Ronald P. Vidano, Ph.D., P.E., C.R.E.

Dr. Vidano specializes in the development, qualification, selection, application, and operational field-testing of technologies to meet customer rapid equipment fielding requirements. Most recently, Dr. Vidano has been on assignment as Exponent’s Lead Engineer embedded with the U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During his overseas assignment, he has led efforts to develop, implement, and train soldiers in radio location, communications, and alternative energy technologies.

Dr. Vidano’s 25+ year professional background includes basic research for solid state materials, developmental engineering of semiconductor materials, engineering design of low cost electronic packaging, engineering for antenna/RFIC/RFID products, integration engineering for RF systems, product engineering for high volume manufacturing, failure analysis and reliability engineering, and engineering management. Dr. Vidano earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Ceramic Engineering from the University of Washington, is a Registered Professional Mechanical Engineer in the State of Colorado, and is an American Society for Quality Certified Reliability Engineer.

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Vidano held senior management and engineering leadership positions in industry at ASSA ABLOY-HID for RFID and smart card access control products, at Motorola for software defined radio technology, broadband customer premises equipment antenna development and RF packaging technology development, at Ball Aerospace for microstrip antenna products and conformal phased array packaging technologies, at the Honeywell Corporate Technology Center for high speed digital electronic packaging technologies, and Texas Instruments Central Research Laboratories for advanced materials technologies. During his career, Dr. Vidano served in leadership roles for the standardization of electronic packaging products and for software defined radios. He served as the Co-Chairman of the Technical Architecture Sub-Committee for the Software Defined Radio Forum. Dr. Vidano was formerly an adjunct faculty member at the University of Colorado, teaching courses for experimental methods for engineers, electronic materials, mechanical behavior of materials, and materials science and engineering. His doctoral dissertation at the University of Washington contributed towards the establishment of laser Raman spectroscopy as a common technique for carbon materials characterization including current applications for carbon nanotubes.

Vidano RP. 13.56-MHz inductively coupled card compatibility to conducting surfaces. Proceedings, Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, December 11–14, 2007.

Vidano R, Self D, Seely W, Brice-Heames K, Malone H. Packaging, amplifier and antenna technologies for Ka-band broadband satellite communications systems customer premises equipment. 1999 RAWCON, Denver, CO, August 2–4, 1999.

Vidano RP. SPEAKeasy II—An IPT approach to software programmable radio development. MILCOM '97, Monterey, CA. November 2–5, 1997.

Vidano RP, Fette BA. Joint Interoperability via Speakeasy II. MILCOM ‘95, San Diego, CA, November 5–8, 1995.

Vidano RP, Cummings JC, Jensen RJ, Walters WL, Helix MJ. Technology and design for high speed digital components in advanced applications. Proceedings, 33rd Electronics Components Conference, Orlando, FL, May 1983; Multi-Chip Modules; IEEE Press, December 1990.

Vidano RP, Paananen D, Johnson E. Packaging a microwave antenna with GaAs chips as radiating elements. Electronic Packaging and Production, December 1989.

Vidano RP, Paananen D, Miers T, Krause J, Agricola K, Hauser R. Mechanical stress reliability factors for packaging GaAs LSIC and MMIC components. Proceedings, 37th Electronics Components Conference, Boston, MA, May 1987; IEEE Trans. Vol. CHMT-10; No. 4, December 1987.

Helix MJ, Jamison SA, Hanka SH, Vidano RP, Hg P, Chao C. Improved logic gate with a push-pull output for GaAs Digital Ics. GaAs IC Conference, Ext. Abstract Program 2nd, 1982.

Vidano RP. Thin films for hybrid microelectronics. Scientific Honeyweller, June 1982.

Vidano RP, Fischbach DB, Willi LJ, Loehr TM. Observations of Raman band shifting with excitation wavelength for carbons and graphite. Solid State Communications 1981; 39(2):341.

Vidano RP, Fischbach DB. Laser Raman spectra of carbon materials. 15th Conference Carbon, Ext. Abstract Program, 1981

Vidano RP, Prokop JS, Williams DW. Advances in microelectronic subsystems with chip carriers. Insulation/Circuits 1979; August/September.

