New leadership team for European microelectronics programme
Microelectronics R&D programme MEDEA + has appointed a new management team to lead the pan-European industrial effort through the next eight years. The Eureka-backed MEDEA+ programme 'for systems innovation on silicon for the e-economy' took over from the earlier MEDEA and JESSI programmes in January this year, with a mission to take Europe 'to the top of the world league in this vital enabling technology sector.' The new leadership team includes: Jean-Pierre Noblanc as chairman (pictured); Peter Tischer as vice chairman for technologies; and Ben Waumans as vice chairman for applications. 'The central objective of the MEDEA+ programme is to stimulate innovation and provide the technology platform that will allow Europe, through its microelectronics and systems industry, to move into the information age,' according to MEDEA+ representatives. The announcement comes in the same week as British scientists have published a research paper in the journal 'Nature' describing new technology that has produced light emitting silicon chips, paving the way for even smaller and increasingly powerful microchips in the future.