Speaker Biographies
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November 4-6, 2009 | The Lodge at Sonoma | Sonoma, CA |
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Mauro Ferrari, Ph.D., Professor and Chairman of the Department of NanoMedicine and Biomedical Engineering at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston
Dr. Ferrari received his degree of Dottore in Matematica from the Universita’ di Padova (1985) before moving to the United States, where he was awarded his MS (1987) and PhD (1989) from the University of California at Berkeley, in Mechanical Engineering. He served as a Ricercatore (assistant professor) in theoretical and applied mechanics at the University of Udine (Italy, 1988-1990) concurrently with his doctoral studies at Berkeley.
He began his academic career at the University of California Berkeley in 1991, as a tenure-track assistant professor jointly in the Departments of Materials Science and Engineering, and Civil Engineering (Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Materials). In 1995 he was awarded tenure at the Associate Professor rank, both in Materials Science and Engineering, and Civil Engineering. While at Berkeley he also joined the faculty of the UC San Francisco/Berkeley Bioengineering Program, the faculty of the Applied Science and Technology Program, and the faculty of the Biophysics Program. He was the Founding Director of the Berkeley’ s Biomedical Microdevices (BioMEMS) Center. In the summer of 1998 he was a Visiting Research Scientist at the Microtechnology Center at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Dr. Ferrari’s current positions include tenured Full Professor and Division Head, Division of Nanomedicine, in the UT Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME), which is a multi-institutional Department serving UT Austin, UT Health Science Center at Houston, and U.T. MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is the Chairman of the BME component at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He is a tenured Full Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Cardiology, School of Medicine; Professor, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Adjunct Professor, School of Health Information Science. He is also a tenured Full Professor, Experimental Therapeutics, UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center; Adjunct Professor, Department of Bioengineering, Rice University; Adjoint Professor, College of Engineering, UT Austin; Affiliated Faculty Structural and Computational Biology and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine; and Adjunct Professor, Mechanical Engineering department and Biomedical Engineering Program, Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston.
His current research program includes projects funded by the NSF, NIH, the Department of Defense, NASA Space Center (NASA), the Department of Energy, and the State of Texas, among others. His current research portfolio exceeds $ 30 Million, and his career total exceeds $ 50 Million in total costs. He has published about 200 refereed journal articles and book chapters, has edited 7 volumes, and is series editor for Springer’s Fundamental Biomedical Technologies. He has given over 200 keynote and invited presentations at professional conferences and academic venues, in the field of engineering mechanics and materials, cancer, mathematics, nanotechnology, physical chemistry, medical pathology, radiology, and cardiology. Dr. Ferrari has to date been awarded about 30 U.S. and International patents, with many more currently pending.
Dr. Ferrari is active as an academic-entrepreneur. Among the companies he has founded are NanoMedical Systems, and Leonardo Biosystems, which is part of the portfolio of companies of NASDAQ-traded Arrowhead Research Corporation (ARWR). He currently serves on the Board of Directors of NMS and Leonardo Biosystems, and is Director of Scientific Affairs for ARWR.
Dr. Shoichi Narahashi, Executive Research Engineer, NTT DOCOMO Research Laboratories
Shoichi Narahashi received his M.E. in Electronics from Kumamoto University in 1988 and his Ph.D. in Media and Network Technologies from Hokkaido University in 2008, respectively. He joined Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) Corporation in 1988 and transferred to NTT DOCOMO in 1992.
Now he is with the NTT DOCOMO Research Laboratories. He is leading research activities in the area of RF circuit technologies for future mobile communication systems such as multi-band RF devices with RF-MEMS, highly-efficient power amplifiers, non-linear distortion compensation schemes and cryogenic receiver front-end.
Panelists, Moderators and featured Speakers
Keith Abate, Director of Business Development, Perpetuum
Keith Abate is the Director of Business Development for Perpetuum; a designer of high power Vibration Energy Harvesters (VEH) used as maintenance free, lifelong power source for Wireless Sensor Nodes utilized for wireless monitoring of industrial machinery and plant assets. Keith has a B.S.E.E. and over 25 years of international technical, sales, marketing and business development experience within the Semiconductor, Industrial Sensors, Aerospace and Energy market verticals.
