Future of Semiconductors Forum

KAUST, May 15-18, 2023

Organized By

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Honorary Chairs

Dr. Munir M. Eldesouki

Honorary Chair, KACST President

Biography

President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, and head of the establishment team of the Research Development and Innovation Authority.

He previously held various roles in upper government. Where he was the Assistant Minister of Communications and Information Technology, the Deputy Minister of Planning and Development, as well as the Senior Advisor on various Vision 2030 programs, leading and supporting in establishing new government entities and transforming existing ones. He is also chairing and is a member of several national and international boards and councils, such as the Vice Chair of the Governing Board for the Global Research Council (GRC).

In recognition of his scientific excellence, he has received several awards such as the King Abdulaziz Order of Merit Excellence Medal of the First Class, the King's Prize for Inventors, the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada scholarship.

https://www.kacst.gov.sa/internal/4794

All sessions by Dr. Munir M. Eldesouki

Tuesday

May 16

Opening Remarks by the President of KACST

08:50 AM

Dr. Munir M. Eldesouki

Honorary Chair, KACST President

Details

Overview

Semiconductor-powered technologies are transforming our world; they form the foundations of pivotal future-enabling fields such as energy generation, sensors and information technologies, among others. The integrated circuit (IC) chip has been at the heart of technological innovation, and semiconductors, the backbone of the third and fourth industrial revolutions. Yet over the last two years, the world has experienced a severe global shortage of semiconductor chips — among the many challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, and also as a result of the mass evolution of industries that employ semiconductor technology.

Currently, most of the IC chips are manufactured outside the Kingdom, mainly in North America, Europe and East Asia. As a result, companies are struggling to meet demands. The automotive industry is one example. Chips are needed to produce new cars, and the shift toward electric car production has increased the requirement for more IC chips than ever before. Demand for computers, laptops, tablets and electronics also skyrocketed with the exponential rise in people working remotely at the height of the pandemic. And the rise of 5G networks has significantly accelerated demand.

Objective

Connecting leaders for semiconductor localization to advance the digital economy, industry, and energy sectors of Saudi Arabia.

Semiconductor technology is the physical foundation of the third and fourth Industrial Revolutions. It is crucial for numerous applications including energy, computing, data storage, sensors, communication, lighting, and photovoltaics. Given the strategic importance of semiconductor technologies globally and emerging opportunities for transformative impacts in the middle east, KAUST and KACST will organize the 2nd Future of Semiconductors Forum to discuss the localization of e-chips and strengthening the digital economy sector of Saudi Arabia. The event will take place at KAUST, with many leading researchers, policymakers, investors, and corporations participating in the forum. The first Future of Semiconductor Forum organized by KACST, KAUST, and RDI was a great success, resulting in strong collaborations for the future development of semiconductor R&D and manufacturing, including the launch of the Saudi Semiconductor Program.

Topics of Interest

Quantum Technologies

Neuromorphic Computing

ML Acceleration

Sensors and MEMS

Efficient Photovoltaics

Automotive and Aerospace Electronics

Devices for Beyond 5G Communication

Advanced Photonics

More Moore and Beyond Moore

More Information

For attendance, inquiry, and corporate sponsorship, please email semiconductors@kaust.edu.sa.

Twitter #SemiconductorsForum

This event is organized by the KACST and KAUST Working Group.