I have attended my share of DEI and allyship-focused events in the past few years attended by both women and men. In fact, I have moderated a few and recorded several for the 3D InCites podcast. But this was my first SEMI Women in Semiconductors (SEMI WIS) event, and it was powerful.
When 100 (give or take) smart, educated, and professional women gathered this week to talk about the importance of allyship in creating a workplace culture that fosters diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, something incredible happened: The 10 (give or take) equally, smart, educated, and professional men who joined them sat up and listened. And they were amazed. In fact — to quote Anand Nambiar, CCO of EMD Electronics, a division of Merck KGAA Darmstadt Germany — they were humbled.
Now if only those 10 men could take what they learned, share it with their peers, and they all became allies, we’d truly be getting somewhere. In fact, when I described the event to my assistant, Sarah Wood, she compared it to the Barbie Movie message: Women and men of all colors collaborating can accomplish so much more than they can on their own BECAUSE of the diversity not in spite of it.
Allyship through leadership
Applied Materials’ Regina Freed, set the tone of the day by turning her keynote talk into a question-and-answer session after a brief introduction. One of a few women who have smashed the glass ceiling as VP of AIx™ Solutions at Applied Materials, Freed said despite her success, she still feels uncomfortable being a woman in the semiconductor industry. She realized she was always trying to fit in with the men, and that was wrong. So she started wearing a dress to work. It’s her way of making a statement: she doesn’t need to look or act like a man to be a leader in the semiconductor industry.
Freed claimed her power by being herself, and she encouraged all of us to do the same. In her role as VP, Freed wrote her own playbook – insisting on a flexible work schedule so she could be both a successful executive and a hands-on mom. She proved that people should be paid not for how much time they sit at their desks, but for what they deliver.
“It’s ridiculous that productivity is measured in hours, versus what you accomplish,” said Freed. She brings this ethic to her own team and says they have accomplished more in the past year than other teams in the previous five years. She might just be my hero.
What Does Allyship Mean?
The topic of the day was Bridging the Gender Gap Through Allyship. The level of engagement and interaction between the speakers and the audience made this panel discussion stand out. Oftentimes with panels, the questions and answers are so prepared, that there doesn’t leave room for conversation. Not this time.
Never have I seen a panel moderator read the room as well as SEMI Foundation’s Shari Liss. After seeing the audience’s response to Freed’s keynote, she went with it, asking only three of her prepared questions before opening it up to a town hall format.
The questions and comments came flooding in from both the in-person and online attendees. And they weren’t softballs that allowed us to pat each other on the back for how far we’ve come. They were hard and sobering and spoke to the very real issues that continue to exist after decades of trying to turn the tide of male dominance in the semiconductor industry.
Among the sad realities:
- Many women who join the industry as engineers pivot to HR and marketing roles. Women are often seen as too emotional and indecisive to be considered for executive roles.
- In fact, only 2% of semiconductor manufacturing companies in the world have women CEOs.
- How companies hire and promote is still based on how men operate, which makes it difficult to attract more women to the industry.
- In the downturn, DEI initiatives were among the first to be cut from the budgets, despite all the data that shows a diverse and inclusive workforce creates productivity and improves the bottom line.
The panel rose to the occasion. Kate Dei Cas, EMD; Antoinette Hamilton, Lam Research, KT Moore, Cadence; and HsinYu (Sidney) Tsai, IBM Almaden Center, shared personal stories and offered candid advice and reality checks.
Here’s what resonated most with me:
- Dei Cas’s story about how she can be overcome by emotion when she talks about her team, she is so proud of them. But this is her superpower. She says being emotional creates more connections with her team and makes her more authentic in her leadership.
- Tsai’s aha moment from a former CEO who told her that growth and comfort never co-exist, so you need to go for growth. She advised self-advocacy and choosing to work with inclusive leaders.
- Moore’s comment that allyship isn’t gender specific – it’s incumbent on everyone to do the right next thing. DEI shouldn’t be an add-on – it should be included in all budgets and embedded in a company’s fabric. He advises not trying to fit in, but rather being comfortable being yourself. Be a better ally. Just like Carnegie Hall, the only way to get there is to PRACTICE.
- Hamilton’s practical tips for companies to be better allies: Make it a requirement not to have “manels” at conferences (panels of all men). This makes it possible to draw in participants from different organizational levels. If DEI is under attack, companies need to stay the course. “Use your voice, even if it trembles,” she said, citing a favorite quote.
In his closing remarks, SEMI CEO Ajit Manocha applauded the work of the SEMI Foundation and said he thinks we need more events like this, but he pointed out a sobering reality: If we want to see change, we need to start at the top. He suggested that at future events, we put the CEOs – both men and women – in the hot seat.
“Put them on the panel and ask them the same questions we asked today. They will go back, think about it, and do something about it,” he said. “This is a global problem that requires global solutions.” He committed to working alongside policymakers and industry leaders to make DEI a priority.
Hamilton wrapped it up with this mic drop moment, credited to her mother: when all else fails, “Always remember that THIS PLACE is part of your journey. It’s not your destination.” Because at the end of the day, we are each in charge of our destiny. If the company you work for does not provide an environment of diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging that you need to thrive, and they are resistant to change then move on. Because there are companies that are doing better, and they are looking for people like us.
