Give us a little background about yourself

I’m Ayelet Sapirstein, an algorithm developer at Nova. I joined the company six months ago after working at several startups in the field of computer vision and machine learning. I have a bachelor’s in math and computer science from Ben Gurion University and a master’s degree in computer science from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

From your background, it sounds like Nova is a bit of a change for you professionally

Yes, I agree. I feel like I made a huge leap professionally when I joined Nova. The majority of algorithm experts here have a background in physics, actually, most of them have a Ph.D. in physics, and that was a challenge for me at first. But now, I can see that there are numerous benefits to my background in computer science, and I contribute fresh new perspectives to the team. I quickly learned that each field of expertise has its advantages.

Working with people who studied physics and the way it’s applied to physical products is a big difference from my training, and I’m intrigued by it.

What helped you feel welcome?

The team! Everyone here is so supportive.  My onboarding mentor helped me immensely during my transition to this new role which made me feel comfortable as a new member of the Nova team.

During the onboarding process, I was introduced to each of my team members, as well as to other teams. I received both a personal and professional introduction. This was helpful, giving me a full picture of how each person fit into the larger Nova puzzle.  Because of these introductions early on, I had a good grasp on how everything and everyone was connected, so I felt more confident determining who I should turn to when I needed my questions answered. Learning about each team member’s unique point of view on the product, technology, challenges, and solutions also gave me a broad organizational and functional perspective, which supported my acclimation at Nova.

So now that you’re six months in, how do you feel about working at Nova?

The first thing that struck me is that the algorithm team is comprised of almost 50% women. I’m inspired daily by so many women in my team. It’s refreshing to work with people I really appreciate both on a professional and personal level. This is real girl power, and I have a lot of role models here, which is something you don’t always see, especially in the science and tech fields.

What would you say is your superpower?

My creativity, especially through art. For example, I once completed a series of paintings that I called: Portrait of a Mathematician. The paintings applied the mathematical theorems that mathematicians developed. It actually started out as a joke. I took a drawing class where we were given an exercise to draw something without taking our hands off the page. There’s a mathematical theorem called the Euler method, which basically says which line drawings you can create using each edge of the graph only once. With this method in mind, I thought, “well, I can create a painting analysis by thinking ahead, planning, and drawing something in one line.” So, I made a portrait of this mathematician using one continuous line, meaning I never took my hand off the page.

After I successfully completed this painting, I thought about other mathematicians I could draw by applying their theorems. And that’s how I started. And when I posted my work on Facebook, my friends suggested ideas, and I created several additional portraits.

One day I saw a call for mathematical drawings for an exhibition, and I sent in my work. The curators of the exhibition saw it and told me how I can improve them and make them more suitable for the exhibition. So, I worked on upgrading them and they were exhibited!

That is amazing!  

Yes. And then I even created a lecture about it.

Have you been painting since childhood or is it something you picked up over the years? 

It’s something I picked up when I was around 27 years old after I took a course. My parents encouraged us to take up science and sports. They didn’t really encourage us to pursue the arts at all, so I had never really done it. I was pretty much taught that you either have talent or you don’t. But then, from the people around me I learned that it’s a bit more complicated than that. They showed me that to be a successful artist, you have to work at it, and it’s not about being born gifted. I started with a drawing class, and I realized very quickly that I wanted to draw my ideas instead of trying to copy reality, so it evolved into creating illustrations.

Talent is not something that is innate or that you’re necessarily born with. You can learn things and enhance your skills. Practice is the key to getting better. This is an approach I’m trying to embrace in all I do, as it represents a growth mindset.

What are you working on now?

I’m involved in a project that pairs elementary school students with illustrators. The students make up a monster–they either draw it or compose a description of the monster, and then the illustrator draws the monster. I’m now working on a monster, and I’m looking forward to meeting the kid creator. 

As a child, did you know that you would study computer science, or did you have other dreams?  

When I was young, I thought I would be a psychologist when I grew up.

When I was young math came easy for me, yet I did think of studying psychology at college. But then, in my early twenties, I met a friend who studied math, and he encouraged me to do the same. I was intrigued, so I took one math course. This opened a whole new world to me.

I loved the challenge that came with math. There were some difficult problems to solve, and sometimes it would take hours, but then there was an AHA! moment where suddenly things connected, and I cracked the puzzle. The moment it all comes together–that to me is a moment of creative inspiration, and it’s so much fun.

You are a member of the Baot Online community. What part did it play in your life? 

Baot is the largest Israeli community of women software engineers, data scientists, and researchers in the tech industry. Baot offers women developers professional assistance and promotes women developers in their careers. It’s a very authentic approach created and run by women who understand exactly what other women are going through because they were in the same place not long ago.

Baot also helps its members create their own personal and professional brands through writing professional blog posts, attending conferences, and lecturing at conferences around the world. They encourage us to pursue our dreams and provide us with inspiration to create new ones.

I received their support when I was looking to make a career change, and they actually introduced me to Nova, for which I’m grateful. Now it is my turn to pass it on, and I am mentoring women in Baot in their job search.

Computer chips are in the news today because they are in short supply, which is causing widespread global disruptions   Why can’t we just manufacture more chips?

The short answer is that making computer chips is incredibly complicated. Chip fabrication facilities are running full blast, but that still isn’t enough to satisfy the voracious global demand. There are few manufacturers capable of meeting the soaring demand for highly advanced chips, and these suppliers were caught off guard by the massive global pandemic-driven surge in demand for more computer processing power.  With millions of products from cars to smartphones to washing machines reliant on these postage stamp-sized computing powerhouses, entire end-product production lines had to come to a standstill and legions of consumer products became unavailable.

