Si2 Reorganizes, Promotes Two Technologists to Bolster Semiconductor Interoperability Programs

Silicon Integration Initiative, a leading research and development joint venture, has promoted two technologists as part of a reorganization to strengthen semiconductor industry design flow interoperability among its member companies.

Leigh Anne Clevenger, formerly director of OpenStandards, was promoted to vice president of Technology, and Marshall Tiner, formerly director of Production Standards, to senior director of OpenAccess.

John Ellis, president and CEO, said “experts throughout the industry consider interoperability in semiconductor design a primary strategy to accelerate innovation and achieve faster time-to-results and time-to-market. With this reorganization, Si2 positions itself to advance its current interoperability activities and identify new opportunities. Leigh Anne and Marshall have the industry expertise and technical prowess to lead this move forward.”

Since joining Si2 in 2018, Clevenger has established and driven efforts to identify and solve industry needs in applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to electronic design automation tools. She spearheads the demonstration of the Unified Power Model/IEEE-2416 standard and has been the lead developer of the Si2 prototype power calculator. She will continue driving work in AI/ML and UPM in this new role while developing additional Si2 technical activities in interoperability through the new Si2 TITAN council.

Clevenger earned her doctorate at Pace University and has published and presented research on data science, including big data analytics, machine learning algorithms and wearable computing.

Tiner joined Si2 in 2015 after stints with Motorola and IBM, where his responsibilities included design, development, manufacturing, verification, test and management. His product development achievements range from microcontrollers to workstations and liquid-cooled mainframes computers. Tiner was a key contributor in developing one of the first event-based production VLSI test systems and managed the largest install-base in North America.

In his new position, Tiner oversees the development of OpenAccess, the Si2 flagship product and the semiconductor industry’s most widely used database and API for semiconductor design.

About Si2

Si2 is a leading research and development joint venture that provides standard interoperability solutions for IC design tools. Its primary products include OpenAccess, the most widely used, open reference database for IC design, and the Compact Model Coalition, which provides an avenue to fund standard compact SPICE models and standard interfaces for simulation tool interoperability. Si2 activities are carried out under the auspices of the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993, the fundamental law that defines R&D joint ventures and offers them a large measure of protection against federal antitrust laws.

Joydip Das of Samsung Named Si2 Pinnacle Award Winner

Joydip Das, staff engineer at Samsung Austin Research & Development Center in Austin, Texas, has received the quarterly Silicon Integration Initiative Pinnacle Award. This award recognizes volunteers for their exceptional contributions to Si2’s success as a leading semiconductor R&D joint venture.

Das was selected for his contributions to the Si2 AI/ML in EDA Special Interest Group, which he chaired since its creation in October 2019. Under his guidance, the group wrote three white papers, conducted a successful industry survey, offered an AI/ML workshop with over 100 attendees, and delivered five conference papers.

“Joydip has proven to be an exceptional leader, forming subgroups to accomplish deliverables on topics of interest to our member companies. He encourages participation by professors and graduate students, helping the SIG recruit over 20 member companies and universities,” said Leigh Anne Clevenger, Si2 director of OpenStandards.”

Das earned his Ph.D. in Applied Science from the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada. He has publications in peer-reviewed IEEE and ACM journals and conferences.

About the Silicon Integration Initiative

Si2 is a leading research and development joint venture that provides standard interoperability solutions for IC design tools. Its primary products include OpenAccess, the world’s most widely used, open-reference database for IC design, and the Compact Model Coalition, which provides an avenue to fund standard compact SPICE models and standard interfaces for simulation tool interoperability.

Intel, Microsoft, IBM Technologists Elected to Si2 OpenAccess Coalition Leadership Posts

Raymond Rodriguez, director of Strategic CAD Capabilities at Intel, has been elected to a one-year term as
chair of the Silicon Integration Initiative OpenAccess Coalition board of directors. Ben Bowers, principal
design engineer at Microsoft, was elected OAC vice-chair. Gregory Schaeffer, senior software engineer at IBM,
was reelected as the OpenAccess Change Team co-architect.

