talent

Spotlight on SEMI Women is excited to recognize Q4 2018 honoree Ellie Yieh from Applied Materials!Spotlight on SEMI Women recognizes and celebrates accomplished women working in the global microelectronics industry. Nominees include women who are beacons of knowledge, leaders of organizations and initiatives, hidden heroes and innovators in our industry. They are volunteers, protectors, intellectual disruptors and activists. SEMI’s Diversity Inclusion Board works with our member companies to shine a spotlight on these amazing women. Learn how you can nominate a woman for Spotlight on SEMI Women.Ellie Yieh has been a trailblazer at Applied Materials since she began her career with Applied in 1989 as a process engineer in the Chemical Vapor Deposition group. Ellie’s contributions have made a lasting impact on the business and she continues her path of innovation as corporate vice president for Advanced Product Technology Development. Ellie is responsible for the company’s state-of-the-art Maydan Technology Center and works closely with customers and business units to drive advanced product development and technology roadmaps. In addition, Ellie leads R D for developing new memory and logic innovations that will drive future business opportunities for Applied. In 2018 she was named an Applied Materials Fellow, the company’s highest honor for outstanding technical achievement. She is also a board member of Applied Ventures, LLC, the company’s venture capital arm.During her 30 years at Applied, she has led the development of several successful products and enabled her teams to deliver growth in profitability and market share, while building strong customer relationships and developing innovative technologies. Of note is Ellie’s leadership in developing industry-leading Gapfill technologies to address the increasingly important shallow trench isolation and inter-layer dielectric applications for denser pitches. Further, Ellie spearheaded the adoption of Applied’s low-k Producer® Black Diamond® system, helping to develop and introduce a robust, low-k film that could withstand both the newly adopted copper back end-of-line and packaging integration challenges.st honor for outstanding technical achievement. She is also a board member of Applied Ventures, LLC, the company’s venture capital arm.Ellie’s journey in technology began when she immigrated to the U.S. from Taiwan at the age of 15 with her family. She quickly stood out due to her stellar academic performance in math and science. Her academic excellence landed her at UC Berkeley’s College of Chemistry. Ellie’s adaptability as an Asian female became crucial as she navigated a field dominated by male engineers. She received a B.S. in chemical engineering from UC Berkeley and now holds more than 100 semiconductor engineering patents. In 2016 she was inducted into the Women in Technology International (WITI) Hall of Fame for outstanding contributions to the scientific and technological communities. She was also named one of the 2015 “Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology” by the National Diversity Council.Ellie has also been spending time championing for woman engineers. She is a member of the advisory boards for UC Berkeley’s College of Chemistry and the Silicon Valley Women in Engineering group at San Jose State University.Ellie finds working in the semiconductor industry rewarding because “the technical challenges come like clockwork so we are always on our toes working on the next problem and the next solution. I enjoy each of the challenges to put the puzzle together. It’s a team sport; we are all dependent on each other to win and when we look at a problem I am just another engineer on the team trying to solve the problem. But I am also responsible for setting higher level direction for priorities, objectives and vision. It has been very fun for me and I love what I do.”Cristina Sandoval is manager of Workforce Development at SEMI.

Tensions between the U.S. and China have reached fever pitch as the Trump administration imposed higher tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods last Monday, adding to the $50 billion in goods hit with higher duties earlier this year. Bloomberg News reported that “the combined $250 billion in products facing levies is almost half the value of imports from China last year.”China countered by meting out stiffer tariffs on $60 billion in U.S. goods, on top of the $50 billion already levied, and canceling planned trade negotiations with the Trump administration.Days before the sharp escalation of the trade conflict, SEMI president and CEO Ajit Manocha joined SEMI China president Lung Chu in hosting a closed-door round table with 16 senior semiconductor industry executives in Shanghai. The goal: An update from the China semiconductor sector on its needs as the chip industry braces to weather the conflict. Manocha and Chu then met with influential China media outlets including Semiconductor Manufacturing, China Integrated Circuit, Silicon Semiconductor and IC Café to reiterate SEMI’s position on trade.“The basic principles of SEMI are free and fair trade, open markets, cooperation for mutual benefit, and protection of intellectual property rights,” Manocha told the reporters. “Tariffs and trade frictions are bound to harm the industry’s development.”Manocha highlighted efforts over the past few months by the SEMI advocacy team to educate U.S. policymakers on the impact of tariffs on the development of the semiconductor industry. Last month, the office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) held a hearing in Washington, D.C. to solicit public comment on then-proposed tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports to the U.S. Testifying on behalf of the semiconductor industry, SEMI stressed that tariffs on more than 100 tariff lines covering items critical to semiconductor manufacturing “will harm companies in the semiconductor supply chain by increasing business costs, introducing uncertainty, and stifling innovation.” SEMI had testified twice before this year – the first time in May, opposing levies on $34 billion in Chinese goods, and the second in July to speak out against higher duties on $16 billion worth of Chinese products.SEMI China president Lung Chu made clear the consensus of China’s semiconductor sector: The trade war will profoundly impact the global semiconductor industry. He also stressed that SEMI, as a global industry organization linking the global electronic semiconductor industry chain, will continue to promote win-win cooperation between the U.S. and China.Manocha reaffirmed SEMI’s longstanding commitment to promote cooperation among nations and policies that foster industry growth.“For the growth of the semiconductor industry, SEMI is focused on four important factors, and we call them the 4 T’s, namely Tax, Technology, Talent, Trade,” Manocha told the media. “All are indispensable for the development of the industry.” SEMI president and CEO Ajit Manocha and SEMI China president Lung Chu host press conference in Shanghai.Because the semiconductor industry is international, with key features spread across a number of regions, cross-border cooperation is an eternal theme, Chu told the gathering. To maintain the vitality of China's semiconductor industry, the region must deepen its integration with the international semiconductor ecosphere. He acknowledged that there will be no quick answers to easing trade tensions between the U.S. and China but that SEMI would continue to press ahead in efforts to help improve relations. Despite the conflict, the industry remains optimistic about the growth of China’s semiconductor industry, he said."However, we need to face up to the fact that there is still a certain gap between the domestic semiconductor industry and that of international advanced level,” Lu said. “Therefore, international cooperation is the key to industry growth."Of the four cornerstones of the semiconductor industry – design, manufacturing, testing and equipment materials – China in recent years has narrowed the gap with its international counterparts in testing capabilities, Chu said. For China’s semiconductor industry to flower, the region must build strengths in design, manufacturing and materials too.“The semiconductor industry needs long-term investment, persistence and patience, and also needs win-win cooperation, continuous innovation and product applications across the entire industry,” Chu said. “Money is not the only incentive.”Manocha emphasized the theme of international cooperation, with the global semiconductor industry working in harmony.“The global semiconductor industry chain is inseparable, and each region has its own advantages,” Manocha said. “So, we will continue to work hard to create a win-win, inclusive global industrial atmosphere.”For its part, SEMI China is focused on becoming the best partner for China to realize its semiconductor dream by continuing to provide services that encourage international cooperation. That role will grow in importance with SEMI’s expansion into application areas such as smart manufacturing, smart transportation, smart data and smart automotive – all requiring tighter integration of the electronics industry supply chain.Cherry Sun is a marketing manager at SEMI China.