What exactly is a computer chip?

A computer chip is a packaged set of electronic circuits printed onto a thin, circular wafer made of the element silicon, one of the most abundant elements in the earth’s crust. These electronic circuits work with the help of transistors, which serve as tiny switches that turn an electrical current on or off. These operations are the basis for all modern computing.

The first commercially available computer chip was the Intel 4004 microprocessor, released in 1971. It consisted of 2,300 transistors and was one of the first to use silicon gate technology, which made it possible to increase the circuit density fivefold compared to previous computer chips.

By comparison, Intel’s 12th-generation i9-12900K CPU contains 3 billion transistors, each one only 7 nanometers in width (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter). Apple’s M1 Max chip, developed for the MacBook Pro, is even more impressive, containing 114 billion transistors built on the 5-nanometer scale. That’s about one-fourth the size of the smallest viruses- only 50 times larger than a single hydrogen atom!

Computer chips serve a variety of different purposes, but they broadly fall into four categories. There are microprocessors (also known as central processing units or CPUs), memory chips (used for short-term storage of digital data), graphical processing units (GPUs), and commodity integrated circuits (CICs) used in single-purpose appliances such as barcode scanners.

How is a computer chip made?

Silicon is the chief ingredient in all modern computer chips because of its ability to act as either a conductor or an insulator of electrical current.  Silicon is also readily available and extremely cheap, since it is the main ingredient in beach sand.

While we often hear about the ongoing shortage of silicon, what we really mean is the shortage of silicon chips. There are very few manufacturers with the capacity to build silicon chips at the incredibly small nanometer scale, and this production challenge is only growing as these chips get smaller every year while the demand for them continues to explode.

Manufacturing tools like precision lathes and 3D printers can create intricate designs, but they become ineffective beyond micrometer levels of precision. This makes them unsuitable for assembling computer chips.

Because their transistors and interconnections are so small, computer chip manufacture requires a process known as photolithography, which uses light to etch images onto a silicon wafer coated with a photo-resistant material. Once a schematic of the chip has been etched onto the silicon, the etching is filled with various metals and then doped to create transistors. Doping is a process that adds precise levels of impurities such as boron, aluminum, indium, arsenic, or antimony to the silicon to alter its electrical properties and create the minuscule components of a computer chip.

This photolithography process can be repeated many times to create multiple layers of electronic components on the silicon wafers. Modern chips may have many dozens of layers to fit as many transistors as possible into the smallest possible space. However, there is a tradeoff between the growing number of component layers and the increasing amounts of heat they generate, because too much heat will cause degradation of computing performance.

Once all these layers are complete, the chip must be thoroughly tested to ensure that it conforms to its design requirements. The term Yield refers to the percentage of chips that pass these tests and, as a result, aren’t discarded or downgraded to conform to lower specifications. Depending on the manufacturer, a yield of at least 90% is considered ideal.

After fabrication, the silicon wafers are transformed into usable computer chips. To accomplish this the wafers are sliced into small units called dies, which must then be packaged to create a computer chip. The tiny postage-stamp-sized die are individually attached to a substrate equipped with electrical connections and the entire assembly is then encapsulated. The electrical connections, which come in a variety of types, connect the computer chip to the rest of the computer system once it is installed in a CPU socket, memory slot, or another interface in a computer or other digital device.

Naturally, the entire computer chip manufacturing process must occur in a clean room engineering space, since even the tiniest microscopic contaminants can immediately ruin the chips being produced. After all, the level of precision required is many orders of magnitude smaller than the human eye can perceive.

Which companies make computer chips?

The world’s biggest chip manufacturers are household names like Samsung and Intel, while numerous other companies manufacture embedded chips for myriad other devices, such as smartphones, vehicles, and internet-connected smart tech.

The semiconductor supply chain broadly consists of three main players:

• Integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) design, manufacture, and sell their own computer chips
• “Fabless” semiconductor firms design and sell chips, but outsource manufacturing
• Pure play foundries manufacture only and sell to the IDMs and fabless semiconductor companies

Bill, can you please introduce yourself?

I went to Taiwan University, and I majored in chemical engineering. My thesis for my master’s degree was in a not very well-known field called: Super Critical Fluid. After graduation I began working at TSMC, which is the world’s largest semiconductor factory. Then I moved to another company that specializes in polyester fibers and that was a big change for me. After a few years, I realized that I am much more interested in the semiconductor industry and here I am at Nova.

Why did you choose to join Nova?

Two of my classmates work for Nova and have strongly recommended that I join. I knew that Nova, with 30 years of industry, maintains a young and exciting atmosphere where the people are kind and respectful to each other.

So, it’s very different from my previous company. It’s a different culture because it is a global company with a multicultural atmosphere. I also heard that the well-being activities are real fun. It’s very funny because I haven’t experienced that before in my previous company since they were a more traditional industry and now I am enjoying the attention and treats. My previous employers focused a lot more on work and not life beyond the job, like making friends at work. So it is a refreshing change. 

How was your onboarding experience so far in the few weeks since you joined Nova?

I have been at Nova for four weeks in Taiwan, and on my fifth week, I was sent to Israel for a month of training. I knew this would happen even before I joined and was excited to travel, learn and experience the Nova spirit. 

What Does your training include?

The purpose of the training is to learn about the physical principles of Nova MARS and how to use software to solve the customer’s problem. 