The board manages operational decisions for OpenAccess, the world’s most widely used open reference
database for IC design. The Change Team manages OpenAccess API modifications and database implementation.

Marshall Tiner, Si2 director of Production Standards, said “Continuing engagement of industry leaders Intel,
Microsoft and IBM bodes well for the coalition’s ongoing role in advancing semiconductor design.
Ray, Ben, and Gregory each bring years of experience and expertise to the OpenAccess board and Change Team.”

Raymond Rodriguez

A 20-year Intel veteran, Rodriguez directs a team that oversees electronic design automation,
intellectual property, test and measurement, and security assurance supplier engagements.
He has been an OAC board member since 2012. His volunteer industry experience includes
general chair of the IEEE Electronic Design Process Symposium (2019-2021) and executive
committee member of the Design Automation Conference (2015-2017). Rodriguez has a BSEE
from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an MBA, Executive Program, from the
W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University.

 

Ben Bowers

Bowers joined Microsoft in 2018 after 11 years at Qualcomm. He is a technical lead on a
Microsoft custom circuit CAD team that focuses on all aspects of the design flow, including
PDKs, circuit design, and simulation to physical design. He earned a BSEE from Louisiana
State University and an MSEE from Mississippi State University. He also holds 25 patents
in circuit design and methodology.

 

 

Gregory Schaeffer

In his time at IBM, Schaeffer has held various development and leadership roles in
timing/noise/electrical analysis and physical design tools and holds 21 patents in
these areas. He is the architect of IBM’s Microprocessor back-end construction methodology
and has been involved with Si2 initiatives since 2009. Schaeffer earned a BS and
MS in Computer Science from Case Western Reserve University in 2002.

 

 

About Si2

Founded in 1988, Si2 is a leading research and development joint venture that provides standard
interoperability solutions for integrated circuit design tools. All Si2 activities are carried out under
the auspices of The National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993, the fundamental
law that defines R&D joint ventures and offers them a large measure of protection against federal
antitrust laws. The Si2 international membership includes semiconductor foundries, fabless
manufacturers, and EDA companies.

Si2 Elects Board Members for 2019-2020

Silicon Integration Initiative, a leading research and development joint venture that provides standard interoperability solutions for integrated circuit design tools, announced today the election of the 2019-2020 board of directors. Board members will be introduced at the Si2 Member Meeting and Reception during the Design Automation Conference, June 3, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m., Las Vegas Westgate Hotel, Ballroom F.

Joining the Si2 Board this year is:

  • ANSYS—Vic Kulkarni, vice president and Chief Strategist, ANSYS Inc.

Re-elected board members are:

  • Cadence Design Systems—Stanley Krolikoski, fellow, Strategic Alliances
  • GLOBALFOUNDRIES—Richard Trihy, vice president, Design Enablement
  • Google—Roger Carpenter, Hardware Engineer
  • IBM—Leon Stok, vice president, Electronic Design Automation Technologies
  • Intel—Rahul Goyal, vice president, Technology and Manufacturing Group and director, Research and Development Strategic Enabling
  • Mentor, a Siemens Business—Mick Tegethoff, director of Product Marketing for Analog/Mixed-Signal/RF IC Verification Solutions
  • Qualcomm Technologies—Udi Landen, vice president of Engineering
  • Samsung Electronics—Seungbum Ko, vice president, Electronics Design Technology Team
  • Synopsys—David DeMaria, vice president, Corporate Marketing
  • Texas Instruments—Keith Green, distinguished member of the technical staff, Analog Technology Development

Details on the Si2 Member Meeting and Reception and other Si2 DAC activities are available at https://si2.org/dac_2019/

Si2 Launches Effort to Standardize New IC Design Language

Silicon Integration Initiative Inc. (Si2), a research and development joint venture providing standard interoperability solutions for IC design tools, has launched a working group to standardize a new, formal declarative language that greatly simplifies finding and correcting design flaws in complex, leading-edge chip designs early in a design flow. Named OPAL (Open Pattern Analysis for Layout), […]