Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1506834
8 SMT007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2023 Nolan's Notes by Nolan Johnson, I-CONNECT007 Chips Don't Float Ronnie Chatterji is returning to academia. is is big news because Chatterji is the tech- nology advisor to the Biden administration, and a central figure in shepherding the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Steven Overly, writing in Politico on Aug. 2, 2023, says that Chatterji's return to Duke University "comes as the Biden administra- tion's semiconductor strategy has evolved from a frenzied search for a short-term fix to the global chips shortage to placing long- term bets on the U.S.-based manu- facturing facilities in an effort to depend less on suppliers in Taiwan." 1 I recommend reading Overly's article in its entiret y; it's a good overview. I n f a c t , I h a d t o smile a bit as I read the Po l i t i c o p i e c e . O u r roadmap for this issue of SMT007 Magazine includes many of the same topics that O verly s u m m a r i z e s . E xc e p t , o f course, we concentrate on the printed circuit and electronics manufacturing industries. Truth is, no matter the industry sector, many of the themes are the same. Case in point: In this issue, we look at indus- try support legislation in both the U.S. and Europe. We start with an interview with Travis Kelly, Isola CEO and PCBAA president. From IPC, we have a report issued by Alison James of the IPC Europe office, and an update from Matt Kelly on setting objectives within the CHIPS Act. We're proud to bring you some high-caliber strategic thinking on the impact of how the investment should be distributed, among other topics. One thing is emerging, though, and it's that the coordinated advocacy work in Washing- ton, D.C., is making a difference. Legislators and their staff are increasingly savvy to the electronics supply chain. is month's issue is a slice of what our advocates have been communicating on our behalf. Now, what does all this have to do with Chatterji? In fact, most everything. Before his departure, Chatterji helped the adminis- trators at the Depart- ment of Commerce determine the strate- gic priorities for the CHIPS Act—namely, that a successful semi- conductor supply chain requires more than just c h i p m a n u f a c tu r i ng . It requires a complete, self-sus- taining ecosystem. Our advocacy groups have been doing the same, as evidenced in the Travis Kelly interview and the Matt Kelly update. As you read through the conversations and articles in this issue, I'm sure you'll notice how oen advanced packaging and substrates comes up in conversation. When it comes to the electronics ecosystem, packages and sub- strates are the weakest link—not just in the