Winners of Third Annual Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad
YEREVAN, Armenia – September 29, 2008 - Synopsys, Inc., a world leader in software and IP for semiconductor design and manufacturing, today announced that the Third Annual Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad, held earlier in September 2008 in Yerevan, included 115 competitors and added participants from Gyumri. The Olympiad reflects the growing development of microelectronics design in Armenia by putting the spotlight on Armenia’s brightest and most talented engineers under the age of 30. The competition’s goals are to stimulate interest in microelectronics design, add the element of competition to the educational process, and determine these young engineers’ depth of knowledge in order to adjust future educational programs if necessary.
Olympiad topics included Digital IC Design and Testing, Analog and Mixed-Signal IC Design and Testing, Semiconductor Devices and Technology, and Mathematical and Algorithmic Issues of Electronic Design Automation (EDA). The Olympiad was conducted in two stages. The first stages were held on September 16 in Gyumri and on September 18 in Yerevan and took the form of a test involving a number of basic tasks. The top contestants were admitted to the second stage, which involved a challenging contest and complex tasks requiring advanced solutions. Of the 115 participants in the first stage (15 of them from Gyumri), 49 passed to the second stage (8 of them from Gyumri). Synopsys held an evening reception to announce the final winners.
- Six prizes were given for the following categories:
- Notebook computer to the winner.
- 300000 AMD to each of two winners.
- 150000 AMD to each of three winners.
- Prizes were also awarded in a number of sponsored categories:
- Most Efficient Solution - from Media Style Holding
- Most Creative Approach - from Nsourcer TM Art Sight
- Best Engineering Solution - from Virage Logic
- Best Out-of-the-Box Solution - from UITE
- Youngest Participant - from UMBA
- Best Result among Female Participants - from ARMINCO CJSC
- Best Result among Participants from Gyumri - from USAID CAPS
- Best Result from Radio Frequency Circuits - from K-Telecom (VIVACELL-MTS)
Each winner also received an Apple iPod Shuffle.
Olympiad Sponsors were: Synopsys Armenia CJSC, K-Telecom (VIVACELL-MTS), Virage Logic Corporation, Unicomp CJSC, MICROSOFT RA, ACBA Bank, “Enterprise Incubator” Foundation (EIF), USAID CAPS, APAVEN LLC, Viasphere Technopark CJSC, Union of Manufacturers & Businessmen of Armenia (UMBA), Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE), ARMINCO CJSC, Yerkir Media TV, N-Sourcer TM Art Sight LLC, ARCA Agency, “ECOnomics” Magazine, “Media style” Holding, “168 Hours” Daily, and “Business Express” Weekly.
“Holding the Microelectronics Olympiad and similar events in Armenia undoubtedly helps us maintain the best practices of the IT sector in our country as well as stimulate future developments,” said Tigran Sargsyan, premier minister of the Republic of Armenia. “Through the Olympiad, young specialists are introduced to contemporary microelectronics problems and requirements. Exposing them to these problems early on will help them direct their knowledge to meet current technology demands and help fill the professional ranks with highly qualified specialists in the future.”
“The first two Olympiads surpassed all our expectations for success,” said Rich Goldman, President of the Organizing Committee of the Olympiad (Appendix 1), vice president of Corporate Marketing and Strategic Alliances at Synopsys, and chief executive officer of Synopsys Armenia CSJC. “The Third Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad took place in the state-of-the-art Synopsys campus, the most advanced engineering facility in Armenia. This is the former site of the “Transistor” facility, a mainstay of the former Armenian microelectronics industry. Just as we have restored this building from a once-abandoned facility to a modern engineering building, these young, talented engineers will help transform the Armenian microelectronics industry to a modern and leading industry for this country.”
“We have invited everyone who has sufficient knowledge not only in the sphere of microelectronics and electronic design, but also in programming, mathematic methods and algorithms, to participate in this Olympiad,” said Vazgen Melikyan, president of the Program Committee of Olympiad (Appendix 2), director of Synopsys Armenia Educational Department, head of the interdepartmental chair of SEUA “Microelectronic Circuits and Systems,” honorable scientist of RA, professor. “The Olympiad is a good opportunity to present their knowledge and skills, evaluate them and determine the right way to develop them.”
