AMAT rocks!

I spent a full day at Marina Mandarin attending the Applied Material Technology Forum. This was my first time at AMTF and I must say that I had nothing bad to complain about:P

The range of topics were very timely and hot - high-K/metal gate, double patterning, etc. I think it would have been even better if they talked about solar cells, which I proposed in the feedback form. I hope they can consider in future ones.

They must be making good profit. It was quite a big crowd mostly from local industry. The lunch was sumptuous!!! Arguably the best I had so far for a company sponsored event. It was a proper complete 7-course lunch. I ate a lot, so much for the jogging and gyming and keeping waist line under control.

It was a productive day. But the travel on 502 was such a disaster... It was way too long. They gave everyone a free FM radio, but I did not win the lucky draw :(

(Tuesday, August 28, 10:32PM) - The 11-th Anniversary of beloved sister passing in Lunar calander.

A full day

It was full moon, I puja-ed in the morning before heading to office. I was waken up by a rather rowdy bargain (I think a stronger word, dispute, might be more appropriate here) between a couple and a cab driver in the backside car park as early as 6:45AM (ok, maybe this is quite late for some). They disputed over the taxi fare... nasty worlds came out and no one was happy - what a way to begin your day.

Two meetings. Finally we set in the new lab charging scheme, looked like most potential users were fine with that. Met vendor X, I was checking out their ALD tool. I don't think they have what we need - as I told the vendor, I needed something like a 737, not A380. But he said he could explore at this end. I am not optimistic, I already know we are going for vendor Y.

Submitted NAP application. I hand carried to the Provost' Office. Well, it does not look as grand as MIT's, but hey you could feel the majestic energy!

I gymed for a bit after a week long break. Instead of gyming, I swam yesterday and Vino commented that I looked roasted today. There was this guy trying to get me off the weight station. I didnot care too much, I told him I had two more sets to go. He made this rather disturning grunting sounds - hey man, was it really that heavy?? I was disgusted.

I did not go to Sheng Siong as intended - Four 199 buses passed by and they were loaded and the drivers did not stop. Canteen 2 came to rescue.

Anantha is trying to connect me back to TSMC on opportunity to collaborate on Cu bondign project. It is real or just my wishful thinking? In any case, I will grap any opportunity I can find at this stage.

(Monday, August 27, 10:31PM) And why am I not sleeping yet??

Arafaat is going to Harvard this Fall

Arafaat is attending graduate school in Harvard this Fall - He organised a farewell BBQ and was kind enough to ask me over. I was late but went nevertheless. It was quite a big crowd and I did not know most of them... blending in was rather difficult so I found my comfort zone and stick to it.

Talking about Harvard, I began to think about MIT. I can still remember vividly the Saturday afternoon when I read Rafael's email about hiring me as an RA in his group. That night I could hardly sleep. MIT is one of the best things ever happened in my life so far and the 4.5 years were very well spent. I am going to Boston the first week of Oct and will stay for one week. It will be nice to meet Arafaat there.

Good Luck, and Way to Go, Arafaat!!!

(Friday, August 25, 0:42AM) TGIF!!!

Lucky or Unlucky?

So the school had an annual lunch gathering and almost everyone turned out. There were food and drinks. I had my share and decided to leave earlier because it was a big crowd and didn't wait for the final lucky draw. I never had any luck with this thing, so I was just doing it for the sake of doing it earlier by dropping my name in the tank.

Well, you never know. My name got picked but I wasn't there to pick up the prize. Lucky or unlucky? You tell me.

Do you dislike Monday?

It's Monday and I arrived in office at 9AM. Was sleeping in the morning and got a rather discouraging e-mail from TW that they are not building fabs in Singapore for now afterall. And no news on my JDP I sent months back - at least give me some feedbacks if they like it or not.

I was totally unproductive the first half of the day. Surfing my morning away in the cyberspace. But I checked out Patrick Teoh's blogs - TokKok and Niamah. I must give him credit because he was one of the Radio 4 DJs that I learnt English (good one of course) from. I enjoyed his programs though I had never dialed to his program. He is an actor now and remarried with two kids??? I think Poo Choo knows him?