His experience also includes a solid back ground in Semiconductor MEMS process as well as bulk machine MEMS process used in the manufacturing of piezo-electric sensors. Keith has extensive experience in the definition and deployment of wired and wireless dynamic sensor monitoring projects for Land, Air, Space and Sea applications. He has successfully managed and deployed measurement and monitoring solutions in the civil, commercial, consumer and military market segments. Prior to Perpetuum, Keith has held ranking positions with Teradyne, Fairchild, Schlumberger and Hewlett Packard.
Junji Adachi, Senior Vice President, BEANS (Bio Electro-mechanical Autonomous Nano Systems)
Junji Adachi is the Senior Vice President of BEANS Laboratory, founded in April 2009 to execute the governmental project on Hetero-functional Integrated Device Technology Development. BEANS (Bio Electro-mechanical Autonomous Nano Systems) aims to establish process platforms which enable innovative devices in health care, energy, environmental conservation, safety and security applications. Targets of BEANS Project are Bio/Organic Materials Integrated Process, Novel Fabrication for 3D Nanostructures and Large Area & Continuous Process of Micro-nano Structure. Combination of these platform processes enables us to have innovative devices, such as body implantable, energy harvesting, ultra sensitive detectors and sheet shaped flexible devices.
Before joining the BEANS Lab he worked for the Micromachine Center (MMC) from 2005 as a GM in charge of both research and international affiliation. He had been involved in planning the BEANS Project from concept to organizational design.
He also worked for Panasonic as a research project leader on thin film organic photovoltaic. During his career at Panasonic he was involved in computational applied mechanics research, artificial intelligence systems and portable fuel cell development.
He graduated from Osaka University in 1980 and was a visiting research scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1994 to 1996. At MIT he was involved in polymer fluid research in the chemical engineering department.
Robert Andosca, Founder, President & CEO, MicroGen Systems, LLC
Since October 2006 he has been the President and CEO of MicroGen Systems, LLC, located near Rochester, NY. MicroGen is a start-up company developing an MEMS-based piezoelectric vibrational energy harvester (PZEH) device and power system for wireless sensor network applications. This is based upon patent pending exclusively licensed PZEH technology.
Mr. Andosca has over 20 years of professional experience in the design and development of microsystems and integrated circuit (IC) technology. Mr. Robert Andosca currently holds the position of Program Manager/Senior MEMS Scientist with the Infotonics Technology Center (ITC). He has served in this position and as a consultant for ITC since March 2007. Prior to that he was a Process Development/Foundry Manager for Lilliputian Systems, where he managed a group of engineers and technicians developing a MEMS-based solid-oxide fuel cell technology. In 2004, Mr. Andosca was the Director of Business Development and Engineering for a newly spun-out IntelliSense from Corning, where he formed a strategic alliance for MEMS design services with ITC. Preceding this he was Operations Manager/General Manager of Umicore Semiconductor Processing in Boston, MA. He managed and was responsible for profit and loss of this wholly-owned 25-person company, where he introduced new product lines of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and germanium-on-insulator (GeOI) substrates.
From 1999-2002 Mr. Andosca was Technical Leader of the Corning IntelliSense Emerging Business Unit, R&D Manager and Senior MEMS Development Engineer. IntelliSense originally formed in 1991 was the first CAD for MEMS® software company, and the first company to build a dedicated MEMS fabrication facility in 1995. While with Corning Mr. Andosca led several large engineering projects including 2D and 3D optical switches, a RF capacitively coupled switch/integrated circuit filter, and a microfluidic nozzle chip.
From 1997-1999 while employed by Clare Corporation in Beverly, MA, Mr. Andosca worked with The Massachusetts Institute of Technology designing and fabricating a MEMS micro-relay. At Clare he and his team successfully brought into production a microsystems-based photovoltaic and high-voltage BiCDMOS IC chips for the telecommunication industry. These processes are currently in production today producing upwards of 5000 wafers per month at greater than 80 and 95%, respectively.
Mr. Andosca is currently finishing his Ph.D. dissertation from UVM in Materials Science (expected May 2010). He holds an M.S. in Materials Science from UVM, and B.S. degrees in Mathematics and Physics from USNH, Keene State College.
Dr. Frank Bartels, Founder & CEO, Bartels Mikrotechnik
Dr. Bartels studied Physics at the University of Duisburg and finalized his Ph.D. study 1987 with work on semiconductor surfaces. After two years in the central R&D group of Siemens in Munich, he changed 1989 to the company microParts. There he was the head of the marketing and sales group and responsible for the selling of the microtechnological products to customers. During this time he intensed his knowledge about the technological possibilities, economical conditions, players of the „szene“ and the possible markets of micro technology.