“Such Olympiads are very useful to us,” said fourth course Bachelor student of Synopsys Armenia Educational program Eduard Babayan. “The Olympiad is useful in three aspects. First, you are preparing yourself to participate in it, second, you check your knowledge and third, you analyze your results and start to work on improving them.”
About Annual Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad
The First Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad was held on September 22-26, 2006. Eighty-two participants took part in the first stage, 32 of which passed to the second stage. The Second Annual Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad was held on September 18-26, 2007. One hundred and eighteen participants took part in the first stage, 48 of which passed to the second stage. Visit Annual Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad online at http://www.microolymp.am.
About Synopsys Armenia CJSC
Synopsys established its presence in Armenia in 2004, shortly after Armenia’s declaration of information technology (IT) as a priority business for the country. Since then, Synopsys Armenia closed joint stock company (CJSC), has become one of the largest Synopsys sites outside of the US, providing R&D and product support in EDA, design for manufacturing (DFM) and the development of semiconductor intellectual property (IP). Currently, the company employs several hundred qualified Armenian engineers, and is one of largest IT employers in Armenia. To support its growth, the company is investing in IT education, and is engaged in a number of pioneering and successful cooperation programs with major Armenian universities, such as Yerevan State University (YSU), State Engineering University of Armenia (SEUA), American University of Armenia (AUA), Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) State University and the Moscow Institute of Electronic Technologies (MIET). To supplement these activities, the company consistently promotes public interest in the industry by sponsoring Presidential Awards for the best students in IT, contests among young specialists and students, and through media, charity work and volunteer activities. Synopsys Armenia CJSC is located in Yerevan. Visit Synopsys Armenia online at http://www.synopsys.am.
About the Synopsys for Armenia Charitable Foundation
The Synopsys for Armenia Charitable Foundation was established in July of 2005. It supports Synopsys’ R&D operations in Armenia through a number of educational and social initiatives. Its activities are divided into two sections: educational and social. The Foundation’s educational programs include support to all Synopsys educational programs for ongoing professional engineering education, conducted in cooperation with major Armenia universities. The Foundation also funds the RA Presidential Awards for the best students in the IT sector and sponsors various IT-related contests targeting students and young professionals. The foundation’s social activities primarily assist the local communities.
About Synopsys
Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNPS) is a world leader in electronic design automation (EDA), supplying the global electronics market with the software, intellectual property (IP) and services used in semiconductor design and manufacturing. Synopsys’ comprehensive, integrated portfolio of implementation, verification, IP, manufacturing and field-programmable gate array (FPGA) solutions helps address the key challenges designers and manufacturers face today, such as power and yield management, system-to-silicon verification and time-to-results. These technology-leading solutions help give Synopsys customers a competitive edge in bringing the best products to market quickly while reducing costs and schedule risk. Synopsys is headquartered in Mountain View, California, and has more than 60 offices located throughout North America, Europe, Japan, Asia and India. Visit Synopsys online at http://www.synopsys.com.
