IWIPP
International Workshop on Integrated Power Packaging
The first International Workshop on Integrated Power Packaging took place September 17-19 in Chicago, with papers presented by packaging specialists from around the world and individual discussions involving an equally cosmopolitan audience. A highly interactive 37 engineers reveled in the good quality of the papers.
The two-day workshop features an opening morning short course on "Power Packaging - a Systems Perspective" led by workshop chair Krishna Shenai of the University of Illinois at Chicago and Technical Program Chair Douglas Hopkins of the State University of New York at Buffalo. The session delved into developing power electronics technologies using various subsystems and components in power packaging. The instructors emphasized electrical, mechanical and thermal attributes of materials, components, circuits and interconnects into a fully integrated unit.
Three technical sessions occupied the next day and one-half, beginning with a plenary session featuring space power, high and low power and technology highlights. One second day session were concerned with electro-thermal interactions involving modeling and CAD tools as they relate to packaging designs. The final program was devoted to applications and the challenge of high density thermal management.
Between sessions and at an opening reception and lunches and dinner, spirited dialog took place among attendees and presenters.
At the final lunch, Shenai and Hopkins were presented plaques saluting their roles in founding and organizing the first workshop sponsored by the three IEEE Societies - Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology; Industry Applications; and Power Electronics - and by the University of Illinois at Chicago, with technical sponsorship by the IEEE Electron Devices Society and the Power Sources Manufacturers Association.
Plans are being formulated for a second power packaging workshop for late 1999 or early in the year 2000.
-- submitted by Robert Myers, Conference Coordinator