In 1996 he found his own company Bartels Mikrotechnik specialized in innovative applications of micro systems technology (MST) in the branches of classical consumer goods, mechanical engineering and medical technology. Microfluidics, microactuation and micromechanics constitute the company's technological focus today. Meanwhile the company has 25 employees with activities in two business segments: Bartels microEngineering and Bartels microComponents.
The focus of the business division Bartels microEngineering lies in the design and development of customized microfluidic solutions. On the other hand, we act as producer and marketer of our own microfluidic products. Bartels microComponents offers micropumps, microvalves and microfilters.
Dr. Bartels is the president of IVAM, a professional association of around 270 MEMS companies forming a microtechnology network.
Jérémie Bouchaud, Principal Analyst, MEMS, iSuppli
Jérémie Bouchaud is director of market research for Microsystem products. He is responsible for over 100 MEMS-related studies on the field of consulting and market research. His breadth of knowledge of MEMS applications and deep knowledge of individual markets, such as RF MEMS and sensors for consumer markets, is unique to the industry.
Mr Bouchaud is a graduate of the Munich University of Applied sciences and of Ecole Supérieur de Commerce of Grenoble. He was in charge of technology transfer at the German office of CEA-LETI between 1998 and 2000 and joined WTC in 2000 as co-founder.
Steven Dwyer, Vice President & General Manager, EV Group
Steven Dwyer is the Vice President and General Manager of North American operations for EV Group (EVG), a world-leading manufacturer of equipment for the semiconductor, MEMS and nanotechnology industries. In this role, he is responsible for driving the company’s sales efforts in North America—ultimately boosting the company’s overall growth and profitability in this key region. Part of Mr. Dwyer’s charter is to also forge closer ties with key customers, partners and suppliers. He has headed EVG’s U.S. operations (headquartered in Tempe, Ariz.) since 2002.
In addition to his responsibilities with EVG, he is a member of the governing counsel of the MEMS Industry Group (MIG)—an industry association dedicated to greater commercialization of the MEMS and microstructure industries. He is also on the governing board of the Flexible Display Center (FDC) at Arizona State University (ASU)—a university/industry/government collaborative venture designed to commercialize full-color flexible display technology. Lastly, he is a member of the advisory counsel for the Micro and Nanotechnology Commercialization Education Foundation (MANCEF) where he is actively involved in its programs, such as its COMS conferences. He is the co-author of numerous technical papers related to MEMs and semiconductor processing.
Mr. Dwyer has extensive background in management, operations and sales. Prior to joining EVG, he was with Harbison Walker Refractories (now a part of RHI Refractories) where he was responsible for the company’s Asia-Pacific sales efforts. Mr. Dwyer started his career with BHP Refractories in 1992.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in marketing and management from the University of New England in 1991, NSW, Australia.
Jean-Christophe "JC" Eloy, President & CEO, Yole Développement
JC Eloy directly manages the international development and strategic orientations of the company and is in charge of the MEMS activities at Yole Développement. He has performed more than 100 actions or analyses for the different customers of Yole Développement (from materials and equipment to devices and modules) as well as services for the financial investors (e.g M&A, evaluation of business plan).
For six years, Jean-Christophe Eloy has been the manager of the marketing department of LETI (France), the applied R&D organization involved in the semiconductor, MEMS and instrumentation fields (1000 researchers). He created the semiconductor practice at Ernst & Young in Europe and worked as senior manager in charge of the development of European activities. In addition to its activities at Yole Développement, he is on the boards of several companies, in Europe and North America.
JC Eloy is an Engineer (semiconductor and telecommunications) and has an MBA from EM Lyon.
Alissa Fitzgerald, Managing Member, A.M. Fitzgerald & Associates
Alissa M. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., is the founder and Managing Member of A.M. Fitzgerald & Associates, LLC, a MEMS product development and consulting services firm located in San Carlos, CA.
Dr. Fitzgerald has over 13 years of hands-on experience in MEMS design and fabrication, and has developed over a dozen distinct MEMS devices, such as piezoresistive cantilevers, ultrasound transducers, and microcalorimeters, for applications as broad as implantable medical devices and spacecraft sensors. She is an expert on reliability of brittle materials and finite element analysis for MEMS devices, and continues to conduct research in those areas.
