Farhad Rachidi is actively involved in<br />
engineering and medical sciences. Farhad the organization of various International<br />
made his choice and started studying elec- Symposia in the field of Electromagtrical<br />
engineering at the Swiss Federal Innetic Compatibility and Lightning as a<br />
stitute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne. member of the Scientific Committees as<br />
Since then, his life has followed the well as Organization Committees. For<br />
typical path of an electrical engineer. He instance, in 2008 he served as Chairman<br />
received the M.S. degree in electrical en- of the 2008 European Electromagnetics<br />
gineering and the Ph.D. degree from the International Symposium (EUROEM<br />
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology 2008), Lausanne, Switzerland. Since June<br />
(EPFL), Lausanne, in 1986 and 1991, re- 2008, he has served as the President of<br />
spectively. From 1991 to 1996, he stayed the International Conference on Light-<br />
with the EPFL at the Power Systems Labning Protection (ICLP).<br />
oratory and had several short stays at the He is also active in research groups<br />
University of Florida and the NASA Ken- and scientific communities. He is a Felnedy<br />
Space Center. In 1997, he left Switlow member of the <strong>IEEE</strong> and a member<br />
zerland and joined the Lightning Research of various <strong>IEEE</strong>, CIGRE and CIRED<br />
Laboratory of the University of Toronto working groups dealing with lightning.<br />
Farhad blowing an alp horn at the banquet of the EURO-<br />
EM 2008 conference.