SPIE Ya-Chieh Lai Memorial Scholarship Last Chance
Offered by SPIE and Cadence / Cadence Giving Foundation
About This Scholarship
The Ya-Chieh Lai Memorial Scholarship gives $10,000 to an outstanding graduate student studying advanced lithography or a related field. It is jointly funded by Cadence, the Cadence Giving Foundation, and SPIE, and honors Ya-Chieh Lai, a senior group director at Cadence known for his work on chip physical verification and design-technology co-optimization (DTCO).
The award money can pay for tuition and fees, textbooks, required supplies and equipment, or a computer. That flexibility is useful for graduate researchers whose stipends do not stretch to cover the hardware that simulation-heavy lithography work demands.
The requirements mirror SPIE's other lithography award: student membership, graduate enrollment in a lithography-related field, and two recommendations entered through the online system. Eligible students can apply for both this and the Nick Cobb Memorial Scholarship before the same November 1 deadline.
Eligibility
- SPIE Student Member (standard student membership is $20)
- Graduate student studying advanced lithography or a related field
- Two recommendations completed in the online application system (family, relatives, and students are not eligible recommenders)
- Previous SPIE scholarship recipients must have their annual scholarship report on file
- Must not already hold a terminal degree (MD, JD, PhD, etc.)
How To Apply
- Join or renew as an SPIE Student Member
- Open the 2027 Ya-Chieh Lai Memorial Scholarship application from the scholarship page
- Complete the application and have two recommenders submit through the online system
- Submit by November 1, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should apply for the Ya-Chieh Lai scholarship?
Graduate students working in advanced lithography or a closely related field, such as mask technology, patterning, or design-technology co-optimization, who are SPIE student members.
Can I apply for both SPIE lithography scholarships?
The two awards have separate applications with the same November 1, 2026 deadline and the same basic requirements, so eligible graduate students can submit both.