2026

  • Daniel Bousquet (Master of Science student) and Morgan Michael (Doctoral student) recently received second and third place, respectively, at the FlexTech Student Poster Competition. The award refers to them as the "Innovators of the Future". Congratulations, Daniel and Morgan!
  • Doctoral student Lucas Unger has been awarded the very prestigious Koerner Family Foundation Award. Congratulations, Lucas!

2025

  • The 2025 PERC Annual Symposium was held on May 29 and brought together active PERC members to share updates on ongoing and newly initiated research projects within the collaborative. The event provided a platform for technical exchange, strategic discussion, and networking among academic, industry, and government stakeholders. Joe Kunz, Chief Technology Officer of Antenna Research Associates (ARA), delivered the keynote address titled “Transitioning Printed Electronics: The Business of Technology.” His presentation drew upon decades of industry experience and addressed critical themes such as the dynamics between technology push and market pull, challenges in scalability, supply chain considerations, workforce development, and emerging opportunities in the field. The keynote themes were further explored in a panel discussion featuring representatives from Raytheon, ARA, Flexcon, and Brewer Science, who offered diverse perspectives on the commercialization and future direction of printed electronics. The symposium concluded with an open discussion on the strategic direction and funding landscape for PERC, followed by a networking session that included refreshments, a hosted bar, and guided tours of the research facilities.
Chris and the UMass Lowell team standing together after his defense.
  • Christopher Areias recently earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Electrical and Computer Engineering from UMass Lowell while working with Professor Alkim Akyurtlu. His research focused on the Advanced Design, Simulation, and Fabrication of Additively Manufactured Microwave Electronics with Novel Shielding and High-Power Integration Techniques. His work has already made a strong impact in the field, with two high-profile publications: a paper in Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques on the additive integration of high-power microwave amplifiers, and a second article, featured on the front cover and selected as an Editors’ Choice, in Advanced Engineering Materials, exploring the effects of surface roughness in aerosol-jet printed electronics. Chris's excellence has been recognized through multiple prestigious awards, including the 2025 Dean’s Medal from the Francis College of Engineering, the Department’s Outstanding PhD Student Award, and a Graduate Student Certificate of Appreciation. He now brings his expertise to an exciting new role at CAES by Honeywell, where he will continue to advance the frontier of high-performance microwave electronics. Congratulations, Chris!
  • The PERC/ Raytheon UMass Lowell Research Institute (RURI) team participated in the 51st iMAPS New England Symposium and Expo, held on May 6, 2025, at the Boxboro Regency Hotel and Conference Center. Several student researchers presented posters showcasing their latest work, and select team members delivered invited talks during the oral technical sessions. PERC/RURI maintains a strong and consistent presence at this annual event, contributing to the advancement of microelectronics and packaging technologies. We look forward to continued engagement at future symposia and hope to connect with colleagues and collaborators at next year's meeting.
  • The Printed Electronics Research Collaborative (PERC) recently acquired a state-of-the-art XTPL Delta printing system. This equipment was procured through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ M2I2 capital equipment funding program and is part of the cost-share contribution for the newly funded NextFlex Project 9.5.4. The XTPL Delta printer employs a high-precision, direct-write pressure dispensing technique, enabling the reliable fabrication of conductive traces with linewidths ranging from 3 to 5 microns. Under optimized conditions, the system has demonstrated the capability to produce conductive features with submicron resolution, with reported linewidths below 1 micron.

2024

  • PhD student, Adria Kajenski was nominated for best poster award at the 2024 Materials Research Society Meeting in Boston for her poster titled: Flexible Heaters for Combat Boot Insoles. Congratulations, Adria!
  • Ph.D. student, Emily Lamport received a Best of Session Award for her paper titled "Process Optimization of Additively Manufactured Temperature and Humidity Sensor Circuit for High Temperature Applications” at the 57th International Symposium on Microelectronics, which was organized by the International Microelectronics Assembly and Packaging Society and held in Boston, Massachusetts October 1-3, 2024. Her paper was presented in the New Material and Process Development session. Congratulations again, Emily!
UMass Lowell graduate students, staff and faculty standing together at the iMAPS poster session.

UMass Lowell attendees at the IMAPS New England 50TH Symposium and Expo.

