MIDDLETOWN, Pa. ̶ The Center for Signal Integrity at Penn State Harrisburg will host the 17th annual Combined Central Pennsylvania Symposium on Signal Integrity and Mid Atlantic Semiconductor Hub (MASH) Forum on Friday, April 19, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Capital Union Building on campus.
Signal integrity involves the quality of electrical signals passing through connectors used in electronic devices such as computers or cellular phones. The Mid-Atlantic Semiconductor Hub is funded by the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act, which was passed by Congress in 2022 with the aim of boosting domestic production of semiconductors and related technologies. One key component of the act is the creation of regional hubs, which will be focused on promoting research, development, and commercialization of semiconductor technologies in specific regions of the U.S.
Participants will have the opportunity to learn from international experts about the latest developments in signal integrity as well as MASH activities to revitalize the semiconductor industry. A workforce workshop will be held to discuss ideas regarding the educational efforts to support the semiconductor and related industries where participants will have the opportunity to exchange ideas with professionals and local business leaders. More details can be found at the symposium webpage.
Welcoming remarks will be given by David Callejo Pérez, interim chancellor and dean of Penn State Harrisburg. The following speakers are scheduled to present at the symposium:
- Tom Coughlin, 2024 IEEE president and CEO
- Daniel Lopez, MASH and Liang Professor of electrical engineering and computer science, Penn State
- Eric Bogatin, professor, University of Colorado – Boulder and editor-in-chief, The Signal Integrity Journal
- Juan Martinez, staff signal integrity engineer, AMD
- Howard Heck, senior signal integrity engineer, Intel Corporation
Workshops will be presented by Keysight, Rohde & Schwarz, Ansys, and Penn State.
The Center for Signal Integrity is housed within Penn State Harrisburg’s School of Science, Engineering, and Technology and is the only academic unit in the region that is dedicated to partnering with the area’s connector companies in product development through faculty and student research and collaboration.
The Center for Signal Integrity assists Central Pennsylvania’s numerous connector companies with product development by fostering collaboration between them and the college’s engineering faculty and students. The center is partially funded by Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Pennsylvania, Penn State Harrisburg, ANSYS, Amphenol, Samtec, TE-Connectivity, Innovation Transfer Network, and Keysight Technologies.
Known as the “connector capital of the world,” the Harrisburg metropolitan area is home to more than 25 electrical connector companies. Sedig Agili and Aldo Morales, co-directors of the center and electrical engineering faculty members at Penn State Harrisburg, estimate that the region holds about 80 percent of the U.S. connector market and about half of the market worldwide.
The cost for the symposium is $230 for the general public, $186 for member companies and $15 for students. The fee includes breakfast and lunch. For registration or information please visit harrisburg.psu.edu/center-for-signal-integrity/symposium, or contact Aldo Morales at awm2@psu.edu, Sedig Agili at ssa10@psu.edu, or Kelly Batche at kellybatche@psu.edu.
IEEE Susquehanna section is partially sponsoring this year’s symposium.