photo of Rakesh Kumar, candidate for 2025 IEEE TA Vice President

RAKESH KUMAR

(Nominated by IEEE Technical Activities)
President & CEO
Technology Connexions Inc.
Poway, California, USA
www.rakesh4vpta.com

Rakesh has a distinguished semiconductor industry career, is an entrepreneur, and an educator. He founded two start-ups and made many technical and leadership contributions at Cadence, Unisys, and Motorola where he developed leading semiconductor technologies. As VP and GM at Cadence he built a successful Silicon Technology services business championing the integration of silicon, design and EDA in chip and system design. At Unisys and Cadence, he coordinated the implementation model that enabled the Fabless industry revolution and authored McGraw Hill’s “Fabless Semiconductor Implementation”.  He is an IEEE Life Fellow, was inducted into the Technical Activities Hall of Honor. His many IEEE contributions include Chairing the IEEE/TA Data AdHoc & Roadmaps Committees, DataPort Chair, Industry Engagement committee member, SSCS Past-President, TA Chair for 3 Sections Congresses. He teaches Entrepreneurship at UC San Diego.

He received the EE Ph.D. and M.S. from Univ. Rochester, BTech. from IITDelhi, and Executive “MBA” from UCSD.

Statement

IEEE/TA has an excellent reputation and brand for being the premier research publication/conference venue.  We are also very good at coming up with new ideas. However, we need to build on this reputation and focus on creating innovative solutions in a nimble and efficient way by further involving industry folks and the younger generation, making it relevant to them. I am proud to have demonstrated the launch and escalation of new pilots and projects like Roadmaps, AskIEEE and DataPort. These projects have leveraged my experience as an entrepreneur and a business manager. We need to find better ways to provide Technology for global initiatives such as Climate Change, the Chips Acts and the like. We have many activities in our “silos” but by working together we have the potential to be leaders and the “GO-TO” place for Technology solutions. We must expand our mindsets from creation of publications and conferences to creating solutions useful to Practitioners and humanity-at-large. Focusing on such solutions will draw in a younger community and potentially keep them. It will be my pleasure to advance these priorities if elected. We also need to grow our Members globally and continue to improve our records on Diversity. 

IEEE Accomplishments and Activities

(S’70-M’74-SM’91-F’08-LF’13)

Kumar has served in a wide-range of leadership roles. His efforts led to enhancements within TA. He initiated/implemented plans for SSCS Chapters expansion worldwide, increased cooperation and globalization across various OUs. He was inducted into the TAB Hall of Honor. He fosters cross-functional cooperation and innovation using his technical know-how and leadership skills.

Recent Leadership Roles:

  • IEEE Data-based Business Strategy AdHoc Chair
  • IEEE DataPort Chair
  • IEEE Technology Roadmaps Committee Past-Chair
  • IEEE Future Directions Committee
  • CHIPS Volunteer Advisory Board Member
  • IEEE Industry Engagement Committee Past-Member
  • SSCS Strategy Adviser and Magazine Board Chair
  • IEEE Sections Congress – 2020 Advisory panel; 2017, 2014, 2011 TA Chair
  • Boards of Governors – SSCS/SSIT/HKN
  • MGA VoLT Instructor

Technical Activities Leadership:

  • TMC 2015-2017
  • Strategic Planning 2014-2016
  • Vice-Chair Entrepreneurship 2015-2016
  • Chair Society Turnaround Committee (SSIT) 2012-2014
  • MGA Geographic Unit Operations Support Committee, TAB Representative 2011
  • Ethics and Conflict Resolution 2010
  • TAB FinCom 2009-2010

SSCS Leadership:

  • Society Directions Committee Advisor 2021-Present
  • President 2012-2013; Vice-President 2010-2011; Treasurer 2005-2009; CICC Representative to SSCS AdCom 2000-2004; Nominations Chair 2014-2015; Chair, Magazine Advisory Board, 2014-Present
  • As SSCS President/President-Elect, promoted global presence outreach
  • Facilitated formation of 12 new Chapters (15% growth)
  • Led programs that transformed declining Society membership trend to positive annual growth (~2.5%)
  • Promoted volunteer recognition – Fellow nominations increased by 80%
  • Enhanced educational activities – >15 tutorials/short courses available online, 7 Distinguished Lecturer “Tours” in Regions 8-10 (participated in 3)
  • Launched successful SSCS Webinar Program
  • SSCS and EDS Distinguished Lectures
  • Supported GOLD/YP and WIE activities
  • Championed/promoted member value
  • Spear-headed approval and launched IEEE Solid-State Circuits Magazine focused on historical, educational and newsworthy content (2005-2006). Tutorials Editor for five years
  • Used Leadership skills that drove the formulation/approval of cross-functional publications:
  • IEEE RFIC Virtual Journal – Fostered cooperation between SSC/CAS/MTT/ED/AP Societies
  • JXCDC – IEEE Journal on Exploratory Computational Solid-State Computational Devices and Circuits (sponsors SSCS/Magnetics/NanoTechC/CAS/Computer; technical co-sponsors EDS/C Superconductivity/CEDA)