Fresh PCB Concepts: Assembly Challenges with Micro Components and Standard Solder Mask Practices
Elementary Mr. Watson: Retro Routers vs. Modern Boards—The Silent Struggle on Your Screen
Beyond Design: The Metamorphosis of the PCB Router
Engineer Connects Education, Industry and IPC
May 6, 2019 | IPCEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
As the IPC Education Foundation establishes student chapters, we have partnered with individuals in the electronics industry and academia. Sometimes we get lucky and find someone involved in both. Kris Moyer, lead engineer at Williams International, is an IPC veteran who chairs and participates in several IPC Standards Committees. Moyer is also a part-time professor focused on PCB design at Sacramento State.
A chance encounter between Moyer and IPC President and CEO John W. Mitchell led to a partnership in developing an online, instructor-led Introductory PCB Design course offered through IPC. The first class just ended. The next class starts on May 7 and is open for registration. The six-week online IPC PCB Design Fundamentals course utilizes interactive webinars, on-demand recorded class sessions, job-specific exercises, and team projects to facilitate mastery of the key concepts required by circuit board designers. IPCEF took the opportunity to ask Moyer about his experience teaching his first IPC class.
Moyer responded, “It’s very rewarding to give back to the next generation of board designers by teaching PCB design both at the university level through Sacramento State University as well as through the new IPC EDGE training portal. I have been able to successfully design and build PWBs and CCAs for some of the most extreme environments and a lot of that knowledge flows directly from IPC’s standards and certification activities.”
Moyer is also the faculty advisor of our first IPC Student Chapter at Sacramento State. He partnered with student Scott O’Hair, an IPC Emerging Engineer, to start the chapter with O’Hair as the first IPC student chapter president.
O’Hair added, “My experience as an IPC Emerging Engineer really expanded my knowledge of the electronics industry. I received a lot of insight from my mentors and attending IPC APEX EXPO gives you the chance to see some impressive technology in action. The networking events can open up career opportunities as well and I wanted to share those benefits with my fellow students.”
The Sacramento State IPC Student Chapter was the first of six chapters launched during IPC APEX EXPO 2019. Aaron Birney, IPC’s manager of education programs, describes IPC Student Chapters as “a way for students to engage IPC members and learn about real-world manufacturing processes, make connections within the industry, and lay the groundwork for internships.”
The IPC Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, focuses on strengthening and shaping the emerging workforce by providing educational opportunities, connecting the emerging workforce with industry opportunities, improving the perception of the industry, and offering scholarships to deserving students.
Share on:
Suggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
06/27/2025 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007While news outside our industry keeps our attention occupied, the big news inside the industry is the rechristening of IPC as the Global Electronics Association. My must-reads begins with Marcy LaRont’s exclusive and informative interview with Dr. John Mitchell, president and CEO of the Global Electronics Association. For designers, have we finally reached the point in time where autorouters will fulfill their potential?
Reflections and Priorities: An Update to I-Connect007 Readers
06/24/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007The electronics and manufacturing industry is evolving rapidly—with new technologies, deeper global connections, and a growing drive toward sustainability. To reflect these changes and our place in this dynamic space, we’re refreshing our brand.
The Knowledge Base: Building the Workforce of Tomorrow With EMAC
06/24/2025 | Mike Konrad -- Column: The Knowledge BaseAs the electronics manufacturing industry races to meet rising global demand and technological complexity, the need for a highly skilled, future-ready workforce has never been greater. At the forefront of addressing this challenge is The Electronics Manufacturing & Assembly Collaborative (EMAC)—a national initiative dedicated to strengthening the talent pipeline through strategic collaboration with SMTA, education, and government stakeholders.
IPC Rebrands as Global Electronics Association: Interview With Dr. John W. Mitchell
06/22/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Today, following a major announcement, IPC is embracing the rapid advancement of technology with a bold decision to change its name to the Global Electronics Association. This name more accurately reflects the full breadth of its work and the modern realities of electronics manufacturing. In this exclusive interview, Global Electronics Association President and CEO Dr. John W. Mitchell shares the story behind the rebrand: Why now, what it means for the industry, and how it aligns with the organization’s mission.
Global Electronics Association Debuts; New Name Elevates IPC’s 70-Year Legacy as Voice of $6 Trillion Electronics Industry
06/25/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationToday begins a new chapter for IPC as it officially becomes the Global Electronics Association, reflecting its role as the voice of the electronics industry. Guided by the vision of “Better electronics for a better world,” the Global Electronics Association (electronics.org) is dedicated to enhancing supply chain resilience and promoting accelerated growth through engagement with more than 3,000 member companies, thousands of partners, and dozens of governments across the globe.