Imec fellows

"The best ideas come from discussions with people who think different."

Francky Catthoor has retired at imec.

• Joined imec in 1995
• Obtained a PhD in electrical and electronics engineering in 2000
• Started as senior researcher advanced logic devices in 2001
• Became program manager logic in 2012
• Earned title of distinguished member of technical staff in 2016
• Assumed function of program director advanced RF in 2018
• Promoted to imec fellow in 2023

• Joined imec in 2002
• Principal scientist, senior principal scientist, distinguished member of technical staff
• Became imec fellow in 2020

• Obtained a PhD at KU Leuven in 1992
• Joined imec in 1987
• Became head of the Mixed Signal/RF technology group in 1998
• Appointed as manager of GaN power device technology in 2010
• In 2015, was promoted to director of GaN technology program
• Named imec fellow in 2023

Joined imec’s UCP group in 1996

Held the positions of scientific program manager, principal scientist, and scientific director

Became scientific director at imec in 2017

Director of doctoral research and academic relations since 2022

Imec fellow since 2022

Professor at KU Leuven since 2003

• Obtained a PhD in physics 1989
• Joined imec in 1989
• Founded imec’s reliability group REMO
• Assumed role of scientific director in 2018
• Was named imec fellow in 2020
• Active at KU Leuven since 2007 (now professor and program director of the master in nanotechnology)

Mircea is a visionary scientist in lithography, with a deep understanding of photolithography and optical equipment built over many years.

“Teaching is my thing.”

Guido Groeseneken has retired at imec.

“Our collective brainpower fuels our future potential for research and innovation."

Marc Heyns has retired at imec.

• Obtained a PhD in nanoelectronics (spintronics, MRAM, spin transfer torque) in 2003
• Started at imec as team leader spintronics in that same year
• Pivoted the team to create the first life sciences technology group at imec as an R&D manager LST in 2006
• Appointed program director life sciences in 2016
• Occupies the position of associate professor at KU Leuven’s biophysics department since 2008
• Became an imec fellow in 2020

Joined iMinds in 2006

Entered imec upon its merger with iMinds

Full professor at University of AntwerpLed IDLab research group at University of Antwerp from 2013 until 2022

Imec fellow since 2022

“Learning from diverse perspectives has enabled me to create real impact."

“Geoffrey Pourtois leverages atomistic simulation to accelerate the discovery and development of new materials for nanoelectronics. He is recognized as an industry-leading researcher by both our IDM/foundry and supplier partners and the scientific community.”

"As AI and chip design increasingly go hand in hand, I’m thrilled to be at a place where both worlds come together to incentivize breakthrough innovation."

• Joined imec in 2001
• Postdoctoral researcher, principal member of technical staff, scientific director
• Became imec fellow in 2020

Joined imec in 1988

Obtained a PhD in device physics in 1994

Became memory group leader in 1999

Became director of flash memory at imec in 2011

Appointed chief scientist at imec in 2014

Was a distinguished member of technical staff at imec between 2016 and 2018

Assumed the role of scientific director in imec’s semiconductor technology and systems department in 2018

Appointed as program director of ferroelectrics in 2019

imec fellow since 2022

“The more room you offer people to let their ideas grow, the better the results.”

• Obtained a PhD in Chemistry in 1998
• Postdoctoral associate at The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD until 2001
• Research staff member at IBM Research in Yorktown Heights, NY
• Joined imec in 2005
• Appointed scientific director in 2018
• Professor at the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering of the KU Leuven since 2009
• Imec fellow since 2022

• Joined imec in 1996
• Principal member of technical staff, distinguished member of technical staff
• Became imec fellow in 2020