STUDENT INNOVATION CHALLENGES
Innovative Solutions for Advanced Packaging in Microelectronics
by ECTC Student Engagement Team
Dear Students,
We are excited to announce two separate categories of student competitions for the upcoming 76th ECTC conference that will be held between May 26 – 29, 2026 at JW Marriott & The Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Resort, Orlando, FL, USA. This is a great chance for you to showcase your skills, present your innovative ideas, and compete with other students from all around the world.
Category 1: BSc/MSc Level Challenge (1 challenge to select)
Category 2: PhD Level Challenge (2 challenges to select)
We are inviting teams up to a maximum of three students. Eligible participants can be undergraduate (BSc) and master’s (MSc) students for Category 1, and doctoral (PhD) candidates for Category 2, from any university and should be enrolled in an academic program during the 2025-2026 academic year. Up to six finalist teams (up to two teams from each of the challenge) will be invited to participate in the upcoming 76th ECTC conference in Orlando, FL, USA.
Motivation
The field of microelectronics/photonics packaging and advanced packaging is crucial for the future of electronic components and systems. Independently, if we consider mobile phones, data centers, automobiles or healthcare equipment, all these applications strongly depend on electronic systems. Microelectronics packaging and advanced packaging is the cornerstone of innovation in all industry segments. As new packaging technologies, materials, and processes emerge, a skilled workforce is required to push further technological advancements.
Benefits
Participants:
- Attract students to microelectronics/photonics packaging
- Learn about state-of-the-art packaging technologies
Finalists of the competition:
- Gain exposure to industry leaders and the conference
- Up to six finalist teams will have a chance to attend the conference with financial aid (limited to the maximum amount)
- Competition challenges students to think creatively in finding new technical solutions and provides them with a platform to showcase their skills to academia and industry leaders.
- Networking opportunities with potential employers including potential internships at global companies
- All teams have an opportunity to publish the results of their work in the IEEE CPMT Journal
Competition Rules
The competition is divided into three phases.
- Phase 1: Team pre-registration
Student teams must pre-register until January 11, 2026, to the challenge by using following registration link: https://www.xcdsystem.com/ectc/abstract/index.cfm?ID=1WHhpeQ
During pre-registration, teams are expected to select one of the challenges listed below.
- Phase 2: Challenge Submission
The teams will submit their report by February 1, 2026. The organizing committee will evaluate and select up to six teams, up to three from each category as finalists. These teams will be invited to attend the 76th ECTC 2026.
Report Template
Project reports should not exceed 6 pages.
- Phase 3: Final Presentation
The finalist teams will present their project on-site during the conference.
Conference fee will be waived by the ECTC organizational team. IEEE EPS will provide financial support covering the hotel accommodation (May 26–29, 2026) and airfare (up to $1,600 per participant for intracontinental flights and up to $2,450 for intercontinental flights). Only economy class airfare is eligible for reimbursement. Participants requiring visas are advised to begin the process as soon as possible. While the organizing committee cannot provide any visa assistance, a letter stating the finalist status of the team members will be provided.
The winning teams will have until May 15, 2026, to finalize their projects and prepare their presentations. At the conference, they will present their results during the evening of the pitch to top leaders from academia, research, and industry, receive feedback, and explore opportunities for their future careers in electronic packaging and advanced packaging.
Participating Teams
We are inviting teams up to a maximum of three students. Eligible participants can be undergraduate (BSc), master’s (MSc) for the BSs/MSc category or doctoral (PhD) students for the PhD category, from any university, and should be currently enrolled in an academic program. This opportunity allows participants to demonstrate their skills, apply their academic knowledge, and collaborate on innovative ideas in the field of electronic/photonic packaging. We encourage students from various disciplines related to the reliability and simulation of electronics packaging, co-packaging of optics, materials science, mechanical engineering, and related disciplines to join and showcase their talents in front of academia, research, and industry leaders.
Topics
For 76th ECTC 2026 we have prepared three challenges in two categories. Student teams are required to select one of the challenges provided below. Choose your challenge carefully, as the evaluation is based on the specific problem you select.
Category 1: for BSc and MSc students
Category 2: for PhD students
- Materials, Interfaces, and Processes for Ultra-Scalable Interconnects
- Electromigration solutions for BGA interconnects in AI-focused packages
Calendar
- Team Pre-registration deadline: January 11, 2026
- 6-Page Project Work Results submission: February 1, 2026
- Announcement of up to six finalist teams: February 28, 2026
- Presentations for the conference ready: May 15, 2026
- 76th ECTC Conference: May 26 – 29, 2026
ECTC Student Competition Leadership Team
Ibrahim Guven
Virginia Commonwealth University
[email protected]
Przemyslaw Gromala
Robert Bosch GmbH
[email protected]
In case of questions, please contact us.
