SPIE and Cadence Design Systems, Inc. Establish Ya-Chieh Lai Memorial Scholarship

SPIE, the international society of optics and photonics, Cadence Design Systems, Inc., and the Cadence Giving Foundation have partnered to jointly fund the Ya-Chieh Lai Memorial Scholarship. Starting in 2027 and spanning five years, the annual $10,000 scholarship will be awarded to a university student during the SPIE Design Technology Co-Optimization (DTCO) conference at Advanced Lithography + Patterning, the cornerstone event for the semiconductor industry.

Ya-Chieh (Yach) Lai, who passed away last year, was an SPIE Member and part of the SPIE DTCO conference committee. As Sr. Group Director at Cadence, he made lasting contributions to Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI) physical verification and DTCO-using pattern technology. He was founder and CEO of CommandCAD, a startup that developed the next generation of electronic design automation. Lai continued in an executive leadership role when CommandCAD was acquired by Cadence in 2007. He held over 26 US patents in manufacturing-aware verification and pattern-based search technologies and authored or co-authored 49 publications, presenting his research at industry conferences like SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning.

“Yach was not only a brilliant leader and visionary contributor but also a collaborator and advocate for advancing innovation and excellence,” said Piyush Pathak, software architect with Cadence. “He was a master inventor at Cadence and was an active Member of SPIE. He also inspired countless peers through technical community involvement, industry partnerships, intellectual-property creation, technical publications, conference presentations, and mentorship.”

The Ya-Chieh Lai Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to an outstanding graduate student who is studying advanced lithography or a related field. The funding can be used to support tuition and fees, textbooks, supplies and equipment required for courses, and a computer or computer upgrade. Cadence and the Cadence Giving Foundation contributed $25,000 and SPIE matched the funds, bringing the total fund to $50,000, which will be allocated as $10,000 scholarships over the course of five years. The application period for the 2027 scholarship will begin in September 2026 and close 1 November 2026.

“The Ya-Chieh Lai Memorial Scholarship honors a remarkable researcher, mentor, and member of the global optics community whose work and generosity continue to inspire,” said SPIE Director of Membership and Community Development, Nelufar Mohajeri. “SPIE is proud to partner with Cadence and support the next generation of students who embody Ya‑Chieh’s passion for discovery, collaboration, and service. We hope his legacy will encourage scholars to pursue excellence while uplifting others along the way.”