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76 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2021 circuit engineering technology be without sci- ence? Our leaders within the PCEA are actively engaged in partnering and promoting the sci- ence and research data of the many electron- ics PhDs, whose work continues to help PCB designs advance in the areas of layout, materi- als, processing and overall performance. The goal of the PCEA Educational Committee is to pull industry stakeholders away from conspir- acy theories, which can include: • An EE degree automatically makes one an experienced PCB engineer • Just because the finishing spec for copper says "2 ounce" your supplier is plating up to a full two ounces. • Your electronic component app notes are 100% correct for all applications They want to give our members exposure to the science that can be leveraged to make PCB design, manufacturing, and test and procure- ment run better. Our educational committee in the PCEA is tasked with teaching our mem- bers solid, scientifically sound, core PCB engi- neering concepts. The concept here is to give our members the education and confidence to speak the truth about design, manufactur- ing, and test and procurement to fellow stake- holders, project managers, and even CEOs or legal representation during the most agitated and desperate times of a project development cycle. Rejecting radical PCB engineering conspir- acy theories, embracing science, and becom- ing educated enough to speak truth to pow- erful management and customer contacts are keys to overcoming systemic PCB engineer- ing failure. Systemic success models include proliferation of relevant, real-time data to be accessed and rightly used to promote the well- being of one's fellow PCB engineering stake- holders and their individual responsibilities. A customer must truly define their needs. A program manager must truly understand those needs, select appropriate project stakeholders, work to gather data, and feed them truth. The PCB design, manufacturing and test engineers must be enabled to work within a company culture that promotes front-loading projects with a healthy respect for science, data and educated stakeholder feedback. Message from the Chairman by Stephen Chavez, MIT, CID+ Happy New Year! 2021 is finally here. Thank goodness that 2020 is behind us! We view 2021 as a new year filled with lots of potential and great opportunities. Most peo- ple set resolutions when they start each new year. For many, they consist of a handful of new reso- lutions mixed in with some of the same old resolutions. These "carried over" resolutions may or may not get filed or accomplished, yet remain on an annual list, year after year. Per- sonally, I don't make New Year's resolutions. I used to make them and write them down. Is this a good or a bad thing to do? I guess it's up to how each of us perceive this annual form of goal setting or form of "good inten- tions" to enforce a change or improvement in our respective lives. Everyone handles the beginning of a new year a bit differently when it comes to annual resolutions or goal-setting. Usually during my year-end holiday break/ vacation, I simply take some personal time and do some deep-level self-assessments and evaluations. I think about how the previous year unfolded and how I adapted to it. I review my attained successes, failures, opportunities taken and missed, and opportunities that I simply did not take advantage of. Then, I ask myself several questions such as these: • "Are you truly happy with who is looking back at you, while looking into a mirror?" • "Did you do better than the year before?" • "Did you honestly try your hardest and give your best each and every time?" • "Did you practice what you preach?" • "What do you think you could have done better?" Stephen Chavez