  • Graduate students Emily Lamport, Adria Kajenski, Christopher Areias, Morgan Michael, Nathaniel D’Agati, Jotham Kasule, Lucas Unger, Sam Fedorka, and Basil Vanderbie, attended the International Microelectronics Assembly and Packaging Society (IMAPS) New England 50TH Symposium & Expo in Boxboro, Massachusetts on May 7, 2024. Each student presented a poster that focused on their research.
  • Undergraduate Student, John Bennet, is now part of the Immersive Scholar Program at UMass Lowell, which allows students from five colleges to work on research on campus or out in the community. He is currently working on various techniques associated with printed electronics including pad printing and the electrical characterization of conductive nanoparticle inks.
Emily Lamport holds a check for $3,000 from the IPC Education Foundation dated April 9, 2024.

Emily Lamport holds her oversized check for a $3,000 scholarship.

  • Ph.D. student, Emily Lamport received a scholarship from the from the IPC Education Foundation for her excellent paper “Implementation of 3D Printed Near Chip-Scale Interposers into X-Band Dual Channel MMIC Assembly.” Her paper was presented during Technical Conference Session S14: Factory of the Future 2: Additive Manufacturing, on Wednesday, April 10 at the IPC IPC APEX EXPO 2024 in Anaheim, California.
  • Daniel Bousquet and Gavin Alexander completed their undergraduate degrees in May 2024 from the Umass Lowell Chemistry and ECE departments, respectively. Gavin will begin working on his M.S. and Daniel will start his Ph.D. in the ECE department with Assistant Professor Oshadha Ranasingha.
  • Gavin Alexander graduated with his B.S. in chemistry from UMass Lowell in May 2024. For his undergraduate thesis, he worked on the synthesis and formulation of Ag nanoinks for printed electronics. His research was nominated for the Difference Maker Award at the UMass Lowell 27th Annual Student Research and Community Engagement Symposium, which was a university-wide competition with presentations by students on Tuesday April 2nd.
  • Ph.D. student and BAE employee, Ian Armstrong presented his paper titled "Additively-Manufactured High Density Interconnects for Defense Applications” at the Annual GOMACTech in Charleston, S.C, March 2024. This annual conference has focused on advances in systems and microelectronics being developed by the Department of Defense and other government agencies.
  • Ph.D. Student, Basil Vanderbie, and M.S. students Michelle Connolly, Lucas Unger and Shawn Kelliher attended the American Physical Society Meeting held in Minneapolis, MN, March 2024.
Printed Electronics Research Collaborative industry partners and students sit at a table sharing technologies at the PERC symposium.

Printed Electronics Research Collaborative industry partners and students share technologies at the PERC symposium.

  • PERC Symposium 2024 was held on May 16th. Several attendees from local industry partners active in the printed electronics supply chain attended the symposium, including representatives from UML, Raytheon, Flexcon, BAE, ARA (Si2), Nano Dimension, Remtec Creative Materials, RaGE Systems, Hereaus, and FineTech. The 2024 Symposium focused on PERC research updates, partnerships, networking, and proposal team formation.

  • The Printed Electronics Research Collaborative held an in-person brainstorming session on the UMass Lowell campus. Representatives from UML, Raytheon, Flexcon, BAE, ARA (Si2), Nano Dimension, Remtec Creative Materials, RaGE Systems, had coffee and discussed some of the challenges associated with printed electronics and additive manufacturing. Discussion topics included standards for materials and processes, changes in form factor, extreme environments, and future applications.

2023

Chris Areias points to details in his poster to an onlooker.
Graduate student Chris Areias points to details in his poster.
  • Graduate student Chris Areias attended the 2023 European Microwave Conference and presented "Additive Integration with Aerosol-Jet Printed SIWs."
  • Graduate student Chris Areias was a 2023 IEEE AP-S Student Paper Competition Finalist for "A New Method for Improving Return Loss in Additively Integrated Bare Die Amplifiers". 11 finalists selected out of 221 submissions.
  • Andrew Luce and Ph.D. students, Christopher Aerias, Adria Kajenski, and Emily Lamport presented their research at the IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and USNC-URSI Radio Science Meeting – AP-S/URSI 2023 conference in Portland, Ore., July 23-28.
  • Graduate students Adria Kajenski and Emily Lamport attended the 2023 IEEE 73rd Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC).
  • Yuri Piro successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation in Polymer Science, May 2023. He is now working at SpaceX.
  • The 2023 Printed Electronics Research Collaborative (PERC) Symposium was held in the Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center (ETIC) Atrium at UMass Lowell on May 16. The meeting, open to members only, focused on Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) strategies associated with the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science Act of 2022 (CHIPS Act), future research opportunities for Additive Manufacturing (AM) and Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHEs), and gaps in standards and methods associated with printed electronics. The meeting ending with a networking session for PERC members and graduate students working at the Raytheon - University Research Institute (RURI) / PERC.
  • Remtec Inc. became a PERC member. Welcome Remtec!
  • Guinevere Strack is now the Deputy Director of PERC. Congratulations, Guin!
  • Professor Corey Shemelya is now the UMass Lowell Associated Director of RURI. Congratulations, Corey!
  • Professor Alkim Akyurtlu is now the UMass Lowell Director of RURI and the Director of PERC. Congratulations, Alkim!
  • Professor Craig Armiento has retired and is now Professor  Emeritus at UMass Lowell. Thank you, Craig for everything you've done for RURI and PERC. You were instrumental in establishing this facility and your contributions are greatly appreciated. You will be missed!
  • The 2023 Printed Electronics Research Collaborative (PERC) Symposium was held in the Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center (ETIC) Atrium at UMass Lowell on May 16. The meeting, open to members only, focused on Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) strategies associated with the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science Act of 2022 (CHIPS Act), future research opportunities for Additive Manufacturing (AM) and Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHEs), and gaps in standards and methods associated with printed electronics. The meeting ending with a networking session for PERC members and graduate students working at the Raytheon - University Research Institute (RURI) / PERC.
  • U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren visited UMass Lowell’s Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center to meet with local technology leaders on improving scientific investment in the state on Friday. Read more in the Lowell Sun: UMass Lowell students will 'change the world': Elizabeth Warren champions tech investment during campus visit.