Are you planning to also travel during your stay in Israel?

Yeah, we have gone to the beaches in Tel Aviv where our hotel is located, and we are planning to visit the Dead Sea, Jaffa, and Jerusalem… Also, our colleagues in the service team have already invited us to have dinner with them, which is a very warm welcome. 

What do you do in your after-work activities?

In Taiwan, I like to go to the gym, exercise, and strengthen my body. And I also enjoy mountain climbing on the weekend because there are lots of beautiful mountains. There are about 200-300 mountains that we could climb in Taiwan. I love to do this with my friend, because I like the isolation from the city, from the work. We have no signal on our cell phones when we enter the mountains, and we take care of each other. I also like to train at the gym to get ready for climbing. Those are two of my main hobbies. And the most important thing, I got married last year. 

Oh, congratulations!

thank you!

An engineering failure in a building, whether at the foundations or in a brick in one of its floors, may lead to the collapse of the whole structure. The same is true for the field of computer chips, except that here the physical dimensions are less than one nanometer – a billionth of a meter. When the cost of every manufacturing error is the loss of billions of dollars, even the slightest component irregularity may disable the entire chip, cause tremendous losses, and disrupt a huge variety of products and services. At Nova, an Israeli company that offers leading inline metrology solutions, advanced hardware and sophisticated software are combined to solve this issue.

Leading semiconductor manufacturers use Nova’s measurement and monitoring systems, to minimize expensive mistakes in the chip manufacturing process. To support the growing demand for higher computation power and larger memory capacities, the Semiconductor development process is becoming more advanced and complex, requiring the measurement techniques to become increasingly more sophisticated.

“We support companies in the development and manufacturing process, conduct experiments, and use the data provided by the customer to form models,” says Dr. Danny Kandel, VP of Technology in the CTO group. “We are often required to develop unique and innovative metrology solutions, to support the development of new advanced integrated circuits. Since we deal with critically small dimension ranges which are difficult to measure, the measurement techniques must combine hardware, advanced algorithms, and machine learning.”

Dr. Danny Kandel, VP of Technology

Kandel is part of Nova’s CTO division, dealing with future technologies and focuses on the effort to solve future challenges in a rapid manner. Dr. Dror Shafir, VP of New Technology, in the CTO division: “for SSD memory chips, for example, we had to develop an optical technology combined with unique algorithms, able to measure complex signals, filter unnecessary data, and noise, and analyze the input aiming to provide an accurate representation to our customers. New innovative algorithmics, combining the conversion of scientific theories with complex mathematical models, were formed in the development process.

How can machine learning help achieve the best results with unique hardware?

The greatest ideas say Kandel and Shafir, arise when experts in different fields in the company brainstorm together. “Our clients require quick solutions for complex problems, and our way of overcoming these challenges is to get physicists, algorithm developers, and software experts to think together.” This, for example, is the reason why Nova started using machine learning as an alternative to traditional physics computations; “the machine learning applications we have embedded improved hardware performance, dramatically shortened the time required for highly-complex problem solution, and simply took over the market.”

The next step would be combining physics-based and machine-learning-based algorithms. “We have in fact created a new type of algorithm with distinct advantages of accuracy and speed, allowing us to solve problems which used to be unsolvable until recently.”  They both affirm that this innovative and creativity-encouraging approach, is deeply rooted in the company’s DNA: “whenever a team member comes up with a good idea, no matter how crazy or expensive it seems to be, everyone – from the CEO to junior directors – tells them to go for it, and it happened more than once. The potential impact of it is huge.”

Software Takes the Front Seat

Nova’s software group in the Dimensional Metrology division works closely with the algorithm, hardware, and system groups, and uses a wide variety of technologies to support the company’s growing product demand. “On the one hand, we offer traditional technologies that are at the core of Nova’s offering, technologies that we are constantly developing. On the other hand, we are adding top-tech software modules to keep up with the rapid development in our industry,” explains Kenny Krupnik, VP of Software in the Critical Dimensions Division, “We work with a wide variety of technologies and each of our development teams can offer a supplementary solution.”

Nova offers solutions of various types: software-hardware combined products dealing with the physical aspects of the metrology process as well as with robotics and communication, big data management products, tool-fleets management, software, and machine learning. “Historically, the chip market has been hardware-oriented, while Nova has an exceptional strategic approach of leading the market through software,” Krupnik adds. “For example, one of our flagship products, Nova Fit, is a leading machine-learning product that plays a major role in allowing Nova to meet its clients’ most strict measurement requirements. Our goal, producing advanced software solutions which will hasten the company’s growth, has proven itself during recent years, as the profit from these products showed significant growth.”.

Dr. Dror Shafir, VP of New Technology

“The chip industry stands is at the core of every other industry,” Shafir says. He states that the more complex the products get, the more advanced the chip and its manufacturing monitoring solutions must get: “we have to reinvent ourselves every time because we can’t just exploit more of the same thing, it just wouldn’t be enough.” Kandel adds: “if you look for challenges and openness to modern innovations, especially in the algorithmics field, with an open and supportive work environment, you will find it here.” And Krupnik sums up: “unlike most of our competitors, Nova’s size is optimal, producing a great combination of a strong, steadily growing company, with a progressive, family-like organizational culture, which allows personal growth and a never-ending technological experience. Things move fast and it’s a fun environment to work in.”

Winnie, tell us a little bit about yourself.

 Sure, I graduated from National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan, and I majored in Chemical engineering.

