IEEE SEMI-THERM Symposium to Feature Dr. Alfonso Ortega as Keynote Speaker

Dr. Alfonso Ortega, the James R. Birle Professor of Energy Technology and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research, will headline the international Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) 28th annual Semiconductor Thermal Management and Measurement Symposium (SEMI-THERM) when it kicks off in March in San Jose, Calif., as its keynote speaker.

Dr. Ortega will present a keynote address entitled “The Energy Costs of Cooling Electronic Systems: Reflections on Past Lessons and Future Opportunities.” Traditionally, the SEMI-THERM keynote speaker is an internationally recognized leader in the field of electronics thermal management who is asked to reflect on large ideas and trends in the industry. Dr. Ortega, who has worked in this arena for more than 20 years, has been previously recognized by the SEMI-THERM Symposium with its 2003 Thermi Award, the Symposium’s most prestigious honor, awarded annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the field.

“I am honored to be asked to kick off this year’s SEMI-THERM. Since coming to Villanova in 2005, I have been working to merge my research in electronics thermal management with emerging research in energy technology on a more global scale. The energy consumed by the electronics and the IT industry is growing rapidly,” says Dr. Ortega. “This will be a great opportunity to represent the College of Engineering to leaders and decision-makers in the thermal management, semiconductor, and electronic equipment industries. I also look forward to introducing Villanova’s involvement with the new National Science Foundation-sponsored Industry/University Collaborative Research Center in Energy-Efficient Electronic Systems (IUCRC E3S), awarded to the College in 2011. The work that our students and faculty in the thermal-fluids research cluster are doing in the E3S should be of value and interest to this audience.”

The E3S center brings together faculty members from the College of Engineering and collaborators from Binghamton University, the University of Texas at Arlington, and Georgia Tech with corporate partners who rely on the smooth and reliable performance of the data centers that help them conduct business. Partners include Microsoft, Verizon Wireless, and Bloomberg, among many others. The goal of research conducted by the E3S center is to develop innovations that will make data centers more efficient and sustainable. The research center’s holistic approach to energy efficiency development – linking the fields of information technology, telecommunications, electronic systems and cooling equipment – could translate into millions of dollars in savings and a much “greener” industry.

In addition to presentations by academic and industry experts, SEMI-THERM offers a number of educational and networking programs. According to the IEEE, “SEMI-THERM is dedicated to providing an informal atmosphere, which highlights the latest advances in the field. The technical program, including papers, tutorials and short courses, is…presented in a spirit of lively exchange and collegiality. While the symposium continues to evolve to maintain its currency, the goals of technical excellence and premier position among the technical gatherings in electronics cooling remain constant.”