Early this month I joined more than 90 industry peers in San Jose, California at our very own Intermolecular site to try to answer a question that is constantly lingering in the back of my mind: How can we ensure that women in the semiconductor industry are supported, are given opportunities to grow into leadership positions, and are encouraged to bring their perspective to the workplace?
With a sold-out venue and more than 100 allies online, the SEMI Foundation’s first hybrid Women in Semiconductors (WiS) in the Golden State showcased the commitment of the semiconductor community to creating a more equitable playing field in the semiconductor industry. The event also served as a reminder for me and so many others that this is a movement worth fighting for and we must do so together.
As a speaker on the Bridging the Gender Gap Through Allyship panel, I shared my perspectives on how we can increase the ranks of women in the chip industry and heard from fellow advocates. As much as we’re looking to our industry and organizations to provide solutions, this panel highlighted that we must equally be looking at ourselves as individuals for ways we can contribute.
All it takes is one champion to start influencing real change in a community
Being an ally in this movement is about recognizing the impact you can make in the way you show up, the conversations you have, and the boundaries you set.
Bridging the gender gap is a monstrous undertaking that can feel uncomfortable. As I reflect on this event, the word that comes to mind is courage. Courage to stand up for what you believe is true, courage to take the road less traveled and courage to have the hard conversations.
Regina Freed, Vice President of AIx™ Solutions at Applied Materials, courageously welcomed the audience into her experience as a working professional with young children. She chose to have the uncomfortable conversation about working part time while her children were young. Her boss supported her through that journey because he knew she would still deliver good, quality work. Her boss’s true allyship allowed her to show up authentically in the workplace. The experience shifted her own perspective on productivity and taught her that output is more important than the hours put in, transforming her view of success and the way she leads.
Left to right: Kate Dei Cas, Executive Vice President, Global Head of Delivery Systems & Services at EMD Electronics, a business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany; Antoinette Hamilton, Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity at Lam Research; KT Moore, Vice President, Corporate Marketing at Cadence Design Systems; HsinYu (Sidney) Tsai, Ph.D., Principal Research Staff Member at the IBM Almaden Research Center; Shari Liss, Executive Director at the SEMI Foundation
Allyship, like the kind Regina felt firsthand from her boss, is not just improving the employee experience – data shows it also positively impacts innovation and the bottom line. The work the SEMI Foundation is doing to promote diversity and inclusion, as well as create a pipeline of diverse talent for the industry, will extend beyond semiconductors – and it is our duty to lead the way.
Conversations like the ones at the Women in Semiconductors event bring tremendous value to every individual that is dedicated to weaving diversity, equality, inclusion, and belonging into everything they do and how they show up – both professionally and personally.
For me, allyship is about making connections and creating visibility for people within my organization. We all have the power to be an ally, to lift others and to lead with compassion and courage. I’d like to invite you to reflect on the ways you can be a better ally for the people in your immediate network.
The next SEMI Women in Semiconductors event will take place in Albany, New York on May 16, 2024. Let’s promise ourselves to either seek an ally or be someone’s ally. Pledge to be part of the movement and take action to increase equity for women in the semiconductor industry. Together, let's build a future where diversity is not just celebrated – it’s normalized. Where equality is integral to breakthrough innovation that defines our industry.
About the Author
Kate Dei Cas is Executive Vice President and Global Head of Delivery Systems & Services at EMD Electronics and a member of the SEMI Foundation Board of Trustees. Connect with her on LinkedIn.