I joined Nova a few weeks ago as an application specialist in the DMD and yes, this is my first job. 

Fresh out of college and only 2 weeks after joining Nova and you already traveled to the headquarters for a month-long training, Was it a surprise to you that you were going to start traveling so quickly after joining the company? 

Yes, it’s a bit nerve-wracking. So many changes in such a short time, but I do get to learn much in a short period of time and it is quite exciting.  Yet, I haven’t had a sound understanding about everything I am expected to do, I’m trying to learn quickly by digging deeper into it. This travel is actually a great learning experience and an opportunity to get to know colleagues in headquarters. 

Being so new to the company, what has been your onboarding experience so far? 

 My first impression is that Nova is a big family and everyone is very nice. Little by little, I’m getting used to it, all of it, and learning about Nova MARS, the product I will provide Nova’s customers, the technology, the atmosphere, and other important things at Nova.  The most inspiring thing here is that I can ask any question and I will get an answer to help me become more professional. Everyone here is so eager to help each other. 

What do you like to do in your personal time?

 I enjoy working out in the gym or at home, listening to music, and singing. I love to sing and my HR representative told me they might actually ask me to sing in Nova events. 

A singer and an engineer, what a perfect combination! What made you decide to join Nova? 

First of all, it is an international company, so I will have many opportunities to travel. I’m also excited to learn more about the semiconductor process and industry. So these were two appealing aspects of the job which are just the things I’m interested in for my career. 

If I was a student graduating, what would be your tips for moving from academia to industry?

My best tip for them would be: to join Nova. Although I have been here for a short period of time, I already feel it was a great decision to join. 

Where do you see yourself in Nova in 3-5 years’ time? 

I think I will have specialized in Nova MARS. I will have gained a deeper understanding of the semiconductor process and have efficient and professional skills to solve problems for our customers. And I think I will be in a leading position in five years. Of course, I need to work for it since this is my first job, so I need to invest and prepare for it more than others, especially at this point, I know very little about the industry. And maybe in three years, I will also get married.

Tell us a bit about yourself, Alon.

My name is Alon Palmor, I’m twenty-nine years old, I’m originally from Ramat Gan, and I currently live in Tel Aviv. I joined Nova in 2019, as a student on the Elipson team, where I worked as a product engineer. I was with Nova for a year and half while I was still a student, and joined Nova in the second semester of my third year at university.

What did you study?

I studied mechanical engineering at Ben-Gurion University, in Beer-Sheva. Towards the end of my degree, I began working full-time as a product engineer, and that is what I do today.

How did you balance being both a student and working in hi-tech?

There’s a harder and bigger workload, that’s for sure, so I expected my grades to go down; but that’s exactly the opposite of what happened. Maybe it’s because being busy full-time suddenly gave me more perspective and more insight. It also gave me more practice for all the theories I was learning which led to my academic improvement. Suddenly my grades shot up.

Here at Nova, there’s an amazing team, and they’re always so happy to help. I had someone to consult with and ask questions about things I was learning. When something I had learned wasn’t clear, I would read a bit about it on the internet, then I would speak with an expert at Nova.

So contrary to my fears, joining Nova really pushed me forward in my studies. It also gave me a daily drive. Instead of being just a student who chose whether or not to go to class, I actually had responsibility. The responsibility helped me leverage my success both as a student, and as a professional, so of course, I’m really happy I had the opportunity to combine university and working in hi-tech.

How did you arrive at Nova?

I got lucky. I found a job with Nova very quickly. I was interviewing at another company at the same time that I was interviewing at Nova, and I was debating between Nova and the other company. Rosti Talis from the Nova Elipson team encouraged me to come. We served together in the army, in Unit 81, and he remembered me from there. He told me about Nova and I told him that I would love to hear more.

How did you feel about the interview process?

I don’t know if it’s like this for all interviewees, but the recruiting manager asked me to solve a real problem his team was dealing with. He said, “Look, we have a module we are working on and it has a problem, how do you suggest we solve it?” This was an interesting question because I was only a student and I had no idea what the company was working on. Although I prepared for the interview and read about Nova’s products online, I had to admit I had no understanding of what I was reading. Words which I use daily today were very foreign, then. Later in the interview, I learned that the interviewer understood how I was feeling, and he helped me and led me in the process. That’s how I realized and appreciated that he was testing my thought process and not my knowledge. I also connected with him as a person, which made me want to join the company.

It may sound weird, but I actually enjoyed the last interview (there were three). I had good chemistry with the interviewer and that’s what convinced me.

How did things develop after you graduated?

I really enjoyed my role in the Elipson team. When I got the product job, I was very happy, but I knew that mechanical design interested me, because throughout my studies the message that was conveyed was that mechanical design is more interesting because it deals with the mechanical aspect of the whole system. It’s a lot of geometry and planning how things will fit with each other, and I found it very interesting.

Throughout the year and a half of my job at Nova, while I was a student, I constantly kept wanting to get into the role of mechanical design. But, when I graduated and was in the process of moving to a full-time job, I was told there was no open position in the field, and I was offered a job as a product engineer on another team, Stand-Alone. I thought about it and realized that it could be interesting, because it’s also a role with a mechanical aspect, even though it’s not designed, or hardcore mechanical engineering. It’s a position that you can arrive at from different directions–electrical engineering, materials engineering, and more. I chose to accept the offer.

Today I understand how interested I am in this field–working on the system is a slightly broader direction, and it’s more challenging, in my opinion.

When you finished your degree, was it clear to you that you wanted to continue at Nova?