She has previously been employed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Orbital Sciences Corporation, Sigpro, and Sensant Corporation (acquired by Siemens). Dr. Fitzgerald received her bachelors and masters degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her doctorate from Stanford University, all in the discipline of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Dr. Fitzgerald has numerous journal publications, holds two patents, and is a frequent lecturer at Stanford University and local professional group meetings. Dr. Fitzgerald is the Director of the MIT Club of N. CA Semiconductor Entrepreneurship Program.
Roger Grace, President, Roger Grace Associates
Roger H. Grace is president of Roger Grace Associates, a Naples Florida -based marketing consulting firm specializing in high technology, which he founded in 1982. He is a co-founder and Past President of the Micro and Nanotechnology Commercialization Education Foundation (MANCEF). His background includes over 40 years in electronic circuit design, applications, and manufacturing engineering; project management; product marketing; and technology consulting.
Mr. Grace has specialized in sensors for over 25 years with a focus on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanotechnology and is widely acknowledged as a pioneer in the commercialization of MEMS. He has authored over 70 technical papers; organized, chaired, and spoken at numerous international professional technical conferences.
Mr. Grace has been or is currently a member of the editorial advisory boards of Sensors Magazine, R&D Magazine Micro/Nano Newsletter, NASA Nanotech Briefs, Small Times, ECN and A2C2. He is a frequent editorial contributor to Sensors Magazine, Small Times, Euro Asia Semiconductor (UK), MST News (Germany) and EETimes. He has been quoted widely as an industry pundit in Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, EETimes.
Mr. Grace is a member of the Board of Directors of the Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership. He serves on the advisory board of Northeastern University's School of Engineering Industrial Advisory Board, Nanomanufacturing Research Institute and National Council and is a recipient of the Outstanding Engineering Alumni Award for 2003 for Northeastern’s College of Engineering. He was a co-founder and served as president of the Micro and Nanotechnology Commercialization Education Foundation (MANCEF).
Mr. Grace has served as visiting lecturer at the University of California at Berkeley from1988 to 2003. His educational background includes a BSEE and MSEE (as a Raytheon Company fellow) from Northeastern University, and the MBA program at U.C. Berkeley.
David Haynes, Business Services Director, Surface Technology Systems
David Haynes studied Material Engineering at Swansea University, gaining his PhD in 1993, and subsequently worked as a Senior Research Assistant in the Electronic Materials Centre at Swansea University. In 1995, he joined Surface Technology Systems (STS) as a Process Engineer, and after 3 years moved to Boston with ST Systems Inc , to set-up an office and support network on the East Coast of North America, becoming Director of Sales for that region in 2002. In Feb 2004, he relocated back to the UK after his promotion to Director of Sales & Marketing, and was promoted to the Board in September 2005. He is now STS’ Business Services Director with responsibility for Sales, Marketing and Customer Service.
Bryan D. Hoadley, Executive VP and General Manager, Movea
Bryan D Hoadley is General Manager and Executive Vice President of Movea, the inventor and industry leading provider of motion-sensing technology, IP and product solutions for the “digital lifestyle” markets including Consumer Electronics, Sports and Healthcare. Bryan is responsible for overall management of North American operations, the Gyration business unit as well as worldwide Sales for all Movea businesses. Bryan has over 20 years of International Sales, Marketing and Business Development experience in the semiconductor and consumer electronics industries.
Prior to Movea, Bryan spent 15 years in the automated semiconductor test industry most recently as WW VP Field Operations for Credence Systems Corp. While at Credence, Bryan held executive management positions in Field Operations, Sales and Business Development. Bryan spent 4 years managing European Operations, living and based out of Grenoble, France.
Bryan holds a Bachelors of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and an Executive MBA from Stanford University.
Reiner John, Senior Manager, Infineon
Reiner John received his diploma degree in Electrical Engineering from the Fachhochschule des Saarlandes (Germany) in collaboration with the University of Metz / Perpignan (France). In 1984 he started his career with the Siemens Semiconductor Group in Munich where he worked in the field of automatic test system development. In 1989 he was responsible for the consultation and application of embedded control development tools in the Siemens Automation Group.
After joining the Siemens Corporate Research and Development in 1991 Reiner was involved in the research on knowledge-based embedded systems within the Fuzzy group. Moving to Regensburg to work for the Siemens Automotive Division three years later, he took on the development of concepts and implementations for a real-time operating system to manage and control the engine and transmission system.
