Canadian Semiconductor Conference will be held in Thunder Bay

Thursday, Aug. 8, 2013 – Thunder Bay, ON

The 16th Canadian Semiconductor Science and Technology Conference (CSSTC 2013) will attract more than 100 professors, graduate students, researchers and industry representatives to Thunder Bay next week.

Hosted by Lakehead University and the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute (TBRRI), CSSTC 2013 brings together the brightest Canadian minds from universities, research institutions and industries to discuss the latest semiconductor research.

This is the first time the Conference has been held in Thunder Bay. It will be at the Best Western Nor’Wester Hotel & Conference Centre from Monday, Aug. 12 to Friday, Aug. 16, 2013.

“The fact that the Semiconductor Science and Technology Conference is being held in Thunder Bay shows that TBRRI and Lakehead University are doing excellent research into semiconductors and how the technology can further the design of semiconductor devices,” said Dr. Dimiter Alexandrov, an Electrical Engineering Professor at Lakehead who is the head of the University’s Semiconductor Research Lab and conference co-chair.

“The conference will bring new, high tech commercial opportunities to the Thunder Bay region, such as solar cells, light emitting diodes (LEDs) and semiconductor lasers,” said Dr. Alexandrov, who has spent nearly 30 years researching semiconductors and electronic devices.

Dr. Alla Reznik, a Physics Professor at Lakehead University and TBRRI Scientist and, is also a conference co-chair. In September, 2012, Dr. Reznik received a $1.6 million grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council to train highly qualified personnel in medical imaging detector technologies.

“This conference not only brings together the best Canadian minds specializing in semiconductor science and technology but also provides an excellent opportunity for young investigators and graduate students to be a part of the Canadian scientific community and talk with accomplished professors, industry partners, and potential employers,” Reznik said.

Dr. Reznik is a Canada Research Chair in Physics of Molecular Imaging and an expert in wide band gap semiconductors. She is working on the application of novel semiconductor materials for x-ray and gamma-ray medical imaging detectors.

 “This conference allows TBRRI to further its status on a global research stage and to contribute to the consistent development of a knowledge/research based economy,” said Dr. Roxanne Deslauriers, Acting CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute. “It is a testament to the recent growth of medical research activity here. This conference would not have been held in this region just a few years ago.”

Lakehead University is proud to partner with TBRRI to host the 16th Semiconductor Science and Technology Conference, said Lakehead President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Brian Stevenson.

“Co-hosting this conference shows how far we’ve come in nurturing discovery, supporting innovation and advancing achievement,” Dr. Stevenson said.

CSSTC 2013 is sponsored by Lakehead University, TBRRI, NSERC (The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada), Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, Intl Vac – Thin Film, CCR Process Products, MEAglow Ltd., TBXI Xerox and the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission.

 

Media are invited to interview the co-chairs at the opening ceremony:

Date: Monday, Aug. 12

Time: 11:15 am

Location: Kaministiquia Room at the Best Western Nor’Wester Hotel & Conference Centre at 2080 Hwy 61 in Thunder Bay.

 

Members of the media may also examine the attached agenda to decide if there are other parts of the conference they’d like to attend.                                                                                     

                                                              

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For more information please contact:

Brandon Walker,
Media Relations Officer
Lakehead University
Tel: (807) 343-8177
mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca

Owen Shaw
Communications
Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute
Tel: (807) 684-6926
shawo@tbh.net