Absolutely, no doubt.

I didn’t even check other companies or even open LinkedIn to see offers so that I wouldn’t be tempted. There were a few reasons for this:

First, Nova is my place. I had a lot of fun in my work environment. Everyone is so nice and supportive, and they’re always ready to help you and teach you. Even before I had worked at Nova for a year and a half, I knew that I was in a very good place. I felt heard and knew that I was influencing the project through the things I was working on. It felt good that the project manager and team leaders consulted with me, and said things like “Alon, I need you on this.”

Second, I felt a lot was riding on me and that I had a real impact. I loved that.

Third, Nova’s conditions are good–from the facilities to the work-life balance. The work hours are very reasonable–this is something they work very hard at. If there is no real crisis, and there aren’t many of those, I won’t be asked to work late. In fact, if I’m working late, my manager will come and say “Alon, go home. It’s late.” This is something I really appreciate because in the army I worked 24/7, and while I enjoyed my work, I’m very happy to have a life beyond work, where I can maintain a routine and enjoy life.

Beyond all these things, I am able to grow and learn, and I’ve made friends here. All these things made me decide to stay at Nova no matter what.

Did you get to work with Rosti Talis after you joined Nova?

Rosti and I worked on the same team, so we got to work together. At first, I relied on him a lot. I felt very comfortable asking him questions and because he’s very smart and a very nice person, he knows how to explain things and make information accessible.

How would you describe the culture at Nova?

I talk about Nova to my siblings, my friends, and my parents, and they always respond by saying things like “Wow, Nova is a great place to work, or I want my son/brother to work there, or I have a friend to recommend…”

A lot of the work is done when people are happy and cheerful and there’s always teamwork and a lot of laughs and humor. At the same time, there is a high level of professionalism. When you put it all together, it makes Nova a very attractive place to work.

What do you do in your spare time?

I do a lot of sports. I love working out. I also love doing courses on Udemy, taking courses on self-empowerment, and expanding my general knowledge. I also play piano, unfortunately, I can’t bring a piano to Tel Aviv, so I visit my parents a lot, and I play there.

What advice do you have for engineering students?

Write your CV as early as possible and go to as many interviews as possible; even if you’re sure you don’t have time, and even if you have lots of tests. Just do it.

The reason to do it is that no matter what, you’ll learn, even if you fail. Job interviews require practice and learning. To be interviewed is its own thing that can be learned by having as many interviews as possible.

Before an interview, I suggest studying really well. Review a lot of theoretical material and Google all sorts of job interview questions.

Last but not least, make sure that the job you work at as a student, is in the field you’re learning. This is a great way to get into the industry because it’s much harder to find an entry-level position than it is to find a job as a student. Doing this will give you a significant advantage and time to learn. Nova was very considerate of my needs as a student, so I received a lot of free time and flexibility so that I could study for exams. I got to enjoy the best of both worlds and I highly recommend doing it.

Hanan, tell us about you.

First and foremost, I’m the father of two girls and 1 boy, and I’ve been married since 2007. I’m an electronics engineer, and I joined Nova right after earning my degree. I’ve been with Nova for eleven exciting years. The first seven were in Israel, and now I’m in Taiwan. A few months ago, I was promoted to Customer Support Manager.

Relocation seems like it can be a challenge with a family. How was that for you?

Yes, relocation can be a challenge. For my family the issues were mostly about the kids, making sure that they have a smooth acclimation process, and taking care of their emotional well-being. When we first got to Taiwan, my youngest daughter was three months old, and my other two were five and seven. My seven-year-old just started second grade here, and there were multiple challenges of moving to a new place, a new school, a new language and a new culture.  

To make the kids feel at home, my wife began cooking the foods we were used to from home and traditional Israeli foods on holidays. Since moving, we began to use food to keep the connection to Israel and to feel more at home.

How did the folks at Nova Taiwan welcome you?

The truth is, that from the moment we got here, everyone was amazing; Maggie, Mandy, and everyone who helped us. They were very helpful with any problem or things we didn’t know, like how can we receive packages from home, or where to buy food, and they would constantly ask me if we were okay, if we need anything, and if there’s anything they can do for us. They really went out of their way to help me with everything from the kids, schools, medical issues and even things related to the Jewish holidays.

And while I could never repay them for their kindness, I tried very hard to show them my gratitude. So on Channukah, my wife made sufganiyot (Jewish doughnuts), and I brought them to the office. On other holidays, I did my best to share experiences from my culture with them.

That’s heartwarming. Do you think this type of culture is why people stay at Nova for so many years?

Nova is very welcoming and supportive. Throughout my years at Nova, my managers have always been attentive to my needs. I have had many meetings with managers who are two or three levels above me on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis, and they’ve always done their best to help me with everything.

It’s very clear that at Nova, managers are going above and beyond to retain talent. You’re given the feeling that you matter. 

Today, as a manager, I do the same. I will do my best to give valuable feedback. If something is not working for my team member, I will do my best to help them shine, like changing their role to something more suitable. And if I can’t keep them in my group, I’ll look for another group, but always within Nova. It almost never happens that we can’t retain someone.

Israeli culture is so distinct. How did you deal with the cultural differences?

On a professional level, there was definitely a challenge, and I knew there would be; that’s how it is whenever you conduct business in a different country and there’s a culture gap.

In Taiwan, people are hard workers with high work ethics and are very polite. Israelis are very open and sometimes their communication style can be blunt, while in Taiwan they don’t always tell you the harsh truth, out of politeness. I learned to ask a lot of questions if there was something I needed to understand.

