IEEE Solid-States Circuits Magazine - Winter 2021 - 63

An Amazing Legacy and Inspiration
Prof. Jim Meindl had a huge, long-lasting, and positive impact on me,
as he did with so many others he touched. He was very supportive of
his students, deeply engaged in our work, and yet very forgiving of our
shortcomings. When I later joined the Stanford University faculty, I endeavored to follow his example of what a professor should be.
With the development of the Stanford IC Lab and, later, the Center for
Integrated Systems (CIS), he helped put Stanford on the microelectronics
world map. The CIS became a mecca in the 1970s for those who wanted
to pursue microelectronics technology. It was a very stimulating place
to be, learn, and grow.
Being immersed with his students was a life-changing and seminal
experience for me. We formed a tight-knit community that explored IC
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technology with gusto and excitement-all made possible through his
leadership and the facilities he helped create. The time at Stanford working with Jim Meindl and his students will remain among my fondest
memories. I am doubly grateful for those world-class capabilities because the solar cell technology underlying SunPower Corporation was
developed there.
Jim helped make Silicon Valley the amazing fount of technology it has
become. What a superb legacy and inspiration to all who followed him.
-Richard M. Swanson
About the Author
Richard M. Swanson received his Ph.D. degree from Stanford University in 1974,
after which he joined the electrical engineering faculty at Stanford. In 1991, he
resigned from his faculty position to devote his full time to SunPower Corporation, which he founded.

Georgia Tech Years
Jim Meindl's Impact and Legacy at Georgia Tech
James D. Meindl, our treasured friend and colleague in the School of
Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at Georgia Tech, was a giant
in the world of semiconductors and a gentleman of the highest magnitude. Meindl's arrival at Georgia Tech in 2013 brought immediate and
significant visibility to the Institute, and his leadership was immediately
and positively felt in the development of microelectronics research and
education. His record of leadership in microelectronics and nanotechnology is simply unmatched.
During his 20-year career at Georgia Tech, Meindl graduated more
than 30 Ph.D. students and established several national research and
educational programs in microelectronics and nanotechnology. Meindl

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was the founding director of the Nanotechnology Research Center,
which eventually became what is now known as the Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology.
While Meindl's influence on his own Ph.D. students is unquestionable, he made a significant and lasting impact on the Georgia Tech
ECE faculty, enriching their lives and those of his many colleagues and
friends elsewhere at Georgia Tech as well as throughout the United
States and the world.
-Jackie Nemeth
About the Author
Jackie Nemeth is a communications manager in the School of Electrical and
Computer Engineering (ECE) at Georgia Tech; she has worked in communications
and administrative roles for ECE since 1992. Prior to joining ECE, she worked with
the Georgia Tech News Bureau.

Contagious and Empowering Enthusiasm
Being around his students was a true source of joy for Prof. Meindl.
Nothing made him happier than seeing his students become successful. He never spoke of the many professional awards he received.
However, when a student received a paper award or a recognition, he
celebrated it with the greatest excitement and enthusiasm and highlighted it throughout the student's Ph.D. studies. Being humble was
one of his many gentlemanly qualities, but perhaps one of his greatest gifts was inspiring the people around him-instilling confidence
through kind words and actions, especially in technical meetings with
his students.
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No matter how difficult the research seemed, Prof. Meindl's enthusiasm about his students' ideas and work were contagious and empowering. I believe this is a key reason for the virtually unmatched success
of his research group. Following his retirement, I often walked by his
portrait in the Marcus Nanotechnology Building and smiled back at Prof.
Meindl; his memory is our treasure, and his wisdom and kindness will
always be with us.
-Muhannad Bakir
About the Author
Muhannad Bakir is the Dan Fielder Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech. His research interests include heterogeneous
and 3D integration technologies.

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