CPMT SUPER BOWL
On January 31, while most engineers were preparing snacks for
the Super Bowl, 21 CPMT volunteers met in Tampa Florida to chart
a course through the many society issues.
President John Stafford called the meeting to order. He declared
the next meeting would be the Saturday right after ECTC, June
5, 1999, in San Diego. Any member with an administrative itch
and time to volunteer is invited. In addition, the fall meeting
is tentatively set for October 3 in the Newark Airport Marriott
Hotel with a possible visit to IEEE Headquarters on October 4.
The winter meeting next year will be on February 6 in Phoenix
to give the West Coast volunteers a shorter trip.
Past President Dennis Olsen updated the Board on the progress
of the CPMT 50th Anniversary planning. The IEEE History Center
has agreed to interview 5-7 veteran engineers of CPMT activities
and produce a CPMT Technology Retrospective booklet and an exhibit
by the turn of the century. Photo and panel versions will also
be available should companies or members want to decorate a wall
with the history that matters. Approximately $18K is being budgeted
for the generation of this source material. The Board established
a list of historical experts from which 5 will be selected for
extensive interviews.
Merrill Palmer reported on the wealth of the Society. IEEE, showing
our Society with a net gain of $218K, finally closed the 1998
financial books. About $130K was expended at the end of the year
to compensate IEEE Publications for our shortfall in transaction
pages. For example, we had promised more than 1000 pages in CPMT
transactions B (Advanced Packaging) and delivered only a little
more than 500. One perception discussed by the Board was that
many submitted papers become lost on the desks of well-meaning
but overloaded reviewers. However, the statistics on length of
time between article submission and publication for CPMT is favorable
compared to other societies. The Board requested a follow-up of
this by the Publication VP.
The individual contributions are Investment income = $162K; periodicals
= $177K; conferences = $181K. The major expenses are committees
= $219K; administration = $63K; newsletter = $18K. IEEE dues may
become unbundled so members only must pay for benefits they want
just as they do on the Society level.
Merrill also reported that after a nail-biting few months last
year, where the CPMT long-term investment lost 10% in paper value,
the long-term worth ended the year at about $2M having gained
about 8% over the 12 month period. (Don't try this at home!)
Much discussion was centered on what new services could we offer
members now that the Society has funding resources. Already new
initiatives in Packaging Education course development with NSF
are underway. Also aggressive programs in CPMT Web building and
membership/chapter development are producing early results.
Hard questions were asked: Is the time for traditional local chapters
over in Europe and the U.S.? Do busy professionals with active
family life really want to meet at a restaurant after work to
hear a talk, or would they prefer to "watch" the talk
with "real-time" presentations on their computer at
home? Is the newsletter hardcopy indispensable or can people learn
to thrive with the Web version instead? More experience and more
volunteers are needed to answer these questions through action
and feedback.
C.P. Wong gave the Technical Vice Presidential report. A new technical
committee, bioelectronic packaging, is chaired by Bob Hubbard
of Medtronic, Inc. with assistance from Ted Tessier. Write-ups
on each of the new TCs are being edited by Marsha Tickman and
will be available soon for those that are ready to engage in "moving
and shaking."
An evening session to be held at ECTC June 2, Wednesday, highlights
the growing thrust within our Society:
RF packaging - Karl Johnson of Motorola
MEMS packaging - Karen Markus of MCNC
Wafer-level packaging - Phil Garrou of DOW Chemical
Microvia Boards - Tom Sarnowski of AMP
Michael Lebby, Chair of TC-10 Fiber Optics and Photonics, described
the structure leading to the strong ECTC 6 sessions on optoelectronics
packaging. He announced a new workshop designed jointly with the
LEOS Society: Fiber Optics/ Photonics/Optoelectronics Assembly,
Packaging, and Manufacturing. This interactive workshop will be
held September 15-17 some place on the high plains (Montana or
Wyoming). Michael also reminded members of the ever more inclusive
Opto-Web site. TC-10 is now geographically balanced; the same
number of volunteers from Asia, Europe, and North America -- more
help is always great.