In that respect it’s challenging. But I managed to break through with small daily efforts. I did my best to help my new colleagues with all sorts of things that were important to them. And when you show up like that, you end up growing on them and gaining trust and even friendship.

Did you feel like you finally got “in” with them?

When you relocate, it’s important to remember that you’ll always be a  foreigner. Because even though you live and work with the locals, and maybe even speak their language, they will always be cultural nuances, and it’s important to keep it in mind. Having said that, once I managed to gain the team’s trust, it made it easier for us to connect and I hope it will also make it easy for the people who will relocate to Taiwan after me.

What helped you gain the trust and friendship of the team at Nova Taiwan?

Apart from being helpful where I could, supporting the team members in their requests, I also created relationships all over the levels -;. it’s important to be connected to the local day-to-day activities as well as culture. At the same time, I tried to connect with them as well thru my holidays. I feel that when you share your personal life it helps gain trust and make authentic friendships with your Colleagues.

It took me about a year and a half to build these relationships, yet the effort was worth it.

What characterizes your management style?

I let everyone run ahead with what they’re doing. I don’t micromanage. I personally have no time for it, but I also believe that there is nothing good in managing people that way because it can drive them crazy. I speak to people in terms of our processes and our products, and then make sure they know that I trust them and their judgment.

I tend to delegate a lot. This helps me take a lot off the load, but it also helps my team members grow to become the next generation of managers and team leaders. By delegating authority I’m able to build Nova’s future generation of managers.

What’s your superpower, Julia?

What a fun question! I have the ability to visualize the results of a physical experiment.

When did you know that you wanted to study physics?

As a kid I wanted to be a vet. I was raised with cats, dogs, hamsters, birds, fish – you name it.

But I was also always really interested in how things work. When physics was introduced to me, I finally found so many answers to questions I had. This is when my future began to take shape, even though I didn’t know it then.

As a kid in school, I always excelled at physics. It came very easily to me. But later on, in university in Poland, I had to choose a major in the type of physics I wanted to study (medical physics, solid-state physics, elementary particles, nuclear physics, etc.).

Do you have any idea how hard it is to choose just one field, when you want to know everything?!

I chose elementary particles, and I think I made a great choice. It’s an awesome part of physics, and it enabled me to participate in the Higgs Boson discovery. I analyzed data collected by the most awesome elementary particle detector in outer space (AMS-02).

Now I’m discovering the world of semiconductor metrology. That all would not happen without the elementary particles specialization I chose at university.

What attracted you to Nova?

Opportunities to work on various projects. During my interview, when I talked with Heath, our Algorithm Director, he asked if I’d be ready to actually participate in taking measurements on a tool. I wanted to sound super-professional and said “yes, of course,” but inside my head it was like “Yesss!!! Yesssss!!!! Pick me! Me! Me! I want the job!”

My main job today, is creating algorithms to help process, quantify and understand data. But to do it well, I want to know how the tool works (see the pattern?). So first I want to get familiar with the tool to learn how it collects data, how the data is created, what its impact is, and how the software works. So I work with Bruno, our Principal Scientist, with system engineers, software developers, and application specialists. They let me learn, and do hands-on projects. I’m not confined to just writing code. I get to know a bit of everything, and I love it!

What was the best advice that you ever received? How did it help you?

“Reach for the stars – the worst thing that may happen is you will get to the Moon”. And I’m working on it. For me it takes a lot of work to believe in myself. But I have wonderful friends and they help. So I’m reaching for the stars

What do you love most about what you do?

The variety of tasks, the opportunity to keep learning, and the anticipation of awesome projects just around the corner.

Nova is my first job in the hi-tech industry, after years spent in academia. I feel so appreciated at Nova. This is a dream place for me to be, I love it here!

What are you most passionate about, outside of your working hours?
I love everything outdoors and mountain climbing is my most favorite thing to do. During the COVID 19 lockdowns, I couldn’t do this, so I developed a passion for growing tomatoes on my terrace. BUt mountain climbing is my first choice.

What advice would you give to young women who want to pursue science and a career in the corporate world?

Believe in yourself, get help from friends, your spouse, and colleagues to build your confidence. Make sure to try new things, celebrate your success, and simply know that you are good at what you do. And of course, don’t forget to “reach for the stars – the worst that may happen is you will get to the Moon.”

Eleven years is so impressive, Olga! What influenced your choice?

I joined Nova, fresh out of university. I studied physics at Ben Gurion University and today I hold a BSc in Physics and an MSc in Electro-Optic engineering.
When looking for a job, after graduation, I sent out a few CVs and interviewed with several companies. But I decided to place my bet on Nova, because I liked the atmosphere. So here I am, eleven years later, and still going strong.
The manager that recruited me, Avron is still here as well. He is no longer my manager, but we still get to work together a lot. When he has special requests or critique, I like to joke with him, that if he doesn’t like my work, it’s his fault, because he made the decision to hire me.  

Since you came to Nova, you’ve held in quite a few positions. Can you describe your journey?

I started at Nova as an application engineer. This job evolved in the direction of R&D modeling, and then grew to team leader positions in the R&D applications team. About a year and a half ago I started managing a small modeling project and since then, I received two additional software modeling projects, to make life a bit more interesting.  

From your experience as a manager, do you think men and women have different managing styles?

I reject the idea that women and men operate differently because of their gender. I know different people have different management styles. But in my opinion, the different styles can only be attributed to the managers’ character, attitude, and persona, not to their gender. It is all about personal traits and attitude. 