Organizing committee of the Third Annual Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad: | President Rich Goldman | CEO of Synopsys Armenia CJSC, Vice President for Corporate Marketing and Strategic Market Development of Synopsys | N | MEMBERS |
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| 1 | Hovik Musayelyan | Synopsys Armenia CJSC, Executive Director | | 2 | Andranik Hovhannisyan | Synopsys Armenia CJSC, Deputy Executive Director | | 3 | Vladimir Harutyunyan | Academician of Republic of Armenia (RA) National Academy of Sciences (NAS), Head of YSU Chair | | 4 | Harutyun Terzyan | Academician of RA NAS, SEUA Professor | | 5 | Eduard Ghazaryan | Academician of RA NAS, Head of Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) State University Chair | | 6 | Garegin Chuqaszyan | IT Foundation, Executive Director | | 7 | Arsen Ghazaryan | Union of Manufacturers & Businessmen of Armenia, President | | 8 | Aram Vardanyan | Viasphere Technopark CJSC, General Manager | | 9 | Armen Baldryan | Unicomp CJSC, Director | | 10 | Varuzhan Meserejyan | Virage Logic Corporation, Executive Director | | 11 | Bagrat Yengibaryan | Enterprise Incubator Foundation, Director | | 12 | Karen Vardanyan | Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE), Executive Director | | 13 | Hovhannes Avoyan | UITE, President; SORCIO CJSC, President | | 14 | Stepan Gishyan | ACBA Bank, President | | 15 | Andranik Aleksanyan | Arminco CJSC, General Manager | | 16 | Grigor Barseghyan | MICROSOFT RA, Country manager | | 17 | Gagik Boyakhchyan | Sonics Armenia Holdings, Director of Armenian Design Center | | 18 | Eduard Naghdalyan | Business Express Weekly, Editor-in-Chief | | 19 | Satenik Seyranyan | 168 Hours Daily, Editor-in-Chief |
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Program committee of the Third Annual Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad: | President Vazgen Melikyan | Director of Educational Department of SYNOPSYS ARMENIA CJSC, Head of SEUA “Microelectronic Circuits and Systems” Interdepartmental Chair of SEUA | N | MEMBERS |
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| 1 | Hrant Marandjyan | Synopsys Armenia CJSC, Sci.D, Professor | | 2 | David Parent | SJSU, Accociate Professor | | 3 | Viliam Movsisyan | Synopsys Armenia CJSC, Department Manager, Ph.D, Associate Professor | | 4 | Shura Bozoyan | SEUA Professor, Sci.D | | 5 | Sargis Simonyan | Head of SEUA Chair, Sci.D., Professor | | 6 | Ruben Vardanyan | Head of SEUA Chair, Sci.D., Professor | | 7 | Vahe Buniatyan | Head of SEUA Chair, Sci.D, Professor | | 8 | Suren Khudaverdyan | Head of SEUA Chair, Sci.D., Associate Professor | | 9 | Slavik Melkonyan | Head of YSU Chair, Sci.D., Professor | | 10 | Stepan Petrosyan | Dean of RAU Chair, Sci.D., Professor | | 11 | Vladimir Yeghiazaryan | Dean of RAU Chair, Accociate Professor, PhD | | 12 | Armenak Babayan | SEUA Accociate Professor, PhD | | 13 | Misak Travajyan | SEUA Accociate Professor, PhD | | 14 | Ashot Harutyunyan | SEUA Accociate Professor, PhD | | 15 | Valery Vardanyan | Virage Logic Corporation | | 16 | Artur Minasyan | Armenian Branch of Sonics Armenia Holdings Inc., Lead Design Engineer | | 17 | Gagik Ayvazyan | Viasphere Technopark CJSC, Director, Accociate Professor, PhD |
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Winners of Third Annual Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad
| 1 | Category I | Grigoryan Tigran | | 2 | Category II | Poghosyan Aram | | 2 | Category II | Hovhannisyan Vahan | | 3 | Category III | Mkrtchyan Arsen | | 3 | Category III | Tamazyan Mher | | 3 | Category III | Hayrapetyan Tigran | | 2 | Most Efficient Solution | Aghekyan Narek | | 3 | Most Creative Approach | Hovhannisyan Tatevik | | 4 | Best Engineering Solution | Chakhmakhchyan Ruzanna | | 5 | Best Out-of-the-Box Solution | Antanyan Samvel | | 6 | Youngest Participant | Pahlevanyan Narek | | 9 | Best Result - Female Participant | Tevosyan Mariam | | 10 | Best Result - participant from Gyumri | Balyan Armenak | | 11 | Best Result - RF Circuits part | Khachikyan Tigran |
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Editorial Contacts
Gayane Markosyan
Synopsys Armenia CJSC
(374 10) 492-356
(374 91) 292-302
gayanem@synopsys.com
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