In 1996 he joined the Infineon Technologies AG where he served in several management positions in the Quality and Production Department of the company. In year 2000 he further pursued his career in Taiwan where he set up and managed the Infineon Silicon Foundry Taiwan Office as the Head of Department for seven years. At the present, Reiner is in charge of the Infineon Automotive, Industrial and Multi-Market Division for the coordination of public funded R&D projects in the area of energy efficiency and smart power technologies.
R. Colin , Writer, Technology Editor, EETimes
Colin's next-generation technology stories and podcasts generate millions of online page views annually, while his follow-up analysis articles keep his technically savvy readership one-step ahead of the trends.
He is currently publisher of NextGenLog.org, editor of EETimes.com and a freelance writer for newspapers and magazines as diverse as NY Times, Playboy, Macworld and The Scientist, as well as a John Wiley & Sons book author.
He have written thousands of articles, reports and books cited by liberal and conservative media alike, from National Public Radio (NPR) to The Rush Limbaugh Show. He currently writes daily technology news stories for EETimes.com, NextGenLog.Org and print media.
Colin was educated at Washington University (St. Louis), Michigan State University (Lansing) and the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor). He holds a B.A., in History from Washington University, an M.A. in Symbolic Logic from Washington University, and an M.S. in Computer, Control and Information Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Find links to his most recent online stories and podcasts at: http://NextGenLog.org and follow his tweets at: http://twitter.com/RColinJohnson
Doug Lee, CEO and Chairman, OrthoMEMS
Douglas Lee, has been CEO and Chairman of OrthoMEMS, a medical device company started with technology from the Cleveland Clinic, since its inception. Previously, Mr. Lee was CEO and Chairman of The Dr. Spock Company, a venture-backed company in children’s health. Prior to that, Mr. Lee was Managing Director of Premier Medical Partner Fund LP, a healthcare venture capital fund. Before Premier, he was CFO and Vice President of the new ventures and corporate business development group at Guidant Corporation. Mr. Lee has served as a board member or observer of several venture-backed and start-up companies including Atrionix (sold to Johnson & Johnson), Durect Corporation (NASDAQ: DRRX), and Endotex Interventional Systems (acquired by Boston Scientific). Mr. Lee earned a B.S. in business administration from the University of California at Berkeley and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Chad Lucien, Vice President - Freespace® Products, Hillcrest Labs
Chad Lucien has a strong background in corporate strategy, business development, consulting and investment banking. Prior to Hillcrest, Chad was the Director of Strategic Development for TVGateway LLC where he was responsible for strategic planning, business development and financial management. Chad worked with TVGateway's investors to execute its spin-off, reshape its strategy and complete multiple financings and acquisitions. He became involved with TVGateway while a Principal of Katalyst LLC, an operational consulting and venture capital firm. At Katalyst, Chad advised eight technology companies on financial and business strategy.
Previously, he was an associate with the investment banking firm Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin, where he gained expertise in valuation and merger and acquisition transaction advisory services. He began his career as a business analyst with Signet Bank. Chad earned a bachelor of science in commerce with distinction from the University of Virginia, with concentrations in finance and marketing. Chad is a CFA charterholder, a member of the CFA Institute and a member of CTAM.
Mark Martin, Vice President and General Manager
Micromachined Products Division, Analog Devices, Inc.
Mark Martin serves as vice president and general manager of the Micromachined Products Division for Analog Devices, Inc., (ADI) a world-leading supplier of analog, mixed signal, and digital signal processing (DSP) ICs with headquarters in Norwood, Mass. In this role, Mark oversees research, product development, and related worldwide marketing and applications activities for the company’s integrated Micro Electrical Mechanical System (iMEMS®) accelerometers, gyroscopes, and microphone products.
Since their early adoption in automotive airbags and consumer devices, iMEMS® components have become mainstream and are now integrated in a variety of industrial, communications, PC and healthcare designs as a market differentiator. Mark has held this position since 2007. Mark began his career with ADI in 1985 and has held a variety of management positions with the company including product line director of the RF and Wireless Division, and Asia marketing director for the Analog Semiconductor Components Division.
Mark earned his electrical engineering degree from Cornell University, and his Master’s Degree in engineering management from the Gordon Institute of Tufts University. He has lived in Asia and the U.S.