Rajen Chanchani, Chair of TC-5 Materials, revealed more on his
study of members' need for an extensive database of packaging
material properties. He displayed a recent book and described
the CINDAS Purdue University database. Negotiations for a CPMT
synergistic product have begun.
Craig Gaw, Chair TC-16 RF and Wireless, described the growth in
volunteers. There is still room for more help. The TC Web will
soon be constructed. A plenary talk on RF will be given at ECTC
on June 2.
Ephraim Suhir, Chair of TC-15 New Technology Directions, led a
discussion on the best format to develop directions for CPMT.
Vice President of Administration, Anthony Chan, used his portable
computer to streamline his presentation. He discussed pricing
of conference fees to encourage the joining of CPMT and IEEE.
He is coordinating the documentation of descriptions of each TC.
Tony is attempting to establish a process where each TC nominates
one member for "Young Engineer of the Year."
For the last five years, CPMT has concentrated on globalization.
We must analyze our results and measure progress and find strategy
gaps. C.P. Wong volunteered to head the international relations
volunteer.
Tony Chan is investigating technology and processes that will
make Society volunteer interaction more productive. Web "chat"
areas, international video conferencing, and computer working
presentations were suggested. Connie Swager-D'Egidio suggested
that from her IBM perspective, distance learning would dominate
in the next 10 years. This infrastructure should help Society
administration by allowing natural interaction without travel.
Fellow nominations are due in IEEE headquarters every March 15.
Start a new nomination by taking instruction from "IEEE awards
pages" on the World Wide Web.
Ralph Russell, Chair of Membership and Chapter Development,
announced that CPMT had 3,882 members at the end of 1998. This
was 2.7% increase over 12 months. IEEE, region 8, (Europe) saw
the biggest increase attaining the 700 member mark. Asia is at
600 members and slowly decreasing. We now have 30 local CPMT chapters,
up from 21 in 1996. Hong Kong and the Republics of the Former
Soviet Union account for most of the new chapters. Our chapters
are more active now but each chapter ebbs and flows.
Ralph reports that the longevity program, which sent a letter
of thanks to those members of long standing, resulted in many
responses containing Society history (Thanks!). The membership
and Chapter Development Web pages are under construction by a
university consultant. They will soon be open to the public making
it easier for interested engineers to participate. The board suggested
focus on recruiting CPMT volunteers from the growing ranks of
the contract packaging companies. In FY98, membership expenses
were budgeted for $44.6K.
Kanji Otsuka reported from the Tokyo chapter. He described the
excitement for the upcoming April 21-23 IEMT/IMC Symposium in
Sonic City - Omiya Tokyo, Japan. The theme is "Microelectronics
Packaging Innovation for the New Century." The Tokyo Chapter
has a new Chairman, Professor Noboru Ichinose of the Department
of Materials Science and Engineering at Waseda University, an
expert in ceramic materials. Kanji predicted that close attention
to manufacturing technology would be part of the revival of the
Japanese economy.
James Morris, Vice President of Conferences, announced a workshop,
"Best Practices for Running a Conference," to be held
at this year's ECTC in San Diego. He also started the process
for CPMT support for Poly99 to be held in Paris during December
1999.
Al Puttlitz, Education Vice President, mentioned that there were
9 serious contenders for the 1999 Motorola Graduate Fellowship.
The ECTC session committee will down select to 7 finalists. The
winner will be determined by our review -----committee at the
presentation at ECTC in May. The Board suggests that industrial
support for a Masters Degree in Packaging would also be useful
to our student membership as well as for the Profession.
Al mentioned that 10 short courses were lined up for ECTC. Continued
Education units (CEUs) will be given as will a free lunch for
all participants. Five new courses are included (see elsewhere
in Newsletter). Last year's courses attracted about 370 learners
and resulted in an $80K revenue stream.
There are 2 Education sessions at ECTC. Again, grant competition
will be held based on quality of proposals on packaging curriculum
given.
Al reminded every Board member and every chapter that CPMT now
has 15 distinguished lecturers with travel money support. University
IEEE chapters and newly formed CPMT chapters should particularly
benefit.
-- submitted by David Palmer
Figures