DAS Environmental Expert

With a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and graduate coursework in Optical and Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Colorado, Steve brings over three decades of experience developing and applying advanced particle monitoring and contamination control technologies across semiconductor, aerospace, and defense sectors.


 (Random Hill Publishers, 2005), authoring Chapter 42: 

Particle Monitoring in Semiconductor Manufacturing

 (2nd ed. 2002; 3rd ed. 2015) and has written more than 100 technical papers and application notes.


His technical expertise has supported cleanroom monitoring programs for the Space Shuttle, James Webb Space Telescope, U.S. Air Force, and SpaceX Dragon Crew Module. He has also lectured at leading institutions including SUNY Albany, National Taiwan University, UCLA, University of Texas, and the University of Colorado, covering topics in particle physics and mechanics.


Today, as Global Product Manager at TSI, he continues driving innovation, shaping product strategy, and helping TSI lead the field in precision environmental monitoring and contamination control.

Hyeongrak Cho is a water treatment expert and researcher at Kookmin University's Smart Water Environment Leading Laboratory (SWELL). Born in 1986, Cho obtained his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Kookmin University in Seoul, Korea, in September 2019. During his graduate studies, Cho focused his research on the treatment of water, wastewater, and desalination using membranes. In particular, he developed expertise in the treatment of highly concentrated salt wastewater, publishing a paper entitled "Effect of pre-treatment and operating conditions on the performance of membrane distillation for the treatment of shale gas wastewater" in Desalination (IF 6.035). Cho has conducted two successful projects on the treatment of highly concentrated wastewater. The first involved treating shale gas wastewater generated in Texas using the membrane distillation technique, and the second involved treating highly concentrated desalinated seawater using a semi-pilot MD instrument. Manuscripts from these projects are currently being submitted to high-impact water treatment journals. Cho's experience also includes knowledge of MF/UF, coagulation, and sedimentation for pre-treatment and chemical, physical, and ultrasonic washing for post-treatment. He has collaborated on desalination projects involving forward osmosis (FO), reverse osmosis (RO), reverse electrodialysis (RED), and capacitive deionization (CDI). In addition to his research, Cho is studying modeling for the automation of water treatment plants using Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), Life Cycle Assessment for decreasing Carbon emission, Computational Fluid dynamics, and pipe analysis and design for Ultra pure water supply. Cho believes that his strong understanding of general and next-generation water treatment techniques and his experience in pilot operations make him a valuable asset to any research project.

Tina is a civil engineer working for Kokosing, a self-performing heavy industrial contractor in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. She holds a BS in CE from Case Western Reserve University and a MS in CE from Cleveland State University. Tina is a licensed PE in IL, IN, MI, PA, OH.

Kokosing Industrial

Victor Smith is an industrial research analyst at Global Water Intelligence. Since joining GWI in 2024 he has conducted research on the market for water treatment chemicals and the chemical manufacturing industry. He is now looking at water-related opportunities and spending in data centres. Victor holds a BA in History and Economics and an MA in History from the University of Manchester.

Dave Buesser is the COO of FTD Solutions. He is a mechanical engineer from the University of Arizona, and he has spent his entire 27-year career driving advanced technology facilities forward. He began with a focus on semiconductor process piping design and proceeded to build likely the deepest experience in the industry on UPW distribution systems. He has led the design efforts for several UPW plants for greenfield semiconductor facilities and has also led many multi-discipline design teams on microelectronics facilities. Today, his focus is to bring world-class expertise coupled with unique tools to help solve the most pressing UPW and facilities challenges facing advanced industries.

FTD Solutions

Latif joined Intel in 2005 as Microcontamination Engineer for the startup of 45nm process at Fab-32 in Arizona. He has been involved in four more process transfers to Arizona, including the latest 10nm startup. He is technical expert in Microcontamination, including AMC’s, with over 25 years of experience in environmental, semiconductor testing, AMC’s and other Microcontamination problem solving. Prior to joining Intel, Latif worked as a Research Scientist at Balazs Analytical and as a Technical Support Manager at ChemTrace. Latif has participated in collaborative efforts with many chemical and equipment manufacturing companies and organizations including, Sematech, Factory Mutual Research Corporation, in development of criteria for approval of materials suitable for use in semiconductor fabs.

Intel

Project engineer for UPW optimization and conceptual design projects addressing capacity and performance for semiconductor clients. Former UPW system owner at a large semiconductor fabricator.

Dan’s almost three decades of experience as a facilities engineering manager, process engineer, design engineer, construction project manager and tool hookup design in the advanced technologies and semiconductor manufacturing industry has led to innovative solutions in his work. His innovations have resulted in industry-changing quality and cost savings breakthroughs, including defect reduction and innovative water reclaim and re-use systems. Dan is well established in the semiconductor industry as an Ultra-pure Water, UHP Chemical and Wastewater expert as shown in his leadership of industry roadmap and collaboration teams. He is certified by ASQ as a six sigma black belt. His roles include Co-Chair of International Roadmap for Device and Systems (IRDS) Yield Enhancement (YE) team, Co-Chair UPW SEMI Standards team, and UP Micro Conference Strategy Team. In addition to many industry publications, Dan also holds a patent for Reduction of Charging Induced Damage in Photolithography Wet Process.

Samsung Austin Semiconductor

Kevin Wolfe is an environmental engineer working within the Global Environmental department at Intel Corporation. He has been working at Intel for 21 years in many environmental health and safety capacities, and currently leads the PFAS working group internal to Intel, and helps to project manage the SIA Semiconductor PFAS Consortium that intends to work towards developing the technical information that will be required to effectively engage with PFAS regulatory restriction efforts.

Bernie Zerfas is a former facilities engineer at GLOBALFOUNDRIES. He has more than 30 years’ experience in the semiconductor industry with a primary focus on UPW and deionized water systems. Although his initial formal training was in chemistry and chemical engineering, he has had a wide variety of formal and informal educational experiences in a variety of technical disciplines. Mr. Zerfas is also an active member of the UPW sub-group of the ITRS; a recent area of focus has been organic and particulate contamination. His current other areas of responsibility include a spectrum of pollution control systems.

Hideaki IINO is a Chief Researcher at KURITA WATER INDUSTRIES LTD, where he currently manages JDP activities with Interuniversity of MicroElectronics Centre (IMEC) in Belgium. I have been more than 10 years in the semiconductor industry on both the UPW technology and wet process business. I began my semiconductor career from developing particle reduction in UPW with a major component supplier, then subsequently learned the water purification and wet clean processes with IMEC. I have a lot of patents and conference presentations. I am a member of the IRDS UPW group.

Kurita Water Industries

Dominic is the Intel Director of Construction responsible for managing Intel’s latest leading edge Wafer FAB construction Program at Intel’s Ocotillo Campus Phoenix AZ. This program is part of Intel’s $20b investment on the campus.


Dominic has 35 years’ experience in EPCC project delivery. 16 years working with EPCC firms Costain, Jacobs, Fluor, DPS and 20 years within Intel.


Dominic holds a BSc in Construction Technology and an MSc in Project management.




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