Thomas R. Mika, President and CEO, Tegal Corporation
Thomas R. Mika was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Tegal Corporation in March 2005 and appointed Chairman of the Board in October 2006. Mr. Mika also served on the Board of Directors of Tegal from 1992 to 2002, which included periods of service as the Chairman of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Audit Committee, until he was appointed as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in August 2002. Mr. Mika has more than 25 years of senior management, finance and consulting experience. Prior to becoming Tegal's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Mika founded IMTEC, a boutique investment firm active in the management of several companies. In addition to completing multiple private equity financings, joint ventures, acquisitions and license agreements on behalf of his clients, he held senior positions with Soupmasters International, Inc., where he served as President & CEO, and Disc International, Ltd., a software firm, where he served as Chief Executive. Mr. Mika was also a director of Metrologix, a semiconductor metrology company, from the time of its initial start-up until its sale to KLA-Tencor Corp. Prior to forming IMTEC, Mr. Mika was a managing consultant with Cresap, McCormick & Paget and a policy analyst for the National Science Foundation. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Business.
Gary O'Brien, Director, Advanced MEMS Design Group, Robert Bosch LLC Research & Technology Center
Dr. Gary O’Brien worked for Lockheed Space Operations located at Kennedy Space Center, FL, from 1984-1992. His primary work responsibilities included installation, test, and calibration of manned space flight certified sensors (i.e., gyroscopes, accelerometers, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, strain gages, etc.) on the Space Shuttle’s Orbiter, External Tank, and Solid Rocket Boosters.
Gary worked as a MEMS design engineer and program manager for Motorola’s Sensor Products Division in Tempe, AZ, from 1993-2003, and Motorola’s spin-off company Freescale Semiconductor from 2003-2005 where he developed multiple accelerometer and pressure sensor devices for automotive and consumer market applications. From 2005 to 2007, he performed MEMS research and taught multiple graduate level analog and digital ASIC design courses in the Electrical Engineering Department at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. From 2007-2009 he was VP of Engineering at Memsic Inc., located in Andover, MA.
Gary joined Robert Bosch LLC as Director of Advanced MEMS Design at the Research and Technology Center (RTC) located in Palo Alto, CA during April of 2009.
Gary earned his BSEE from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1988, an MSEE from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1993, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 2004.
Becky Oh, President & CEO, PNI Sensor Corporation
Becky Oh is the President/CEO of PNI Sensor Corporation. Throughout her 13 years with the company Ms. Oh has held a range of senior-level positions, from operations to technical business development. Becky received an M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT. Her keen direction and technical knowledge has guided PNI’s successful integration of its magneto-inductive sensor technology into dozens of state-of-the-art commercial and military applications. These products range from position sensors for TALON tactical robots, to attitude heading reference systems for NOAA’s deep-water buoys, to large-scale consumer applications such as the digital compasses found in Ford, GM and Chrysler automobiles. Ms. Oh holds multiple patents in the area of devices with multi-sensing and reporting capabilities, including: US Patent No. 6,243,660, “Digital Compass with Multiple Sensing and Reporting Capability” and US Patent No. 6,297,732 & 6,549,145, “Radar/Laser Detector Device with Multi-Sensing and Reporting Capability.”
Steve Ohr, Director of Research for Analog Semiconductors and Power Management Devices, Gartner
Stephan (“Steve”) Ohr is Director of Research for Analog Semiconductors and Power Management devices at Gartner Inc. He tracks the markets standard linear ICs, power semiconductors, and several emerging technologies. His reports on MEMS, for example, have explored MEMs microphones and MEMS-based timing devices. Ohr is also participating in Gartner research thrusts into energy transmission, solid state lighting and medical electronics.
Steve Ohr spent much of his career as an electronics trade journalist: He joined Gartner from EE Times, where he covered analog, served as editor of Times’ Planet Analog magazine supplement, and manager of the Planet Analog website. His editorial experience includes stints with Electronic Design magazine, Computer Design magazine, and Asian Electronics Engineer.
His engineering degree comes from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (the Newark College of Engineering) and his graduate degree (in sociology) comes from Rutgers. His hands-on engineering experience includes marketing assignments with Signetics (later Philips Semiconductors and now NXP) and the General Electric Company. He can be tracked on http://twitter.com/steve_ohr.
Prof. Pietro Perlo, Director, Technology Division, Centro Ricerche, Fiat
Pietro took his Laurea degree in General Physics at the University of Torino in 1980. For 15 years he has been a contract professor at the Physics Institute of the University of Torino teaching applied optics. In the mid 90s he originated the first world-wide commercial introduction of diffractive and microoptics into automotive applications, motorcycles, general lighting and IR intrusion alarm systems.
As director and senior scientist at Centro Ricerche Fiat, he his currently concentrating his interests on the optimal integration of enabling technologies and systems for zero emission mobility. Pietro is the Chairman of the Automotive Working Group of the EU Technology Platform EPoSS on Smart Systems Integration.