What motivates your success?

I have a personal drive to complete my projects successfully. This doesn’t mean that all my projects in the last eleven years were successful. But I am driven by my need to bring the projects I work on to successful completion. My second driver is my need to keep things versatile and interesting. I really enjoy the action my work provides. 
I love it when I get a project in its nascent stages. I get to grow the metaphorical baby into a full product that our customers actually need and use. 

Can you share your insights about motivating your team?

Sure. I believe it’s important that the team is connected to the goals: I make sure they understand what unique value the project brings, who is the customer, and what are the milestones. This helps ensure that we are keeping our priorities straight – once all team members are aligned with the goals, we can start operating as a team. In addition, I’m trying to get as much feedback as possible from the end-users and bring them to the R&D team. Or even bring the internal end-users into the R&D process as early as possible – this creates the difference between a good and an excellent product.

What successful project are you most proud of?

Oh no, I’m really terrible at this. ???? All the successes that I’ve had, were the result of teamwork. It is never just about my success. It is never ever my own success.

I’m not going to let you off the hook that easy- Let’s rephrase. If I were to ask your colleagues what they think about you professionally, what would they say?

You’re not really asking me this.  I guess they would be positive about my work. But again, I feel like I’m doing my job, and there’s nothing really special about the things I do. The quality of my work, my motivation, my dedication – they’re exactly the same as my colleagues’. If you really want to know what my colleagues think of me, just ask them.  

I love that idea. We will ask your colleague Michael Shifrin to share his opinion of you… 

What makes you proud of working at Nova?

While I do not attribute the success of the modeling products to me, but to the whole team, I am very proud of the growth in this area, in recent years. When there is a challenge, and it doesn’t matter if it’s technical or commercial, the entire team contributes to finding a solution. 
The team comes together, bringing with them their entire selves – their motivation, skills, knowledge and a multidisciplinary approach, to help resolve the issue. It is really beautiful to see the growth here, which means were doing something right. And it makes me very proud to work here.

What are the 3 best things about working at Nova?

• I enjoy working here because of the people. Even when we were able to work at home, I came to the office. But I like the people here, on a personal level, and I appreciate them professionally, so it makes sense to me that I make the effort to come into the office. I really enjoy working with them.
• Technology! I think Nova does really great things. We have a comprehensive portfolio, and this allows us to put the focus on the important things, and offer better solutions to our customers
• There is great synergy between the various teams. Yes, there are conflicts of priorities, but everyone makes their best effort to make things happen and support the needs of other teams.

At Nova, we are always looking for talented people with the right spirit to join us. Click here for more career opportunities at Nova- Link

Marla, give us a little background – what do you do at Nova?

My name is Marla Fields and I have a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from MIT. At Nova I work as a senior technical program manager and I Focus mostly on Nova Metrion in the materials Metrology division. I work on multiple projects at the same time. I get to be a part of a lot that’s going on at Nova.  I’ve been working at Nova for just under a year. 

How was the onboarding process for you? what stood out for you?

One of the big things for me when I got here, is that when I asked questions, everybody was really helpful. They wanted to give me as much information as possible that could help me in my role. I would ask for an inch and they would give me a mile of information. At the beginning, it was almost like drinking from a firehose. But it was super helpful to get me up to speed really quickly. It also helped me understand not only what we were doing, but also why we were doing it. Nobody ever asked me why I needed to know things. I felt like a part of the team from the very beginning. Everybody just wanted to help me be as successful as possible, and they weren’t worried about why I needed to know, or how I was going to use the information – the culture is very different than other companies I worked at in the past. I found it really refreshing to be in a place where everybody wants everyone to succeed.   

Wow. That’s really beautiful to hear. What made you decide to join in the first place?

I was looking for a job during the pandemic, and I interviewed with several companies. But it was at Nova that I had the most interviews, and where I got to speak with the most people. At some other companies I had something like five interviews, and they gave me offers, but it didn’t feel like I met very many people. When it came time to make a decision, it felt like I had a really good vision of what Nova is and what the people are like, because I had met so many people. It also helped that a colleague who worked at Nova, suggested I apply. Another person who helped me make my decision was my husband.

He said to me “do you realize that you’re always really happy after you’ve talked to people from Nova? That you’re happier about those interviews than about other interviews?” And he said, “I think that needs to play into your decision.” So, my husband was a huge advocate for Nova. Even though he wasn’t a part of those interviews, he could see how the interviews affected me in a positive way. 

Family members are such a huge part of our lives. Do you feel Nova share’s that view?

Most definitely. A few months ago at Nova’s summer family events here in California, I couldn’t bring my husband because he’s an essential worker, but I brought my five-year-old, and my mother who is seventy-eight. I think my son has a crush on Dean Hunt, my boss and manager, because he went swimming, and Dean was throwing him in the pool. When he came out for a popsicle, he didn’t want me or granny to taste it. He just ran over to Dean and was like “Dean, I got a popsicle!” He was so excited. And then there’s my mother, who I care for. She has health issues. Nova has been just amazing. When you’re taking care of someone who is elderly, and who lives with you, it can get complicated.  I’m seeing a different doctor with her almost every week because we have to make important decisions regarding her health. Nova has been very supportive about it, nobody has ever gotten upset because I had to take her to the doctor.

You certainly have a lot on your plate – your career, your son, your husband, and mom whom we hope will be well. Does that leave you any time for yourself? For your own hobbies and interests? 

