IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1545404
64 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2026 TA RG E T C O N D I T I O N I started my PCB design career in 1980, long before "signal integrity" became a formal dis- cipline. Back then, we were trying to "connect the dots" on simple, two-sided PCB layouts using the new $80,000 interactive graphics terminals we called a CAD system. By the time PCB design con- ferences emerged in the 1990s, signal integrity had begun to formalize into a discipline of its own. Much of the early, visible thought leadership came from North America and parts of Europe. These were engineers who not only developed the fundamentals but also did the hard work of translating Maxwell's equations into something the rest of us could apply without losing our minds. But signal integrity has never been geographically constrained. Before going any further, I'm adding another North American master to those to whom our industry owes a considerable debt of gratitude: Dr. Todd Hubing. He is an American electrical engineer, educator, and consultant specializing in EMC. He is professor emeritus of electrical and computer engineering at Clemson University and president of LearnEMC, an organization dedicated to EMC education and electronic-system design support. Hubing is widely respected for advancing both the understanding and teaching of EMC principles in vehicular and electronic systems. What sets Hubing apart is his ability to translate complex electromag- netic theory into practical engineering methods for PCB layout, grounding, shielding, filtering, return-current control, and EMC troubleshooting. His teaching philosophy emphasizes under- standing current paths and field coupling rather than blindly following "design rules," an approach that consistently shines through in his courses, publications, and industry presentations. Zooming Out the Map Last month, my column highlighted a dozen mas- ters of signal integrity, most of whom reside in North America. Yet the global signal integrity community has been advancing high-speed design, power in- tegrity, packaging, electromagnetic modeling, and measurement science for decades, often through conferences, universities, and publications less vis- ible to North American audiences. The result has been a quieter parallel track of innovation that now underpins much of today's AI hardware, hyperscale computing, and high-speed electronic systems. Before AI completely takes over the world, I would like to pause that silence and continue acknowl- edging the many researchers, educators, and prac- titioners around the globe whose work has shaped our collective understanding of signal integrity. Their contributions—spanning PCB design, interconnect modeling, EMC, packaging, materials, simulation, and measurement—form much of the foundation upon which modern AI infrastructure now depends. So, please join me in recognizing signal integrity pioneers from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and beyond who have advanced our science. Several of them have trained generations of engineers, published seminal research, developed widely used methodologies, and influenced the tools and systems we now take for BY K E L LY DAC K , C I T C I D + Signal Integrity Without Borders Dr. Todd Hubing