USDC ANNOUNCES NEW PLANS FOR ITS FLEXIBLE DISPLAYS AND MICROELECTRONICS CONFERENCE

 New Name, Dates, Conference Chairs and Expanded Program Are In Store for 2008

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 30, 2007— The U.S. Display Consortium ( USDC), a public/private partnership chartered with developing the flat panel display (FPD) and flexible electronics industry infrastructure, today announced major changes and an expanded focus to its premier Flexible Displays and Microelectronics Conference. These changes include renaming the increasingly popular forum to “Flexible Electronics & Displays Conference and Exhibition”; appointing two industry veterans, Abbie Gregg and Dan Gamota as co-chairs; and the addition of a peer-reviewed ‘academic track’ to the technical conference. The 2008 conference will be held January 21 - 24, 2008 at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak in Phoenix, Ariz.

The name change to “Flexible Electronics & Displays Conference and Exhibition” acknowledges the expanded technical and business issues that will be addressed, and an emphasis on the entire flexible electronics field, in which displays is one of the key drivers. Advancements in flexible electronics and the burgeoning field of roll-to-roll (R2R) electronic printing are projected to dramatically influence a shift from all silicon-based substrates to flexible, large-area electronics with plastics-based substrates, as well as enable the creation of a broad range of new, ubiquitous products. Examples include very large flexible signage, smart bandages, interactive clothing, photovoltaic films and advanced sensor arrays.

“USDC’s annual conference has been the key conduit in the U.S. to understanding and implementing some of the amazing developments in flexible electronics being conducted around the globe,” noted Abbie Gregg, chief executive officer of Abbie Gregg, Inc. (AGI), and new co-chair of the conference. “This sums up why I chose to accept the responsibility of ensuring that next year’s topics and papers are the best on the planet, whether business or technical in nature,” Gregg concluded.

Ms. Gregg has more than 30 years of experience in semiconductor, nanotechnology and display process engineering and analysis, operations management and start-up consulting. Over that time, she held positions with Fairchild, National Semiconductor, GTE, General Instruments and Motorola before starting her own successful consulting firm, specializing in microelectronics process analysis and startup/restructuring of laboratories and manufacturing facilities for clients including Eastman Kodak, Motorola, Philips, 3M, Siemens/Infineon, Ericsson, Qualcomm and Perkin Elmer Optoelectronics. Ms. Gregg holds a bachelor’s degree in metallurgy and materials science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and also studied electrical engineering at the University of Maine.

Dan Gamota, Ph.D., director of printed electronics and the nanotechnologies department at the Physical Realization Research Center of Excellence, Motorola, Inc., added, “I am truly excited to put my energies into building the scope of next year’s conference. This will be an opportunity for anyone conducting research and development in materials, processes and equipment to have their innovations recognized by the community. Advancements in flexible electronics leverage ongoing development efforts from many fields—printing, functional inks, microelectronics, semiconductors and nanotechnology.”

In his role at Motorola, Dr. Gamota leads a team that is developing consumer electronics products manufactured using nanoscale, electrically functional inks and graphic arts printing platforms. He has been granted 30 patents and, in 2004, was named one of the “nation’s brightest young engineers” by the National Academy of Engineering. Dr. Gamota earned his master’s degree in business administration from Northwestern University and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.

Further enhancing the value of attending the conference is the addition of a peer-reviewed technical paper track for the academic community. This track will be chaired by Dr. Bahgat Sammakia of Binghamton University, who directs the Center for Advanced Microelectronics Manufacturing (CAMM), and by Dr. Greg Raupp of Arizona State University (ASU), director of the Flexible Display Center (FDC). Under their direction, a team of industry experts will review paper submissions and choose a number for oral presentation and posters to be presented at the conference. Papers will be published as Edition 1 of the Journal of Flexible Microelectronics.

The conference is now accepting applications for corporate sponsorship. For an application form, or more information on the conference, please visit www.usdc.org or contact Heidi Hoffman or Kay Mascoli at USDC at 408.993.8111.

Contacts:

Heidi Hoffman
US Display Consortium
(408) 993-8111
heidi@usdc.org

Stacey Voorhees
MCA
(650) 968-8900
svoorhees@mcapr.com

About the U.S. Display Consortium
USDC is an industry-led public/private partnership providing a common platform for flat panel display and flexible electronics manufacturers and developers, integrators, and the supplier base. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., the consortium’s primary mission is to identify and manage R&D projects and share results with USDC member companies. The USDC also provides a communication channel among industry, government and the financial communities; sponsors forums to broaden the impact of technological developments; and educates consumers on the importance of emerging technology. More information about the USDC can be found at www.usdc.org and www.fpoelectronics.org.