Stay ahead of the curve with Taste of Tech, a premier seminar series designed for professionals, innovators, and technology enthusiasts eager to expand their knowledge. Featuring expert-led discussions, cutting-edge insights, and actionable strategies, our sessions cover the latest trends in the tech industry. Whether you’re looking to enhance your skills, gain industry-leading insights, or connect with like-minded professionals, Taste of Tech provides the tools and expertise you need to thrive in an evolving digital landscape. Browse our upcoming seminars below and secure your spot today!
Upcoming Seminars
U.S. Department of Energy
Past Seminars
Dr. Navid Asadi, the Lab Link academic leader, will share the program’s inspiration, role, and how it’s building a stronger, more connected semiconductor research community. We’ll also welcome a recent Lab Link participant, who will give us a firsthand look at the student experience.
Glenn Vaudreuil is the President and third-generation owner of ANCORP, a U.S. manufacturer of vacuum components for semiconductor and high-tech industries. He will discuss how vacuum technology supports semiconductor fabrication and related fields.
Professor Antonio Teixeira will discuss how PICadvanced is actively contributing to accelerating photonic integration.
Dr. Kumar, a Professor at the University of South Florida, will present on interdisciplinary semiconductor concepts and emerging technologies that will be integrated into existing courses with novel experiential lab training in a Class 100 cleanroom environment.
Dr. Meloy will discuss how her time at the University of Florida as a student enabled a unique career trajectory that landed her in her current position at Apple.
Dr. Wu, Assistant Professor at the University of Florida, will present on quantum spintronics.
Dr. Elias Dinopoulos, a Professor at the University of Florida, will present on the economics of tariffs in the semiconductor industry.
Hyo Kang, Assistant Professor at the Digital Worlds Institute at the University of Florida will present on how virtual reality can help train future engineers.
Dr. Roozbeh Tabrizian will discuss an approach using the electronic properties of semiconductors to engineer mechanical behavior for ultra-stabled clocks.
Mike Aller will discuss how NIST MEP supports CHIPS for America initiatives and provides key insights into the role of FloridaMakes, the Florida Advanced Technological Education Center (FLATE), and their national networks.
Dr. Mark Law, Professor at the University of Florida will present on Technology Computer Aided Design (TCAD) Past, Present, Future.
TJ Villamil, the President of Business Development at eMerge Americas will discuss Florida’s strengths in Deep/Edge Tech.
Dr. Joshua Moon, Assistant Professor in the University of Florida Department of Chemical Engineering will present on chemically modular hydrogel absorbents for capturing aqueous PFAS.
Dr. Max Lemaitre, CEO & Founder of Mattrix Technologies will give a talk on building America’s first foundry for displays and hybrid electronics.
Dr. Volker J. Sorger will discuss Digital Twins, models of physical representations, that are a revolutionary step to accelerate innovation, improve performance, and reduce cost in the semiconductor industry. Dr. Sorger will review the state-of-the-art innovations and vision of digital twins in the context of the U.S. CHIPS Act and the role of the UF ecosystem.
Dr. David Mills, President and Principal Engineer of Interdisciplinary Consulting Corporation (IC2).
Sophia Watson has been a leader in Career and Technical Education since 2010, starting as an Instructional Leader at Florida Virtual School, overseeing the career and technical courses. For the past 11 years, she oversaw workforce development programs in Hernando County, where she led the inception, growth and physical expansion of Wilton Simpson Technical College, creating over 20 new programs and securing more than $19 million in external funding for expansion.
Abdual Lateef from Plasma-Therm serves on the Banner Center for Advanced Manufacturing Advisory Council and the St. Petersburg College Advisory Committee and is a leadership coach at the University of Tampa. He founded the Plasma-Therm Foundation, a non-profit focused on disaster relief and support. Abdul holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nebraska and an MBA from the University of Florida.
Travis Anderson will join us to discuss advances in Wide- and Ultrawide- Bandgap Materials and Devices. Dr. Anderson is a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Florida. Prior to joining UF in 2024, Dr. Anderson was the Head of the Power Electronics and Advanced Materials Branch at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., leading a group of scientists studying fundamental material growth, device processing, and performance evaluation of power electronic materials such as SiC, GaN, Ga203, and diamond.
John Stone is an NVIDIA Distinguished Engineer with extensive expertise in scientific visualization, high-performance ray tracing, and GPU computing. John’s presentation will explore Digital Twins, virtual models that mirror physical systems for interactive, real-time analysis and optimization. He will discuss the key technologies behind digital twins and the challenges in developing these advanced systems.
Peter Mejia, President of the Semiconductor Career Readiness Organization (SCRO), will share his journey with SCRO, explore its mission, and highlight the organization’s vital role in workforce development.
Dr. Anna Herr, Scientific Director at Imec since May 2021 will delve into the fascinating world of “Superconducting Devices & RFICs,” sharing her expertise and insights.
Dr. Toshikazu Nishida, Professor in the College of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the University of Florida’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, will discuss “Collaborating at the Edge – A Tale of Two IUCRCs”.
Dr. John L. Volakis, Professor in the College of Engineering and Computing at Florida International University (FIU), will present on “Digital Twin Models for High Density Heterogeneous Packaging RF/mm-Wave Transceivers”.
Jessica Gomez, founder and CEO of Rogue Valley Microdevices, will provide insight into the latest MEMS technology and business trends, along with providing an inside view of Rogue Valley Microdevices’ technical capabilities, how the company strategically works with customers as a manufacturing partner.
Dr. Reza Abdolvand, UCF ECE Chair & Professor, will highlight the University of Central Florida’s significant contributions to space science and technology. This presentation will highlight our current activities in space related science and technologies, while outlining our strategic vision for future advancements.
Dr. Gloria Kim, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at the University of Florida, will provide an overview of her extramurally funded work at the intersection of chips, education, and global partnerships.
Dale Miller, the Florida Vice President and General Manager at SkyWater Technology Foundry, will highlight advanced packaging technologies including Interposer, Hybrid Bonding, Fan-Out Wafer Level Packaging, and Prototype Assembly, developed at SkyWater’s Florida location.
FSI Acting Director Dr. David Arnold will provide an overview, outlook, and vision for the Florida Semiconductor Institute.
UF Professor Mark Sheplak will present a project funded by the DARPA High Operational Temperature Sensors (HOTS) program. With a focus on designing dynamic pressure sensors capable of withstanding temperature exceeding 800 °C (1472 °F), this $6.6M initiative promises to unlock new frontiers.