SEMI has launched a mentoring program that pairs seasoned industry professionals with university students and professionals wanting to advance their careers. The program is designed to help tackle the semiconductor industry’s workforce shortfall and prepare the next generation of innovators. Under the program, SEMI members with years of professional experience share their knowledge with developing talent and help build their professional networks as they embark on their careers in the microelectronics industry.As the microelectronics manufacturing industry faces increasing challenges in recruiting, training and retaining a diverse pool of highly skilled talent to sustain the remarkable pace of innovation globally, SEMI has made workforce development a top strategic priority. Globally, the industry is confronted with more than 10,000 job vacancies.To help build the workforce of the future, SEMI has rolled out industry-wide programs to address a chief reason for the workforce shortage – increasing competition from other technology sectors. The initiatives include enhancing industry awareness of the industry’s critical need for talent, increasing the representation of women, and supporting young professionals and university students soon to be making important career decisions. The new SEMI Mentoring Program builds on those initiatives by guiding the next generation of innovators.With mentoring a proven method to develop talent, SEMI has contracted with Chronus – an experienced provider of a software mentoring platform tailored to support the SEMI Mentoring Program.SEMI Mentoring Program: Roles and Responsibilities This is a formal relationship in which mentors guide mentees in their professional development. The mentor will answer questions and take a personal interest in, guide, encourage, and support the mentee. The mentor will meeting monthly with the mentee and follow up as needed. The mentee will set up the first meeting to discuss professional goals, topics he or she would like to cover and timing for subsequent. Both mentor and mentee will commit to remain connected for at least six months. Frequently Asked Questions Q: How are meetings conducted?A: Mentors and mentees can meet face-to-face or virtually, but should meet for a minimum of one hour once a month for six months.Q: How are goals set?A: The mentor and the mentee agree on goals during their first meeting. The mentee is responsible for arranging meetings, preparing the agendas, and any other pre-meeting work. This will ensure that the discussions touch on the topics that matter most to the mentees.Q: What happens once the six months are up?A: You can continue an unofficial relationship if both parties agree, or you can search for a new mentor or mentee by reapplying through your mentor profile.Q: What is SEMI’s role?A: SEMI is here to help match you based off your preferences, facilitate the relationship, provide materials to guide your experience, and help resolve any program or platform related issues.Q: What are the program eligibility requirements for mentors?A: A mentor must be an employee of a SEMI member organization with a minimum of five years’ professional experience to mentor a university student, or seven years’ professional experience to mentor a developing professional.Q: What are program eligibility requirements for mentees?A: Developing Professional Program Developing professional, 0-7 years in their career Employed by a SEMI member organization University Program At minimum, a rising junior enrolled in a university program (students through PhD level accepted) Completing a STEM major Within 6 months of graduation if currently out of school and seeking employment Preferred: Interest in the microelectronics industry Q: Why be a mentee?A: Learn from an experienced industry professional and accelerate your professional development.Q: Why be a mentor?A: Being a mentor will allow you to grow as a leader while giving you the rewarding experience of guiding someone’s growth path firsthand. Join us in shaping the future of our industry by becoming a mentor or mentee. Sign up here! For more information about the program, please contact Cristina Sandoval, manager of Workforce Development, at [email protected].