Quick Links
Dear Women in Circuits (WiC) Community,
As we move into 2025–2026, I am honored to serve as the WiC Chair, succeeding Zeynep Toprak Deniz, who will remain actively involved as Co-Chair. I am deeply appreciative of Zeynep’s visionary leadership and steadfast commitment, which have significantly enhanced our mentoring, networking, and outreach programs. I embrace this new role with gratitude for the strong foundation established by my predecessors and the unwavering support of a remarkable team.
I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to Farhana Sheikh, Kathy Wilcox, and Alice Wang for their ongoing guidance in advisory roles, and to David Tadros for his invaluable and sustained support as an SSCS staff member.
Plans for an inspiring 2025–2026 are well underway. In keeping with our WiC conference roadmap, we will continue to deliver impactful programming at ISSCC, CICC, VLSI, ESSERC, A-SSCC, and beyond. These initiatives will encompass WiC workshops, luncheons, evening panels, Bingo networking sessions, family care initiatives, and mentoring programs in collaboration with YP and EDS. In February, we will host the second Next Generation Circuit Designer Workshop at ISSCC 2026, renewing our commitment to supporting emerging circuit designers. Looking ahead, we are excited to continue organizing dedicated WiC Retreats that encourage personal growth and leadership development.
In 2026, as we continue our efforts to increase engagement and participation in Technical Program Committees and conference leadership across all SSCS conferences, WiC will be represented on the SSCS AdCom by Nadine Collaert, Ping-Hsuan Hsieh, and Zeynep Lulec as Members-at-Large; Zeynep Toprak Deniz as WiC Co-Chair; and me, Rabia Yazicigil Kirby, as WiC Chair. As our global presence expands, I am pleased to announce that Kazuko Nishimura and Ping-Hsuan Hsieh will continue as WiC Japan Far-East Co-Leads, with our Europe leads to be announced soon. With this robust regional leadership, we aim to expand local mentoring, recruit new SSCS members, and proactively address regional needs, thereby strengthening engagement across the global semiconductor community.
We are eager to build on our momentum, and your support is vital. I encourage each of you to consider volunteering—your participation and ideas are essential as our programs expand across conferences and regions. We welcome new volunteers, fresh perspectives, and innovative initiatives that will help amplify our impact on both society and the industry. Please consider volunteering for the ISSCC, A-SSCC, VLSI, ESSERC, and CICC events and help us continue to grow this vibrant community.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to Women in Circuits.
Warm regards,
Rabia & Zeynep
SSCS Women in Circuits Chair and Vice Chair