Looks like I am going to get a new project from Holden. As usual, pending approval by the top people. Will meet this Wed. I am disgusted by the system totally. I dislike anything that slows me down. No progress in conference leaves - still pending HR processing. Can I go around and tell people I am going to US? I hate it because it does not give you the confidence to do so. What if they discovered an invisible bone in the egg and bar you though you know for a fact that you have followed the procedures? At NTU, they can't deal with non-conventional thingy. They work well if you follow standard template. Don't think about deviating or special case consideration. No such thing in the dictionary. So much talking about innovation!!! No wild ideas please.

(Monday, August 20, 11:02PM) - off to bed soon!

TGIF

It is Friday and as usual I called home. It is routine already and I will feel terribly if I did not call. Mom is doing well, BP normal and Blood Sugar marginally high.

Conference application is with OHR now and status is "pending processing". I take it as a yes?

Postponed duck soup with pickle because the duck was frozen and I needed a quick dinner. Tomorrow maybe. Easy Friday, nothing earth-shaking.

Conference leaves are still pending

Folks at NTU can handle one thing at a time, but screw up big time if you asked them to combine three in one :(

Simple thing indeed, I am going (1) VMIC in Fremont, CA, (2) MIT in Boston, MA, and finally (3) AMC in Albany, NY. Fine if they want me to prepare three separate applications, I did. But the paper works are still bouncing between Graduate Office, Head Office and Chair Office. Why? Because they are two systems really - one hard copy and one online - it is either the online is missing or incomplete, or the hardcopy. This university is run like a company - you need recommendation and approval for every single thing. Can you guys cut it short and just approve the damn thing??? Let me go conferences with ease of mind. Someone told me conference leave is a privilege, not entitlement. Now you know why they are not MIT of the east yet?
(Thursday, August 16, 2007, 9:46PM)

MFL buffet lunch

So the boss bought everyone buffet lunch at Sakura (Omni Theater, Science Center). Why? Because the engineers managed to cut down N2 consumption by 30%. We have been wasting N2 unnecessarily for many years. Everyone was happy it seemed. Me included, afterall it was for everyone to sit down, eat and chat, no? Lots of food, but I exerted self control. Even with that, I started to think about skipping dinner. May need an evening jog/walk/biking.

Got the Wiley Chapter amended. I hate doing this, hopefully this is the last time and the chapter will be accepted as is. I still have two Springer chapters to worry about, it is scaring to think about it. Conference trip to USA is pending approval, but I am getting close. Hope to kill three in one trip: VMIC in Fremont, CA, Stay at MIT, and AMC in Albany, NY. Don't give me hard time, please.

August 06 - August 07

- Won LKY PDF from both NTU and NUS. Accepted NTU's offer before NUS's arrived. Many good reasons (facilities, salary, collaborator, etc);
- Joined NTU on September 18, 2006;
- Visit to Boston to deliver invited talk at MRS Winter Meeting (on 3-D technology). Met Rafael, Anantha, Susan, Liz, Linda, Tenzin, Mich, Michael, Zeke, CH, JHO, the Yangs, George, ML, Bai Yu, Shirley, Duane, Andy Fan, Nisha, did I miss out anyone? (George hosted me and that saved me some $$$);
- February: Accepted Springer invitation to edit a book on 3-D technology options and technology with Ron Gutmann, and Rafael;
- May: SUSS bonder arrived in NTU;
- July: Mindef JPP approved (S$50K) + LKY PDF Grant (S$100K);

Between September 05 - July 06

Some highlights:
- I defended my Ph.D. thesis on Nov 14 and I passed!;
- Interviewed at IMEC (Belgium) and TSMC (Taiwan). Got offers from both;
- Jan 06 (during CNY) I went home and Dad was hospitalised. Dianogsed with advanced stage of Larynx cancer. My plans all changed;
- Feb 8 - Mar 6, 06: I went back to Boston to settle things (thesis submission, clearing, good byes). I have decided to delay all career plan and to spend the last few months with Dad;
- Mar 8 - Jun 16, 06: In Penang GH and home - giving paliative care to Dad. Worst time in my life;
- Jun 17, 06: Dad passed away around 7:30AM in the morning;

A long overdue update

It has REALLY been a while since my last post. A lot had happened during this period and for now, I am now in Singapore. Hope to write them all down slowly... stay tuned!