Dear QESST members,

It is with great sadness that I share with you the news that Dieter Schroder passed away on December 24 following cardiac arrest.

Dieter was a great inspiration to our center and to our industry. His inspiration and leadership were critical in the establishment and management of many important research centers, QESST being one among many. His leadership and good humor were critical ingredients to the development of the proposal, and the maintenance of our QESST community. Dieter’s expertise, insight, humor, calmness, and genuine interest in everyone who is part of our center will be sorely missed and is irreplaceable. Dieter is known throughout the semiconductor field for his outstanding technical contributions, which were a product of his keen insight, depth of knowledge and rigor; our field has lost a great mind.

Those of us who were privileged to know him personally, however, will miss far more his graciousness, humility and kindness. He was truly a great human being, one who could merge technical brilliance and competence with kindness, interest and genuine feeling.

I will pass on more information regarding further arrangements as they are available.

Christiana Honsberg