Center for Functional Nanomaterials Seminar

Keeping the Trains Running for the Center for Circuit and System Solutions

In my career I have developed depth and breadth in science and management. I started out at IBM T.J. Watson on the Josephson computer project, designing circuits and devices. Later, on a sabbatical at the Technical University of Denmark, I did fundamental science using annular Josephson junctions to study topological solitons. Next, in my 8 years’ experience with Northrop Grumman, I applied high temperature superconductors in defense systems, and was the PI on a project fabricating and measuring advanced CMOS devices. I came to Carnegie Mellon University 9 years ago to build a consortium to support research on a MEMS based memory scheme. In the last 6 years, I have been the Executive Director C2S2, the Center for Circuit and System solutions, a seven million dollar per year academic semiconductor circuit research center, part of the SRC’s Focus Center Research Program. This Program is funded by an industrial consortium and DARPA and has spent more than $30M per year for the last decade.

The purpose of FCRP is to guide the development of the US semiconductor industry through the transition that will come as Moore’s law ends. FCRP has five focus centers covering the microelectronic food chain: basic physics; transistor structures; interconnections of all types; circuits; and large systems. My job was to keep the trains running for the circuits center, C2S2.

This talk will amplify highlights of my career, but also develop my ideas on good science. Good science is needed first for its own sake, but also in support of business and the environment.