This feels weird, folks. For the first time in 15 years, I didn’t board a flight bound for SEMICON West on the Monday after July 4th. That was expected since the dates got pushed out by two weeks this year. But now that the event will be held virtually, I’m feeling it more. After all, what is July without spending a week in San Francisco in the company of my industry peeps?
But all is not lost. SEMI is doing its best to recreate SEMICON West in the virtual space, with the same high-quality content, as well as a virtual exhibition where you can engage with your peers through live chat in real-time. We will be participating with a 3D InCites virtual booth, and I’ll be viewing the keynotes and executive panels from the comfort of my home office.
It all kicks off Monday, July 20th at 10 am PT. An All-In Pass ($299 for members and $399 for non-members) gets you live programming from July 20-23, 2020 as well as continual 24/7 access to all programs and exhibitors for an additional 60 days. The Expo pass is free and allows you to visit the virtual exhibits in the halls and SMART Pavilions. That alone could keep you busy for days. Here are some of the highlights to keep in mind.
Improving Responses to Worldwide Challenges
I read SEMI’s press release this morning promoting Virtual SEMICON West, and the above phrase jumped out at me. According to this, “the SEMI team has rallied over 150 semiconductor industry visionaries and government leaders to gather for keynotes, fireside chats, and executive panels to discuss opportunities for improving responses to worldwide challenges.”
Now, SEMI may have already been planning on addressing these topics before the pandemic hit. I don’t know for sure. I do know to celebrate SEMI’s 50th Anniversary was top of mind; and lining up speakers and planning an event of this magnitude takes months of careful preparation. Former Vice President, Al Gore has been listed as a Featured Keynote for a while, which is great, because sustainability is always a timely topic; as is anything to do with Big Data, AI, and Cloud Computing. That’s what he will be talking about with Applied Materials’ Gary Dickerson, and IBM’s John Kelly III. But beyond that, much of what you’ll view was pulled together in the past two months after the world hit tilt, and everything changed.
Therefore, instead of an exciting report about the industry upturn that we all expected to be happening in January, this year’s Market Symposium will focus on the impact of COVID 19 and increasing global tensions; and the Bulls and Bears session will discuss the role microelectronics plays in providing much-needed solutions, respectively.
Additionally, I applaud this team for pivoting to address topics that matter now more than ever, such as changing how we work and adapting to the new norm; as well as critical yet sensitive topics like racial and economic injustice.
Diversity and Inclusion
SEMI’s commitment to Diversity and Inclusion continues, with a full live program that is scheduled to take place on Thursday, July 23, from 10:30-12:30, and three on-demand sessions that will be available throughout the event and beyond. I’m particularly proud to see that three of our 3D InCites Community members (and SemiSisters as well) are participating in this important event: Lam Research, TEL, and FormFactor.
Virtual SEMICON West 2020 Technology Talks
Did I mention there’s enough content here to keep you busy for days? From advanced manufacturing and heterogeneous integration to reliability and test, and all the applications space our industry touches, there is truly something for everyone. Check out this sneak preview for all the details so you can plan your experience.
One advantage of a virtual event is the extended time you’ll have to view all the content. Be sure to pace yourself. My plan is to view the ‘live events’ as they occur during the morning hours and visit the exhibits when they are “staffed” — from 9-3 pm daily (except Monday – 10 am-12 pm) and browse the rest as my schedule allows. If you’re attending, be sure to visit our virtual booth where you’ll find video interviews with a number of our 3D InCites Community members. Read more about that here.
