SEMI, the industry association serving the global semiconductor and electronics design and manufacturing supply chain, announced the recipients of the North America Standards International Awards, presented on October 7 at SEMICON West 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. Leaders from across the microelectronics industry were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the SEMI Standards Program that guide today’s semiconductor manufacturing processes. Award winners received accolades in one of five distinct categories.
The Merit Award
The 2025 Merit Award was presented to five individuals who made significant contributions to the semiconductor industry through the SEMI Standards Program, leading projects to successful completion at the task force level.
Dave Dunne of Applied Materials is an active member of the North America Fab & Equipment Computing and Device Security (CDS) Task Force. Dunne was instrumental in developing two new SEMI cybersecurity standards, SEMI E191 and SEMI E191.1. These standards outline the required status information for each computing device to help factories evaluate their cybersecurity risk. Dunne also participated in creating SEMI cybersecurity standards E187 and E188, which provide crucial cybersecurity feedback from the equipment supplier perspective.
Kirsten Smith and Tommaso Orzali of UCT/ChemTrace and ASML, respectively, worked closely with the Critical Chamber Components (CCC) Task Force to create SEMI E194 and SEMI E195. Both standards experienced multiple revisions before they were finally published earlier this year to address CCC contamination. Smith and Orzali are now leading the development of a new overarching document that offers guidance on the best CCC assessment methods across multiple applications.
Dr. Tyler Harrison and Dr. Mary Ann Maher of Teledyne MEMS and SoftMEMS, respectively, were instrumental in advancing SEMI MS15 to completion after an arduous year of revisions. SEMI MS15 emphasizes best practices to help MEMS development teams meet performance, cost, quality, and time-to-market goals. This crucial standard helps reduce risks, promote efficiency, and accelerate commercialization in the MEMS industry.
The Leadership Award
The Leadership Award is earned by those who have strengthened the SEMI Standards program through member recruitment, training, and mentoring. These individuals have been essential in transforming new volunteers into positive committee contributors by guiding them through the standardization process flow.
Michael Potts of Arcadis is a member of the North America Regional Standards Committee (NARSC), chairs the SEMI Standards Facilities North America Global Technical Committee, and led the Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Semiconductor Capital Task Force, now known as the Manufacturing Equipment Installation Task Force. Potts was critical for developing the newly published SEMI F122, which offers a standardized format for creating 3D BIMs of semiconductor equipment. This standard aims to help manufacturers utilize digital twins to boost efficiency and reduce costs.
David Kandiyeli of KINETICS Equipment Solutions Group is a member of the NARSC and co-chairs the SEMI Standards Liquid Chemicals North America Global Technical Committee. Kandiyeli has written and revised many fundamental standards, including SEMI F31 for bulk chemical distribution systems, SEMI F39 for chemical blending systems, and SEMI F41 for qualification of bulk chemical distribution systems, among many others. Kandiyeli has also contributed heavily to several slurry standards, most notably SEMI C96, SEMI C99, and SEMI C101.
Per Nelson of Daikin America is a member of the NARSC, co-chairs the SEMI Standards Liquid Chemicals North America Global Technical Committee, and co-leads the High Purity Polymer Materials and Components Task Force. He actively participated in writing and revising core standards like SEMI C69 and SEMI C90, alongside other fundamental chemical standards.
These leaders have the ability to build consensus among stakeholders with differing perspectives demonstrating their exceptional leadership, patience, and commitment to advancing the SEMI Standards program.
The Honor Award
The Honor Award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated long-term dedication to advancing SEMI Standards. The following industry leaders have served the program consistently over several years.
Steve Martell of Nordson Test & Inspection Americas has participated in the SEMI Standards Program for more than 20 years, when the first MEMS standards were being authored. Martell’s extensive experience in the program has helped drive many widely used standards to completion, and he remains a key force in pushing topics through the SEMI Standards process. He is a member of the NARSC, chairs the MEMS/NEMS North America Global Technical Committee, and regularly acts as chair for the 3D Packaging & Integration (3DP&I) North America Committee.
Lucian Girlea of Nikon Precision has been a consistent and active participant in various Environmental, Health, and Safety (EH&S) standards task forces. He currently serves as a leader for the Manufacturing Equipment Safety Subcommittee (MESSC), a position he has held for over six years. A core focus area for the MESSC is safety interlocks, where Girlea recognized the need for greater harmonization and consistent terminology. In response to this, he launched the SEMI S2 Safety Interlock Task Force, which later became the SEMI S2 Major Revision Task Force.
Dave Huntley of PDF Solutions has led the Single Device Traceability (SDT) Task Force for over five years. He was instrumental in the development of SEMI T26, a new standard published in September 2025, which helps increase supply chain transparency by utilizing ledgers to track the status of various equipment parts.
Corporate Device Member Award
The Corporate Device Member Award honors those who act as corporate representatives for the SEMI Standards Program from the device manufacturer side. Individuals who receive this award are participants from the user community who garner support for SEMI Standards.
Stefan Radloff of Intel has been participating in the SEMI Standards Program for over 28 years. He leads the Film Frame FOUP Task Force and co-leads the Next Generation Assembly/Test Material Handling Japan Task Force. Radloff has consistently driven results through his extensive industry experience, spearheading the development of several standards in the SEMI Equipment Automation Software & Hardware (E) volume. Radloff has supported core standards like SEMI E84 for carrier handoff, as well as recent advanced packaging standards like SEMI E193 that specify physical dimensions for 300mm Film Frame FOUPs.
Technical Editor Appreciation Award
The Technical Editor Appreciation Award recognizes technologists with highly developed language skills. Individuals who earn this award are adept at translating complex technical information into clear and precise expression.
Dr. Alissa M. Fitzgerald of A.M. Fitzgerald & Associates contributed her technical expertise to help drive the publication of SEMI MS15 for MEMS manufacturing readiness. Fitzgerald also participated in other MEMS industry standards, including SEMI MS12 and SEMI MS13. Her skill in wording these complex technical documents significantly improved their clarity and quality. Fitzgerald’s unique combination of both technical understanding and superb writing abilities exemplifies the qualities of the Technical Editor Appreciation Award.
For more information, visit the SEMI International Standards webpage.
