Ya-Chieh Lai Memorial Scholarship Honors Innovator and SPIE Member

The annual $10,000 scholarship will support graduate students studying advanced lithography or a related field.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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SPIE, Cadence Design Systems, Inc., and the Cadence Giving Foundation have partnered to jointly fund the Ya-Chieh Lai Memorial Scholarship, a $10,000 annual scholarship that will be awarded to a university student during the SPIE Design Technology Co-Optimization (DTCO) conference at Advanced Lithography + Patterning starting in 2027 and spanning five years. The scholarship honors Ya-Chieh (Yach) Lai, an SPIE Member and part of the SPIE DTCO conference committee who passed away last year and made significant contributions to the semiconductor industry.

Why it matters

The Ya-Chieh Lai Memorial Scholarship aims to support and encourage the next generation of students pursuing excellence in advanced lithography and related fields, continuing the legacy of an innovator and leader in the semiconductor industry who was passionate about discovery, collaboration, and mentorship.

The details

The $50,000 scholarship fund was created through a joint contribution of $25,000 from Cadence and the Cadence Giving Foundation, which was then matched by SPIE. The scholarship can be used to support tuition, fees, textbooks, supplies, equipment, and computer upgrades for the selected graduate student. The application period for the 2027 scholarship will open in September 2026 and close on November 1, 2026.

  • The Ya-Chieh Lai Memorial Scholarship will be awarded annually starting in 2027.
  • The application period for the 2027 scholarship will open in September 2026 and close on November 1, 2026.

The players

SPIE

The international society for optics and photonics, which brings together engineers, scientists, students, and business professionals to advance light-based science and technology.

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

A market leader in AI and digital twins, pioneering the application of computational software to accelerate innovation in the engineering design of silicon to systems.

Cadence Giving Foundation

The philanthropic arm of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. that contributed funding to the Ya-Chieh Lai Memorial Scholarship.

Ya-Chieh (Yach) Lai

An SPIE Member and part of the SPIE DTCO conference committee who passed away last year and made significant contributions to the semiconductor industry, including as Sr. Group Director at Cadence and founder and CEO of CommandCAD.

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What they’re saying

“Yach was not only a brilliant leader and visionary contributor but also a collaborator and advocate for advancing innovation and excellence.”

— Piyush Pathak, Software architect with Cadence (Business Wire)

“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.”

— Nelufar Mohajeri, SPIE Director of Membership and Community Development (Business Wire)

What’s next

The application period for the 2027 scholarship will open in September 2026 and close on November 1, 2026.

The takeaway

The Ya-Chieh Lai Memorial Scholarship is a testament to the lasting impact of an innovator and leader in the semiconductor industry, and it will help support and inspire the next generation of students pursuing excellence in advanced lithography and related fields.