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64 The PCB Design Magazine • April 2017 This year, Romania's TIE Student Profes- sional Contest celebrates its 26 th year, with the Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi hosting the PCB design conference and contest April 25-27, 2017. The TIE show (Interconnection Techniques in Electronics) is the brainchild of Professor Paul Svasta of Politehnica University of Bucharest, Romania. In the 1980s, Professor Svasta envi - sioned a conference that would draw academics, PCB designers and engineers, and university stu- dents together. The first event was held in 1992. Now, PCB design and design engineering students from colleges all over Romania con- verge on the TIE show to attend lectures and panel discussions lead by academic and PCB in- dustry representatives. But TIE's biggest draw is the PCB design con- test. Students have just four hours to design a circuit for a particular product using a provided BOM. Each student strives to meet a long list of design and product requirements. The best performers are sought after by European elec- tronics companies. The conference is held entirely in English. TIE has developed into two phases of curricu- lum: the "classic" TIE focused on an introduc- tion to PCB design, and TIE+, which is dedicated to signal and power integrity this year . TIE+ also attracts graduates and PhD candidates, in addi- tion to undergrads. Both phases are evaluated by representatives of the industr y and engineer- ing teaching staff. TIE is seen by industry as a proving ground for future PCB designers and design engineers. "Hence, TIE is not a simple PCB design stu- dent contest anymore, but a real PCB designer certification respected by the industry," said show planner Gaudentiu Varzaru, a researcher with Politehnica University of Bucharest. "In - dustry representatives belonging to the TIE In- dustrial Committee validate the competency of the participants through appropriate diplomas at the end of both phases. These diplomas will become a real passport for their future profes- sional activities." For more details, visit www.tie.ro. TIE Show Focuses on PCB Design, Signal and Power Integrity ARTICLE