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Women have made significant contributions to the dynamic field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). However, throughout history, their presence has been disproportionately low, particularly in sectors like electronics. On the contrary, the importance of women in STEM fields, specifically electronics, cannot be emphasized enough.
The contributions of women in the electronics industry are multifaceted, encompassing domains like innovation, leadership, and research and development. Women have played a pivotal role in advancing the frontiers of knowledge through their contributions to semiconductor technology, integrated circuits and electronic device advancements. Their varied viewpoints frequently result in inventive resolutions and unorthodox methods of addressing challenges.
Additionally, through mentorship and education, women have significantly contributed to the field’s advancement. They participate in fostering a more inclusive and diverse community and bridging the gender divide in STEM by motivating the next generation of female engineers and scientists. Mentorship programs and initiatives that specifically target women in the electronics industry are critical in facilitating career progression and talent development.
Moreover, beyond technical proficiency, women’s significance in the electronics industry transcends technical proficiency. A more holistic approach to decision-making is fostered by leadership diversity, which in turn stimulates innovation and positive transformations within organizations. Research has shown that diverse teams solve complex problems with greater innovation, flexibility and, ultimately, success.
Achieving gender parity in STEM fields, including electronics, necessitates the collaboration of numerous stakeholders. This entails the establishment of inclusive work environments, the implementation of policies that promote work-life balance, and the confrontation of stereotypes and prejudices that impede the progress of women in their respective fields.
In an interview with Power Electronics News, Christelle Faucon, VP of sales at Agile Analog, will talk about the role of the semiconductor industry in reshaping the future of our world, with an emphasis on the Global Semiconductor Alliance Women’s Leadership Initiative (GSA WLI), which aims to increase the number of women in leadership roles in STEM and the semiconductor industry.
Power Electronics News: The semiconductor industry is known for its fast-paced innovation. How does Agile Analog stay ahead of the curve in terms of technological advancements and market trends?
Christelle Faucon: At Agile Analog, we have very strong relationships with our global customers and partners, so this informs us about market trends and where technology is going. In particular, you will find us at the key foundry events, where we have in-depth discussions about the direction of the industry. We also have connections with universities and emerging technology startups that help us to stay ahead. And of course, [we have] our own dedicated team of engineers who work hard to ensure we are always innovating and keeping up with the fast pace of change.
PEN: With your tenure at TSMC and GUC Europe, how have you seen semiconductor manufacturing processes evolve over the past decade, and what implications do these changes have for companies like Agile Analog?
Faucon: When I think back to 10 years ago. we were only just beginning to talk about FinFET technology for advanced logic, at 16 nm. Now [the] FinFET is pretty much ubiquitous for these markets, and the industry is in mass production all the way down at 3 nm. Indeed, the major foundries are looking at moving on from FinFET to gate-all-around technology for 2 nm and beyond. There have been similar advances for analog and RF applications, with even high-power BCD nodes at 40 nm. The Agile Analog team is excited by the constant changes across the semiconductor industry, and our solutions are well-suited to helping customers adapt, too. Not only is our unique analog IP technology process agnostic, but each of our IPs is customizable—so power, performance and area can be optimized to match a customer’s specific requirements—and integration is seamless, reducing complexity, time and costs for chip design engineers.
PEN: Mentorship and networking are crucial for professional development. Can you discuss a mentorship experience that had a significant impact on your career, and how do you pay it forward by mentoring others?
Faucon: I started my career as a design engineer, fighting for 0ps violation in my timing report, rewriting my RTL to enable good test coverage or better timing, writing Perl script to automate my design flow from RTL synthesis to layout completion, running RC extraction and developing behavioral models of the DSP. I relished the process of digging to find the root cause of problems and helping to achieve solutions. But after a while, I realized I wanted more: I wanted to see the bigger picture, I wanted to understand what was the benefit of me spending my late evenings removing all timing violations and [I wanted] to understand why this last megahertz was so key for the business.
This is when having a great mentor helped me to get where I am today. I was lucky that I worked for a manager who listened to me, then enabled me to appreciate my strengths and to identify that I was suited for a more commercial role. I will always be very grateful to this mentor, as I have gone on to have a very enjoyable and fulfilling career. And one of the reasons that I became involved in the GSA Women’s Leadership Initiative is because I believe mentoring is so important.
PEN: Could you share some insights into the initiatives you plan to implement through the GSA Women’s Leadership Initiative to empower women in the semiconductor industry?
Faucon: The GSA Women’s Leadership Initiative is committed to empowering women across the global semiconductor industry by championing the creation of impactful programs that celebrate achievements and foster greater diversity. The initiatives include networking events, mentoring and educational activities. The first GSA Women’s Leadership Initiative EMEA event will take place in London on March 13—the Women in Semiconductors Conference—on Day 1 of the GSA International Semiconductor Conference. This aims to inspire women by sharing insights from some of those who have succeeded in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
PEN: How does the GSA WLI hope to increase the number of women in leadership roles in light of the fact that the semiconductor industry is always changing and progressing?
Faucon: March 4 is World Engineering Day. I find it so disappointing that less than 30% of engineering graduates are women and quite shocking that less than 5% of leadership positions in the semiconductor industry are held by women. That’s why I am keen to support the work of the GSA WLI. Over the last decade, there has been a surge in electronic devices that are changing everyday lives: IoT, healthcare sensors, monitoring systems. The GSA WLI wants to highlight that women have an important part to play in driving innovation, and the mentoring programs are focused on encouraging more women to put themselves forward for leadership roles.
PEN: Given your extensive experience in technical and commercial roles across various semiconductor companies, what trends do you foresee shaping the future of the semiconductor industry, particularly in terms of diversity and innovation?
Faucon: I am fortunate to have experience that spans different sides of the semiconductor sector. At TSMC, I gained an in-depth technical understanding of foundries, and at GUC, I saw a senior leadership commercial perspective. Now at Agile Analog, I am dealing with a variety of global customers and novel application areas, such as HPC [high-performance computing], IoT, AI, automotive and aerospace. Analysts are predicting that there will be some growth across the semiconductor industry in 2024. I foresee that this will be driven in part by greater demand for HPC, especially with an increase in ICs for AI. There is a need for talented electronics engineers, and diversity is crucial in order to fulfill this.
PEN: What advice would you give to aspiring women professionals who are navigating their careers in the semiconductor industry, especially those facing challenges related to gender diversity and inclusion?
Faucon: The best advice I can offer to young female engineers is to be confident in your own abilities. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. Embrace every opportunity to try new things and take the initiative. Speak up. The semiconductor industry is such an exciting place to work. There are companies creating groundbreaking technology and applications that could help address many of the world’s problems, such as serious health and environmental issues. Diversity and equality are critical—if men and women work together, we will be more effective and we will deliver successful solutions for society.
The post Agile Analog’s Christelle Faucon: ‘Diversity and Equality Are Critical’ appeared first on Power Electronics News.
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