During the ceremony, which took place on April 24, 2023, Prof. Krzysztof Zaremba, Rector of the Warsaw University of Technology, reminded that the University grants the honorary doctoral degree exclusively to individuals who not only have outstanding scientific achievements and are somehow related to the Warsaw University of Technology, but also, using their knowledge and using technology, have changed the world.

– Professor deals with microelectronics, construction of integrated circuits with a high degree of integration, and we all do realize that electronics surrounds us everywhere. Integrated circuits can be found in virtually every device, from modern irons to cars, computers, phones – said Prof. Krzysztof Zaremba. – It is extremely important to create construction methods of integrated circuits, and the Professor is a creator of such groundbreaking methods of designing, controlling, searching for defects in such circuits. The methods proposed by Prof. Strójwąs are used in virtually all global companies that deal with microelectronics. I can safely say that we all benefit from the achievements of the Professor – he stressed.

The ceremony took place on April 24, 2023 in the Main Building of the Warsaw University of Technology

Prof. Andrzej Strójwąs graduated from the Faculty of Electronics at the Warsaw University of Technology (currently the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology). He started working as an assistant at the Institute of Electronic Technology of the Warsaw University of Technology. In 1979, he was invited to Carnegie Mellon University to complete his doctoral studies. At the end of 1981 martial law was declared in Poland, which made Prof. Strójwąs stay in the USA. It is there that he defended his doctoral thesis and became permanently associated with the Pittsburgh University.

Inseparable ties

For over 40 years in the USA, Prof. Andrzej Strojwąs has kept in close touch with the Warsaw University of Technology. He has supported cooperation with the university both through his activity at the Warsaw University of Technology and the opening of Carnegie Mellon University for Polish professors and doctoral students. Prof. Jan Szmidt was in the group of researchers who carried out their research programs and participated in teaching there. The current Director of the Institute of Microelectronics and Optoelectronics of the Warsaw University of Technology gave a laudation in honor of the new honorary doctor of the Warsaw University of Technology.

He summed up, among others, the laureate's achievements. – The result of 40 years of teaching and research work by Prof. Strójwąs at Carnegie Mellon University, include supervising 47 PhDs and co-supervising more than 50 PhDs, as well as the supervision of more than 100 master's theses. The publication output consists of 3 books, 10 chapters in books, about 100 fully reviewed articles and almost 400 articles at the most important scientific conferences – Prof. Jan Szmidt enumerates. He also reminded that Prof. Andrzej Strójwąs is the co-author, together with his colleagues from the company - PDF Solutions founded in 1991, of more than 100 granted patents and patent applications, which have a key impact on the development of the integrated circuit manufacturing industry.

– He is a straightforward, most approachable and a kind person – concluded Prof. Jan Szmidt, who has been friends with Prof. Strójwąs and his family for over 50 years now.

Prof. Jan Szmidt congratulates Prof. Andrzej Strójwąs

– I am really grateful. Receiving this award from my Alma Mater is by far my greatest success in my scientific career – said a very much touched new honorary doctor of the Warsaw University of Technology. I would like to wholeheartedly thank to all my professors. The education I received here allowed me to seamlessly continue my career in the United States and paid off throughout my scientific career – added Prof. Strójwąs.

Integrated Circuits and the Development of Artificial Intelligence

Prof. Strójwąs gave a lecture on the role of the latest ULSI chip technologies in the era of artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things.

– Artificial intelligence will play, or rather is already playing, a major role in our daily lives. This generative facilitates the work of doctors, lawyers, but it also significantly complicates the work of teachers. It can produce some very good essays, do maths homework. Unfortunately, it cannot always be trusted, because it is not able to distinguish false data from the real one – pointed out Prof. Strójwąs.

The researcher emphasized that the development of intelligent systems of the Internet of Everything is only possible thanks to advances in VLSI/ULSI technology – technological processes, system architecture, three-dimensional integration. Fortunately, there is a positive feedback, a symbiosis of artificial intelligence systems and new technologies. This is driving force not only to our industry, but to the economy as a whole.  We must carry on our efforts to improve the energy efficiency of the artificial intelligence systems of the Internet of Everything – he appealed.