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.

FTD Solutions

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.

Dr. Sriram (Ram) Ramamoorthy is a Supply Chain R&D Engineer/Technologist in Intel’s Fab Materials Organization managing specialty chemicals and filtration. Prior to this role, Ram was a senior process technology development engineer in Intel R&D fab in Oregon developing front end wet etch processes. Ram is an active member in IRDS and SEMI task forces and standards team. Ram received his Ph.D in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY).

Intel

Beau Farmer is the Chief Technical Officer at TSI Incorporated, a global leader in precision research, analytical, and measurement instrumentation headquartered in Shoreview, Minnesota. He leads TSI’s efforts to identify and develop emerging technologies through collaborations with universities, small businesses, and industry partners, as well as through strategic acquisitions. Under his leadership, these collaborations have produced new products and government-funded projects such as nanoparticle monitoring instrumentation, miniaturized water-based condensation particle counters, and nanoparticle–protein binding research. Beau earned his Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Cornell University in 1990 where his research focused on 

Defect Dynamics and Wear-Out in Ultra-Thin Dielectrics on Silicon

. Before joining TSI in 2003, he was a tenured physics professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), with joint appointments at Rutgers and Columbia Universities. He served as principal investigator on over $5 million in research funding, including NSF CAREER, EPA, and state-sponsored MEMS initiative awards. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE, has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed publications and holds 16 U.S. patents.

TSI Incorporated

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.

I am a professional chemical engineer located in Kansas City. I focused on water and wastewater treatment design for the first 15 years of my career before transitioning into engineering and project management where I have mainly managed large water and wastewater projects for 10 years.

Kiewit

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.

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

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.

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.

Deena Starkel has B.S. in Environmental Science and M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Idaho. She is a licensed Professional Environmental Engineer with 22+ years of experience in the semiconductor industry as a Facilities Chemical and Water Engineer for Micron Technology. Deena is currently working as a Member of Technical Staff Principal Water Engineer for Micron’s R&D facility and corporate headquarters in Boise, ID and is focused on UPW and wastewater treatment design, process engineering, and operations. Deena has been a member of the UPW IRDS and other groups since 2018.

Micron

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.

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.

Lindsey Sullivan

Biography

Badges

Lindsey's Technical Resources

Lindsey's Training Center Resources

1. UPW Capacity Management Overview

2. UPW Capacity Modeling

3. Details on UPW Supply Flow Components

4. Maintenance Flows

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