Vidano RP, Chang R. Thermal management techniques for chip carrier subsystems. Texas Instruments Equipment Group Engineering Journal 1979; July–August.

Vidano RP, Fischbach DB. New Lines in the Raman spectra of carbons and graphite. Journal of the American Ceramic Society 1977; 61(1–2):13–17.

Vidano RP, Fischbach DB. Raman spectra and characterization of carbon materials. 13th Carbon Conference, Ext. Abstract Program, 1975.

Presentations and Published Abstracts

 
Vidano RP. 13.56-MHz inductively coupled card compatibility to conducting surfaces. Presented at the 2007 Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, December 11–14, 2007. (Session Co-Chairman).

Malone H, Bai M, Blatter F, Gonzalez L, Vidano R. Terrestrial scanning antenna technologies for Ka-band broadband satellite communication systems. Presented at the 1998 Symposium on Antenna Technology and Applied Electromagnetics, Ottawa, Canada, August 9–12, 1998.

Vidano RP. Multiband multimode radio systems and technologies. Tactical Battlefield Communications Conference, Washington, D.C., November 18–19, 1996.

Vidano RP, Nicholson T. Speakeasy program supporting U.S. Navy Submarine Communications. NRAD Submarine Communications Conference, San Diego, CA, June 16–17, 1996.

Vidano RP, Sharrit P. Speakeasy—The software programmable radio networking system. Motorola INFOSEC Symposium, Scottsdale, AZ, March 26–28, 1996.

Fette BA, Vidano RP. Speakeasy II multiband multimode radio. Engineering the Defense Information Infrastructure Conference, Washington, D.C., November 16–17, 1995.

Vidano RP, Coombs D, Johnson E, Strobel R. The development of a co-fired Ceramic Chip Carrier (MCC). Presented at the Annual Meeting, The American Ceramic Society, Minneapolis, MN, April 1992.

Vidano RP. materials developments for low stress mounting of large area GaAs MMICs. Abstracts of the 27th Electronic Materials Conference, Boulder, CO, June 1985.

Vidano R, Cummings J. CAD for packaging. Presented at the Honeywell CAD and CAM Workshop, Minneapolis, MN, November 1–3, 1983.

Vidano RP, Fischbach DB. Observations on glassy carbons. Presented at the 35th Pacific Coast Regional Meeting, The American Ceramic Society, Seattle, WA, October 1982.

Vidano RP, Williams CE. Trends in integrated circuit packaging. Presented at the Annual Meeting, The American Ceramic Society, Chicago, IL, May 1980.

Vidano RP, Williams CE. Die alloying behavior to CER-DIP gold metallization systems. Presented at Electronics Division Fall Meeting, The American Ceramic Society, Williamsburg, VA, September 1979.

Vidano RP, Fussell LE. Aluminum bonding behavior upon gold-plated submounts. Presented at the Annual Meeting, The American Ceramic Society, Detroit, MI, May 1978.

Vidano RP, Virkar AV, Gordon RS. The Extrusion of Lithia-Stabilized Beta-Alumina. Presented at the Annual Meeting, The American Ceramic Society, Washington, D.C., May 1975.

• Vice President of Engineering, HID Corporation, 2000–2007
• RF Systems Engineering Manager, Motorola, 1994–2000
• Director of Program Development, Ball Aerospace, 1983–1994
• Senior Principal Research Scientist, Honeywell Corporate Technology Center, 1981–1983
• Member of the Technical Staff, Texas Instruments Corporate Research Laboratories, 1977–1981
  

Managed Exponent’s multi-technology activities in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on behalf of the U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force during 2007–2008.

Led Exponent development project for RFID tag and card reliability upon conducting surfaces. Published paper discussing results at APMC 2007.

Led multiple classified projects as part of Exponent’s activities on behalf of the U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force in Support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Led an Exponent/Rapid Equipping Force initiative to develop and evaluate low cost alternative energy technologies using solar and wind resources.

• IEEE (member) (Past Denver APS, GRS-S, & MTT-S Chapter President)
• Software Defined Radio Forum past Co-Chairman, Technical Architecture Subcommittee
• National Society of Professional Engineers (member)
• American Society for Quality (senior member)
• American Ceramic Society (member)