ESTC 2026 Short Courses on September 9, 2026

Course leader: Tamara Bechtold, Steinbeis Transfer Center, Germany

Tamara Bechtold obtained her PhD in microsystem simulation from the University of Freiburg, Germany, in 2005. Between 2006 and 2010, Dr.Bechtold worked as a research engineer for Philips Research Laboratories and NXP Semiconductors in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The objective of her research work was to enhance the standard IC design flow through model order reduction and optimization modules. From 2011 to 2014 she acted as an interim Professor for microsystems simulation at the University of Freiburg, Germany and since 2014 as a lecturer and research group leader at the University of Rostock, Germany. Since 2017 Dr. Bechtold is a full professor for mechatronic systems at Jade University of Applied Sciences in Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Since 2022 she is a managing director of Steinbeis Transfer Center.

Dr.Bechtold is author or co-author of over 150 technical publications in the area of modelling and simulation of micro-mechatronic systems, the lead author of the textbook “Fast Simulations of Electro-Thermal Microsystems: Efficient Dynamic Compact Models”, published by Springer and the main editor of the textbook “System-Level Modeling of MEMS”, by Wiley-VHC book series on Advanced Micro and Nanosystems. Her research interests cover applications of advanced mathematical methods of model order reduction and topology optimization to engineering problems and a multi-physics modelling on the device- and system-level.

Course leader: Eric Perfecto, IBM Research (retired)

Eric Perfecto has over 40 years of experience working in the development and implementation of C4 and advanced Si packages at IBM and GoblalFoundries. Eric’s responsibilities included UBM and Pb-free solder definition for C4 and u-Pillar interconnect, and yield improvements in C4 and 3D wafer finishing. He holds a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois and a M.S. in Operations Research from Union College. Eric has published over 80 papers, including two best Conference Paper Awards and the 1994 Prize Paper Award from CMPT Trans. on Adv. Packaging. He holds 60 US patents and has been honored with three IBM Outstanding Technical Awards. Eric was the 57th ECTC General Chair in Reno, NV, and the Program Chair at the 55th ECTC. Eric is an IEEE Fellow; an EPS Distinguish Lecturer and EPS VP of Education.

Course leader: Dr. Nikhilendu Tiwary and Dr. Vesa Vuorinen

Dr. Nikhilendu Tiwary received his MTech and PhD from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India in 2012 and 2019, respectively. He did his post-doc in the Electronics Integration and Reliability group at Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland, where he is currently working as a Staff Scientist. His research interests are in advanced packaging design and reliability, advanced substrates for RF and power applications, and UWBG power devices. He has several publications in journals and conference proceedings on the above topics.

Dr. Tiwary is a member of IEEE, IEEE Electronics Packaging Society (EPS), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS) and was a committee member of Young Professionals IEEE Electron Devices Society from mid of 2022 until 2023 and received the Certificate of Achievement from IEEE Electronics Packaging Society in 2022. He is a teacher-in-charge of ‘Heterogeneous Integration’ course at Aalto and was a teacher-in-charge of ‘Design and Analysis of MEMS’ course from 2021-2024. He is also involved in supervision of several master’s and doctoral theses as main and co-supervisor respectively at Aalto University.

Dr. Vesa Vuorinen received his M.Sc. degree 1995 in Materials Science and Engineering and D.Sc. (Tech.) degree in 2006 in the Department of Electronics from the former Helsinki University of Technology. Currently he is working in Aalto University as Principal University Lecturer in the research group of Electronics Integration and Reliability.

During the last decades, his research has focused on materials compatibility in heterogeneous electronic systems. He has also been responsible for teaching physics of failure and reliability assessment in electronics and direct research cooperation with the industrial partners for the last twenty years.  He has contributed to two textbooks dealing with interfacial compatibility issues and thermodynamics of solid-state diffusion as well as authored or co-authored about 80 scientific papers or review articles and about 40 conference papers as well as several book chapters.

Course Leader: Joana Catarina Mendes – Instituto de Telecomunicações, University of Aveiro, Portugal

Co-authors: Christo Bojkov – UT Dallas, USA and Bill Ishii – Sumitomo Electric USA

Joana Catarina Mendes has extensive experience in advanced electronic packaging and thermal management as a researcher at the Institute of Telecommunications, Aveiro, Portugal. Her work focuses on the integration of synthetic diamond into semiconductor devices and packages, addressing heat dissipation challenges in high power density AI, HPC, and RF systems. She has led and contributed to multiple international R&D projects and has authored over 60 peer reviewed publications.

Joana has developed and studied diamond based solutions for heterogeneous integration, including heat spreaders and interfaces for high performance electronics. She is actively involved in the international community, serving on the Steering Committee of the Workshop on Compound Semiconductor Devices and Integrated Circuits held in Europe (WOCSDICE), and as a member of the IEEE ECTC/AMT sub-committee. She also chaired the 2023 and 2024 editions of the IEEE Signal and Power Integrity Workshop.

Christo Bojkov has over 36 years of experience in the semiconductor industry as Director and Senior technologist at multiple leading Integrated Device Manufacturers (IDM). He has managed large engineering groups in the Front End of line (FEOL) and back end of line (BEOL) FAB facilities with focus on heterogeneous integration of Cu interconnects, Pb-free Flip Chip, Cu-pillars with Cu-RDL, CSP Assembly and Test for high-power high-frequency GaN & GaAs mmWave products.

Christo began his career as a Research Fellow at the Universities of Paris (France), Rome (Italy) and at the Max-Planck Institute (Germany). He provides leadership activities as active committee member at IMAPS and IEEE/ECTC. Christo served as Adj. Faculty at the University of Texas at Dallas in Material science and engineering Department and Technical consultant at Center for Engineering Innovations (CEI). Christo received Dr. Eng. degree form Sofia Institute of Technology, and MS from Texas A&M University, College Station, TX in Thin films and Surface Science.

Bill Ishii is Sumitomo Electric USA (Thermal Solutions Group) Marketing and Sales manager, with over 25 years experience in electronic packaging, assembly, and a focus on semiconductor thermal management components. Bill started his microelectronics career with Kyocera handling IC packaging for the high-reliability market, high-power and high-frequency applications. Assembly experience includes wire bond, flip chip, die attach, and SMT. For the past 10 years with Sumitomo, his work centers on advanced thermal management materials with attention to CTE requirements.

Bill is involved with IMAPS as a Symposium track chair, IEEE EPS’ Assembly & Manufacturing Technology committee (AMT/ECTC), and CMSE as a session chair.