2023 Printed Electronics Research Collaborative (PERC) Symposium

2022

Yuri Piro, Adria Kajenski, Andrew Luce, Chris Areias and Emily Lamport attended 55th International Symposium on Microelectronics (iMAPS) in Boston

From Left to Right: Yuri Piro, Adria Kajenski, Prof. Alkim Akyurtlu, Andrew Luce, Chris Areias, and Emily Lamport

  • Prof. Alkim Akyurtlu and her graduate students (Yuri Piro, Adria Kajenski, Andrew Luce, Chris Areias and Emily Lamport) attended 55th International Symposium on Microelectronics (iMAPS) in Boston. Emily Lamport (Electrical Engineering Ph.D. student), Adria Kajenski (Electrical Engineering Ph.D. student), Chris Areias (Electrical Engineering PhD student) and Yuri Piro ( Chemistry Ph.D. student) presented at the conference.
Yuri Piro (right) with Prof. Alkim Akyurtlu (left)

Prof. Alkim Akyurtlu with Yuri Piro

  • Ph.D student Adria Kajenski received an outstanding poster award at the 33rd Electronics Packaging Symposium in Binghamton, NY, September 7 - 8, 2022.  
  • Third year Ph.D. student, Yuri Piro, presented his finding at the Nano Dimension Additively Manufactured Electronics (AME) Conference, Boston, Mass., July 29, 2022, and was interviewed by TechBlick on the UV dielectric ink he discussed in this presentation. You can read the TechBlick Interview on the UV dielectric ink on LinkedIn.
  • Second year Ph.D. students, Christopher Aerias, Adria Kajenski, and Emily Lamport presented their research at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Antennas and Propagation conference in Denver, Colo., July 11-15, 2022.
  • Third year Ph.D. student Yuri Piro presented his work on Ultra-Violet (UV) curable gasket inks at the Electronic Materials Conference, MRS, Columbus, Ohio, June 29-July 1, 2022.
  • First year Ph.D. student, Jotham Kasule, presented his work at the 2022 IEEE Electronic Components and Technology, San Diego, Calif., May, 2022.
  • Third year Ph.D. student Yuri Piro presented at the MITRE Workshop on Additive Manufacturing for Antennas and Electromagnetics Structures as an invited speaker, McLean, Va., May 10-11, 2022.
  • We welcomed new undergraduate research students: Michael Mogan (Chemistry), and Sean Morissey (Electrical and Computer Engineering).
  • The Printed Electronics Research Collaborative (PERC) Symposium was held in the SAAB Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center (ETIC) building atrium at UMass Lowell on May 17, 2022. Over 70 attendees from 15+ industry and government partners participated in discussions on the challenges and future of additive manufacturing and printed electronics. The Raytheon UMass Lowell Research Institute (RURI) / PERC graduate students also had an opportunity to interact with the industry partners via a poster session.

PERC Symposium – 2022

News Archive

On January 13, 2015 Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced a $4 million (m) dollar grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (“MassTech”) to UMass Lowell to support development of a printed and flexible electronics industry cluster, an emerging field that has the potential to become a $76 billion global market in the next decade.

  • What PERC means to the university... UMass Lowell Vice Provost for Research Julie Chen - PERC Announcement (1:15)

Vice Provost of Research & PERC Director Discuss PERC In Radio Interview