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Lightning Talks

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UPWARDS is an international partnership between 11 Japanese and United States universities. UPWARDS@VT are holding short- and long- exchange programs including lightning talks to enhance collaboration and communication among students and faculty from diverse academic backgrounds. 

 

Lightning Talks

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UPWARDS Lightning Talks lit up August 29, 2025, hosted by Kyushu University with a fast-paced showcase on Brain-Inspired Hyperdimensional Computing (HDC). Leading voices from the U.S. and Japan spotlighted breakthroughs spanning algorithms to hardware. Md Rubel Sarkar, Ph.D. student from Virginia Tech, unveiled his HDC research, demonstrating how high-dimensional representations can drive scalable, ultra-efficient computing—paving the way for smarter, lighter, and faster systems.

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UPWARDS Lightning Talks on the topic of “Heterogeneous Integration” took place on June 30, 2025, hosted by Rochester Institute of Technology. Speakers from U.S. and Japanese universities discussed various aspects of heterogeneous integration including semiconductor materials, devices, circuits, and systems. Xiaomeng Wang  from Virginia Tech presented the research on chiplet based AI accelerators design with the help of advanced machine learning algorithms.

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UPWARDS Lightning Talks on Technologies Related to Circuits and Functional Elements was successfully held in April 23, 2025, hosted by Science Tokyo. Prof. Yang "Cindy" Yi from Virginia Tech presented "Revolutionizing Intelligence: Exploring the Frontiers of Integrated Circuits for AI Hardware," showcasing neuromorphic computing paradigms including Spike Time Dependent Encoding and three-dimensional integration strategies that enhance system performance and power efficiency for AI applications in 5G communications.

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UPWARDS Lightning Talks on Materials and Devices for Memory brought together researchers on March 7, 2025, hosted by Boise State University in conjunction with Nagoya University, Hiroshima University, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. This collaborative event showcased cutting-edge research in memory technologies and semiconductor materials, featuring presentations from faculty and students across UPWARDS partner institutions. The virtual session included lightning talks followed by breakout room discussions, providing opportunities for direct engagement with speakers and fostering cross-institutional collaboration in advancing microelectronics and semiconductor research.

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UPWARDS Lightning Talks on Advanced Methods for Measurement in Semiconductor Systems was held on February 26, 2025, by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Prof. Wei Zhou from Virginia Tech presented "The Future of Semiconductor Metrology: Optics, AI, Embedded Sensing, and Edge Computing," showcasing cutting-edge approaches that integrate artificial intelligence and optical techniques to revolutionize semiconductor characterization.

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UPWARDS Lightning Talks on Plasma Processing for Semiconductors lit up December 4, 2024, hosted by Nagoya University. The virtual event brought together researchers from Japanese and U.S. universities to present cutting-edge work in plasma etching technologies, atmospheric plasma sources, and computational modeling for advanced semiconductor manufacturing. The session featured eight lightning talks covering topics from high aspect ratio etching to nonhalogen plasma chemistries, followed by breakout discussions that fostered in-depth technical exchanges and collaborative opportunities across UPWARDS partner institutions.