Dr. Jeanne Pitz, Sensor Interface/Power Products Technologist, Mixed Signal Automotive, Texas Instruments
Jeanne Krayer Pitz is a Fellow of Texas Instruments. Dr Pitz has been at Texas Instruments for 27 years and currently works in Mixed Signal Automotive (MSA) group. She has lead or been involved in developing key leadership products in the Sensor and Actuator Interface Product Line in MSA. These include sensor interface and other integrated circuits that have improved the signal processing and quality of systems in Airbag, Occupant weight sensor, Electronic Stability and other automotive systems. She holds key patents on many ICs that have been developed in MSA. She also works with customers to help bring in new business for TI. Dr. Pitz has had extensive experience in many areas of TI during her career including IC design, software design, signal processing and mixed signal design and methodology. Her experiences allow her to assist in developing architectures and circuits and understand the systems to help solve customer problems. Jeanne received a B.S. in Physics from the University of Dayton in 1972, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Oklahoma State University in 1977 and a Ph.D. in EE from Southern Methodist University in 1989.
Chris Van Hoof, Heterogeneous Integrated Microsystems Director, IMEC
Chris Van Hoof is Department Director at IMEC in Leuven, Belgium and at the Holst Centre in Eindhoven, the Netherlands and also a Program Director of HUMAN++. This IMEC program focuses on wireless autonomous systems for healthcare and lifestyle applications and combines the R&D efforts of approximately 200 scientists and engineers.
Micropower energy harvesting is one of the enabling technologies under investigation. Chris Van Hoof has been R&D manager of detector systems, Microsystems and Integrated Systems at IMEC in various roles as a group manager, department director (since 2002) and program director (since 2007). He contributed to the creation of one IMEC startup and to two cornerstone ESA flight missions. Chris is also a part-time professor at the University of Leuven.
Thijs Viegers, CTO, Philips Applied Technologies
Dr. Viegers is the Chief Technology Officer for Philips Applied Technologies and has been with Royal Philips Electronics for over 30 years in a number of key positions. In his current role, he is leading the new technology development and new business development for the contract R+D division of Corporate Technologies.
Philips has adopted a strategy of Open Innovation to leverage the joint innovative power of partnering companies and researchers and bring more innovations to the market faster and with greater efficiency.
Philips Applied Technologies is a well integrated and highly productive team of ~ 1,000 engineers covering a broad range of technical skills to enable and accelerate product development for Healthcare, LifeStyle, and Technology applications. Technical challenges are addressed with a practical focus on the business case and the bottom line in manufacturing. Project deliverables include electronics, software, precision engineering, released processes and micro-systems through completely realized products, complemented with expert industry consultancy and facilities for small scale (pilot) production.
Dr. Viegers has a Masters in chemistry, a PhD in physics and a broad background in materials science. His assignments with Philips Electronics have included responsibility for product development, process development, and the development of the associated equipment. The applications have covered innovative breakthroughs with semiconductor modules (digital and analog IC, LED, laser, camera, and radiation detectors), molecular diagnostic modules (lab-on-a-chip), energy modules (PV, CPV, fuel cells), and high precision processing equipment (printing, lithography, interconnect and packaging, assembly and inspection).
Benedetto Vigna, Group Vice President and General Manager, MEMS and Healthcare Division
Benedetto Vigna is Group Vice President and General Manager of the MEMS and Healthcare Division within ST’s Analog, Power, MEMS Group and has held this position since April 2008.
Vigna joined STMicroelectronics’ R&D Lab in Castelletto, Italy, in 1995. Six years later, after two years spent in the USA and in a management course, he was appointed Director of the MEMS Business Unit, responsible for design, manufacturing and marketing of ST’s MEMS products. These have been successfully adopted by large consumer equipment manufacturers, including Nintendo for its novel user interface in the Wii game console and by many other mobile phone companies. In 2007, Vigna’s organization was transformed into a Product Division and his scope was subsequently enlarged to include MEMS, Sensors, low-power RF, and devices for Healthcare applications.
Vigna has filed more than 120 patents on micromachining to date and has authored numerous publications in this field. He has also been invited to speak at many international conferences. Moreover Vigna has served as an industrial consultant for the President of the Italian Scientific Research Center.
Benedetto Vigna was born in Potenza, Italy, in 1969, and graduated with a degree in Subnuclear Physics from the University of Pisa, Italy.
