by Dr. Phil Garrou, contributing editor
June 8, 2011 – The major IEEE packaging award, the Field Award, was presented June 2nd at the 2011 Electronic Component Technology Conference (ECTC) in Orlando, FL, to Professor Rao Tummala of Georgia Institute of Technology (GA Tech), industrial researcher and educator for his seminal contributions to microelectronics packaging.
The 2011 IEEE Field Award in Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technologies recognizes Tummala’s "pioneering and innovative contributions to package integration research, cross-disciplinary education and globalization of electronic packaging."
Prior to joining GA Tech, he had a 25-year career at IBM pioneering technologies such as low-temperature, co-fired ceramics (LTCC) and polyimide-copper thin-film interconnections. His technology developments resulted in IBMs first 100-chip multichip module.
Tummala, currently director of Georgia Tech’s 3D Systems Packaging Research Center, has provided national leadership in making packaging an acceptable "academic subject " by developing courses, curricula, textbooks, and degrees. His 1989 "Microelectronics Packaging Handbook" introduced packaging to the academic community and his 1997 three volume update still serves as the "packaging bible" to practitioners. While at Georgia Tech he introduced and developed the concept of system-on-package (SOP).
Other IEEE ECTC award recipients include:
2011 IEEE CPMT Outstanding Sustained Technical Contribution Award:
John Lau, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Taiwan
For a decades-long record of developing and communicating packaging platform, material and process advancements through research and development leadership, publications and professional training.
2011 IEEE CPMT Exceptional Technical Achievement Award
Xuejun Fan, Lamar University, USA
For contributions in the area of modeling and characterization of moisture-related reliability in IC packaging, including model development, validation, numerical implementation, test methodology development and design.
2011 IEEE CPMT Electronics Manufacturing Technology Award
Mark Brillhart, Cisco, USA
For developing manufacturing technologies and industry supply chain capabilities in the areas of high-performance ASIC packaging, system in package, 3D and wafer-level packaging of high-speed memory and optics, and advanced coreless organic substrates for high-reliability networking products.