Monolithic Power Systems, manufacturer of small, highly energy efficient and easy-to-use industrial power management solutions, formally dedicated a named lab space in Benton Hall on Thursday, Oct. 2. The newly renovated lab space is designed to strengthen the department’s research and teaching capabilities in the area of power electronics, while enhancing opportunities for collaboration.
Representatives from Monolithic Power Systems (MPS)—founded and led by ECE alumnus Michael Hsing (BSEE ’88)—were on hand for the formal dedication at a ribbon-cutting ceremony with ECE leadership, faculty and students. Spirits were high as attendees enjoyed the newly renovated space filled with state-of-the-art equipment donated by the MPS Foundation, the charitable arm of Monolithic Power Systems.
Sachio Semmoto Chair of ECE Mark M. Tehranipoor, PhD, delivered opening remarks, joined by Shawn Sullivan, director of U.S. field applications engineering at MPS. Also on hand was Shuo Wang, PhD, who holds the inaugural Michael Hsing Faculty Fellowship.
“This lab reflects the long-term collaboration between MPS and our own Professor Shuo Wang, whose work in power electronics has already built a strong foundation for research, innovation and student success. This collaboration with MPS will enable ECE to advanced our research capabilities while also strengthening the pipeline of highly trained engineers entering the workforce,” said Tehranipoor.
Sullivan added, “the MPS Foundation is sponsoring students and their projects to work on next-generation tech and innovation, and those projects will ultimately contribute to improving the lives of thousands and millions of people all around the world.”
Traveling from MPS facilities in West Palm Beach, FL, were Channel Sales Manager Bud Perez, Senior Recruiter Lucas Tollini, FAE Supervisor George Chen and Bryson Scott.
ECE Associate Chairs Philip Feng, PhD, Christophe Bobda, PhD, and John Shea, PhD, were also in attendance.
About Michael Hsing
Michael Hsing (BSEE ’88) is the founder and CEO of Monolithic Power Systems, an S&P 500 company. Hsing was born in Shanghai, China, and grew up during the Cultural Revolution. During that time, schools were essentially shut down, but Hsing was extremely curious, particularly in math and physics. When he was 21, he came to the United States as a foreign exchange student. He quickly became proficient in English and worked many odd jobs to support himself through college. However, due to an undiagnosed learning disability, Hsing struggled.
It was during his later years at UF, with the help of his professors, he was able to identify and conquer his learning disability. This redefined the trajectory of his life, and in 1988, he graduated with his BSEE and was accepted into the graduate program at UF.
Hsing started MPS in late 1997 with a vision, reflected in the name of the company, Monolithic Power Systems – to integrate power electronics solutions onto a single chip. To execute his vision, Hsing created groundbreaking technologies using a fully integrated power process in a CMOS foundry. In 1998, a single-chip solution was created for powering CCFL backlighting in notebooks.
By 2016, under Hsing’s leadership, MPS integrated power transistors, high-precision analog circuitries in embedded microcontrollers, and memory components onto a single silicon chip. Finally fulfilling Hsing’s vision, MPS was able to introduce a cost-effective, user-configurable, micro power module—essentially, an entire power system in a single package.