Paul Werbaneth, Vice President of Marketing and Applications, Tegal Corportation
Paul Werbaneth is the Vice President of Marketing and Applications at Tegal Corporation., where he is responsible for leading Tegal’s technical marketing and process support activities for DRIE, plasma etch, PVD, and NLD products. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University, and has worked for more than 25 years in semiconductor process engineering, technical marketing, and business management positions at Intel, Hitachi America Ltd., and Tegal.
Mr. Werbaneth is a member of the Steering Committee of the Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference (ASMC 2004 Conference Co-Chair), serves on the Technical Program Committee for CS MANTECH, and is an active member of the MEMS Industry Group. Mr. Werbaneth is also the author or co-author of more than 45 papers and articles on the topics of semiconductor processing, plasma etch processes, and the semiconductor capital equipment business.
Brian Wirth, Global Product Manager, MEMS, GE Sensing
Brian Wirth is the Global Product Manager for MEMS and Nano Technologies for GE Sensing. The company designs and manufacturers sensing products for a variety of industries. He is based in Heathrow, Fl.
Brian joined GE in 2001 and has held several sales and marketing leadership positions within the company, including roles in global synergy sales management, key account management and advanced MEMS technology global product management.
Prior to joining GE, Brian was the director of marketing and business development for NovaSensor Inc. and Druck Inc., which are business units of GE Sensing today. Brian also held technical marketing, sales and test engineering roles at several established and start up MEMS based companies.
Brian earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the Ohio Institute of Technology in Columbus, Ohio and a Masters of Business Administration from Golden Gate University.
Eric Young, General Partner, Canaan Partners
Since co-founding Canaan in 1987, Eric has helped launch a multitude of market-leading companies from inception to IPO or acquisition. He was an early investor in Copper Mountain Networks (CMTN), whose technology led the 1990’s DSL wave in North America; ONI Systems, the leader in the revolutionary merging of the metro area voice and data communication that is the basis of Ciena’s current offerings (acquired by Ciena); and Kalpana, which introduced the concept of a multi-port Ethernet switch (acquired by Cisco Systems). Eric also generated numerous positive outcomes from his investments in high-performance companies such as Argon Networks, Capstone Turbine, Diffusion Software, Frame Technology, International Network Services, International Packaging Assembly, Spectrian and Visigenic Software.
Eric leads Canaan’s investments in cleantech and also pursues key opportunities in network infrastructure. Passionate about changing the balance in the energy industry to support a more sustainable future, Eric has been investing in cleantech since the early 1990s, when he backed early disruptors Transphase Systems, maker of large-scale energy storage systems; and Capstone Turbine, now the world’s leading producer of low-emission microturbine systems and the first to market with commercially viable microturbine energy products. As an active Board member for 13 years, Eric helped transform Capstone Turbine from an engineering project into publicly-held leader in the distributed power generation industry. Elsewhere, Eric has contributed as an active director at Enpirion, whose technology represents the first major innovation in integrated power technology in over a decade. Most recently, Eric has been an active advisor to Zolo Technologies as they have developed strategic relationships as a basis for deploying their unique optical measurement technology in large, established power generation markets.
Prior to Canaan, Eric was a Senior VP of GE Venture Capital, where he led successful investments in companies such as Nellcor and Octel Communications. Eric also held a variety of sales, marketing and operations management positions at GE in two power-related industrial product businesses.
Eric currently sits on the boards of Cortina Systems, a leading supplier of intelligent communication solutions; Ebates, the pioneer and leader of online Cash Back Shopping; Enpirion, maker of the industry’s smallest power management system on a chip; EnStorage, developer of a low-cost Regenerative Fuel Cell energy-storage-system for multiple energy applications; Lancope, the global market leader in Network Behavior Analysis (NBA) and Response technology; and Xirrus, the leader in High Performance Wi-Fi.
Eric earned a BS in mechanical engineering from Cornell University and a MBA from Northwestern University. Eric recently served for five years as Silicon Valley’s VC-industry representative on Nasdaq’s Listing and Hearing Review Council, He is also member of Advisory Council of Cornell University’s entrepreneurship initiative, Entrepreneurship@Cornell, as well as a frequent speaker to university students at Stanford, Cornell and UC Berkeley on the transformative power of entrepreneurship. An engineer at heart, Eric is happiest when figuring out “how things work” – but he also dabbles in fly fishing, golf and the outdoors in general.
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