Greetings from Boston and New England where the American Industrial Revolution began. Historic Boston is the right place for us to gather with leadership in so many fields of Emerging Technologies that include MEMS, advanced photonics and a variety of biomedical areas. Come and enjoy the region and its rich heritage, home to Ivy League Universities like Harvard and world-renowned technical institutes like MIT. New England is populated with hundreds of advanced technology companies, including the world's most successful MEMS company and the first Nanotech materials manufacturer. IMAPS 2003 International Symposium will also celebrate triumphs of technology and the resurgence of a stronger tech-driven economy. Hear and meet local talent as well as world authorities who will be guests and speakers.

We have a strong suite of technical programming that includes excellent papers from around the world and timely Professional Development Course (PDC) topics. Once again, we will have our special event describing the very latest packaging and related technologies in the Japanese Translations Session. Learn the latest trends in well-established areas like ceramics, but also find out what's happening in emerging technologies where convergence raises the bar for versatility and performance. The pent up, overdue demand for new high-tech products coupled with an array of ready-to-launch developments will bring energy and excitement. Boston is the #1 IMAPS venue and the 2003 Symposium will be a very significant advanced technology event.

We have 25 sessions that thoroughly cover all important topics in electronic materials, interconnects and packaging. Interconnect systems include advanced ceramic materials and designs such as LTCC and embedded passives. Organic circuitry topics include high-density structures, micro-fabrication processes and high-speed materials for the new telecom. Packaging is well represented with a number of sessions that encompass advanced thick film, very fine pitch, high density, power device packaging, thermal management and RF systems. The most advanced packaging trends are detailed; flex-based chip carriers, Flip Chip, CSPs, and wafer-level packaging (WLP) processes.

The PDCs are diversified with timely themes that cover economics, manufacturing, business strategy, and Emerging Technology including "printed organics," Flip Chip and new underfills, innovative sensors, Nanotechnology, MEMS and MOEMS. We have not neglected the all-important established methods and will include printing, soldering, LTCC, plating, lead-free materials, wire bonding, product launch marketing, six-sigma quality, and many others.

IMAPS enthusiastically welcomes students and provides support through a strong scholarship program. There are several student events and sessions this year. Winners of the Student Marketing Campaign contest will be announced and there will be a tour to an advanced MEMS software and logistics company. The poster sessions and educational forums will give students a voice, a chance to discuss ideas, and a means to interact with peers and industry.

Come network and socialize with friends, colleagues and world experts who will all be there. Boston is America's gateway to the oldest and the newest - to science and the arts, to the past and to the future. And the newly completed transportation network (including the famous "Big Dig") is ready to help make this a memorable and rewarding journey. So don't be left behind as the world gets back on track and technology leads the way to good times.

See you soon in Boston to help launch the Revolution.

Onward,

Ken Gilleo
Cookson Electronics
gilleo@ieee.org