IMAPS

IMAPS: Bringing together the entire microelectronic supply chain

Have you been considering an engineering graduate program, but haven’t decided on a specific path? The International Microelectronics and Packaging Society, IMAPS, is a way to move forward in the world of engineering research.

Founded in 1967, IMAPS is the leading international microelectronics and electronic packaging society with professional members in 23 North American chapters and 21 international chapters.

The largest society of its kind, “IMAPS produces numerous publications, workshops, international conferences, exhibitions… Our events and products focus on those technologies critical to the present and future of microelectronics,” according to the IMAPS website.

The UA chapter is the only IMAPS in Arkansas and one of the few in the region, making it difficult for chapters to collaborate.

“The closest chapters would be the Chicago (and) the Austin chapters,” IMAPS Vice President Ranjith John said. “However, we do collaborate with as many other organizations (and departments) on campus as we can.”

While working on his masters in Microelectronics, he joined IMAPS in 1999. He enjoyed the collaboration that IMAPS provided with others in his field and decided to earn his PhD on the same campus.

“IMAPS was initially a research-based organization. The 90's saw exponential growth in semiconductors and…in electronic packaging,” John said. “HiDEC was the only facility on campus which served the purpose of providing electronics packaging expertise to students and industries.

“Over the years we have seen that involving the local community (is) beneficial to the awareness the total student community.

“The goal for IMAPS has always been the same--exceptional research.”

In the past 10 years, IMAPS has increased its student awareness and involvement in community.

Corey Thompson, IMAPS President, joined a couple of years ago when he switched from Mechanical Engineering to an interest in research packaging and used it as a way to get involved in the field.

Officers

Students form research opportunity by working with professors, so they are vital resources to research-centered RSOs.

Professors Bill Brown and Len Schaper began the UA IMAPS chapter in the late 90s, while involved with HiDEC. Since then, both have retired, but a professor’s job is never quite finished.

“Schaper pops up every now and then to check on us (and) Brown helps advise Ranjith on his PhD,” Thompson said. “They guide us.”

UA Professor Ajay Malshe now advises IMAPS.

Tristan Evans, electrical engineering major, is the organization’s Treasurer and officers are hoping to fill the position of secretary sometime this year.

Membership

IMAPS is made up of 33 members, mostly graduate students, with a few undergraduates and PhD candidates mixed in.

“Graduate students have more exposure to research, (so they’re more likely to be interested in IMAPS,)” John said.

There are no official requirements, only dues for members that attend symposiums. Part of this stems from the schedule of students and the general informality of the group.

“Scheduling is a nightmare for (pooling) graduate students,” Thompson said. “If you’re interested, you’re going to be involved in the group, but we won’t make you.”

The lack of undergraduates in this RSO has no significance to level of research.

“We had a poster competition in the group and had an undergraduate (student) place second,” Thompson said. “It was judged (fairly) by some of our professors and included a cash prize $100 for first place and $50 for second.”

John stressed that the group is universal because microelectronics and packaging has so many sects within it.

“We have people that are interested in any part of microelectronics. It’s about any novel thing that you’re working on,” he said.

Events

“We have three meetings per semester, mostly taken up by the lectures we have,” Thompson said.

IMAPS also hosts a guest lecturer and a couple of faculty lectures to discuss research.

An attractive feature for undergraduate students is that “our guest lecture is a way to learn about the industry (before you get there.)”

Previous speakers were the former IMAPS president Greg Caswell and Dr. Meyya Meyyappan from NASA Ames Research.

“This semester we are hoping to bring in two speakers, one is current President and CEO of a small business and the other is Vice President of Research for a technology company,” Thompson said.

Volunteering

During the summer, IMAPS members volunteer for the College of Engineering Welcome Center high school student camps and the solar boat races.

“We don’t count it as service hours, because it’s (mostly) a community event for the group,” Thompson said.

The summer service events come at a good time for IMAPS members, who are in Fayetteville year-round, unlike many undergraduates. For them, it’s a chance to get to know each other more.

IMAPS poster sessions are discussions centered on the members’ research, but the main meetings of the year focus on the bigger picture.

“Corey is interested in materials. I’m interested in packaging, which is much more interdisciplinary,” John said. “(IMAPS) is a way to see what is out there, what other people are working on and a way for different backgrounds to work together.”

Members of the Society represent every discipline and specialty in the electronics industry and include both technical and marketing professionals, according to the IMAPS website.

Annual IMAPS Symposium

IMAPS president has always gone to the symposium, but John and Thompson are hoping to get more members involved this year. Both are attending and emphasized how easily accessible funding is to students. The IMAPS national office awards scholarships for the symposium cost to students presenting papers there.

“One of the greatest opportunities that I have had since joining IMAPS is the chance to network with professionals in the field of electronic packaging,” he said.

“When we represent the U of A student chapter at the Symposium, the booth is visited by hundreds of professionals from every corner of the electronics packaging field. The people that you meet will eventually end up being the people sitting across from you in an interview.”