I always find the time. I actually have something tonight. I’m a board member of a nonprofit called Girls on the Run Silicon Valley. I’ve been a board member since 2017. This past year has been really tough with COVID, because we couldn’t have a lot of activities. As a board member we’ve had to make really difficult decisions: how do we keep people on our payroll? How do we continue to provide services going forward?

A lot of nonprofits have gone under, and I feel so fortunate that we were able, despite various restrictions, to continue our activity and keep the paid employees of the nonprofit, on the payroll. I think we did a really good job with great leadership and our executive director. So we’re going to come out of this, and we’re going to continue running programs, which is amazing.   

What does Girls on the Run Silicon Valley do? How do they help girls?

The goal of the organization is to raise stronger girls; girls who are more self-sufficient and confident. They do this by creating running programs, where at the end of the program, which is typically ten or twelve weeks, they run a 5K. During COVID, we did this virtually, and while we did manage to do an in-person event, we couldn’t do a big event. Normally we’d have around a thousand girls. The program is about finishing a 5KM run, not about how fast you finish. It’s about always moving forward. The program also focuses on teaching girls about bullying, how to stand up for yourself, how to take care of your body, and that you’re worth it. And though it’s not STEM related, minorities and STEM are my passion, so I think that strong girls make the best engineers, and I just love the program. I’ve been working with Girls on the Run Silicon Valley since 2009. For three years I coached the girls, I then did other volunteer work for them, and in 2017, I joined the board.

I also do a lot of speaking engagements because I believe in getting women and minorities into STEM. Recently I was at Girlstart – they do summer and afterschool programs for girls, and I spoke at one of their camps about what I do and what I’ve done in the past. I also volunteer with the Greene Scholars Program, I volunteer with them a couple of times a year, as a science fair judge. I’ve also worked with TechBridge and Breakthrough. Because I’m a black female engineer, I feel like they need to see people like me being an engineer.

Absolutely. You are an incredible role model of what’s possible. Thank you for everything you’re doing. Do you have any hobbies you do to have fun?

I like to play softball. I have a softball game next Monday.  

What led you into the field of chemistry?

I actually didn’t know what I wanted to be for the longest time. When I got into college, I had to choose between MIT and Dartmouth, and I didn’t know which one I wanted. All my teachers and everybody told me “oh, go to MIT. MIT is the best in the world, you should go there.” But I was just like, “but what if I don’t want to be an engineer? What if I want to study Spanish? Then MIT isn’t the place for me, and I should go to Dartmouth, right?” My PE teacher is actually the one who helped me make that decision. He pulled me aside while forcing me to run laps, and he was like “Marla, you’ve grown your entire life and always lived in rural New Hampshire. This is your chance to go live in Boston, live in the big city, and not be tied to it. And if you hate living in the big city, you can always come back, but this is your opportunity.” And I was like – that is the best idea ever.

Because it wasn’t just about MIT being a good school, it was because I’ll learn something about myself. And so I ended up going to MIT. And I didn’t know what I wanted to study. I actually went into my sophomore year as an undeclared sophomore. I couldn’t stay with my freshman advisor, as he was leaving the institute, so I ended up in the Dean’s office, because she had to find a place for me. She told me “you can’t be that undecided – you have to know what you want.” So I told her that I was debating between chemical engineering and math. And because I always make decisions based on practicality, I chose chemical engineering. That’s because she told me that chemical engineering has more requirements than math. And that if I decide on chemical engineering, but I switch to math, I’ll still be able to graduate on time- but not if I did things the other way around. Practicality won the day I chose to be a chemical engineer.

What do you enjoy most about working at Nova?

Good question. It may change over time, but right now I absolutely love working at Nova because I love the people I come to work with. It feels like everybody wants to move forward and that they want to move in the right direction. They might not all agree what that direction is, right? But it’s clear that everybody is coming from a good place. Everybody is coming from a place of wanting to move the company and the products forward, and put their best foot forward.

As a program manager do you still get to work on tools?

At a big company like Applied, my previous employer, I didn’t. But because we’re a smaller company, I get to go into the lab, and sometimes when the guys need help, I’ll help them. I have packed up controllers when we shipped controllers because there was so much to be done, and not enough hands to do it. I’ve spent hours helping the guys clean tools, wiping things down and cleaning things up before shipping. That’s another plus for Nova.

So you literally get your hands dirty.

Yes. We just brought one of our tools in and I got to drive the air bearings. I like being able to be in the lab and do the dirty work, as well as set up the meetings. 

What’s one thing your teammates don’t know about you yet?

I don’t think that they know that I play softball, because it hasn’t started yet. So they don’t know that I play competitively in a women’s league. We play tournaments on the weekend, sometimes. We played in Las Vegas right before COVID hit. I also don’t think they know how good I am during a crisis. Because my mother has been living with me for almost fifteen years, I’ve seen a lot of crises. I am trained at CPR and first aid and I’ve kept up my certification for about two decades. I use it more than one might think. So I’m the one you want in your corner when something goes down. 

I definitely want you in my corner, because there are always challenges.

Exactly. There are always tough things to do and deal with. Right now, we’re trying to get a tool off the ground in China, and we can’t go there ourselves, but yesterday we were successful! We managed to set up a laptop and for the first time we got to see the guys from China in the lab. I almost wanted to cry.

It sounds like you’re the type of person who needs to keep pushing through projects, and if you don’t get there, you’ll still find a way to get there.  

That right. It’s kind of the way I’ve dealt with everything in life, by just taking one step forward. If you can just take one step forward each day, you’re already better off than you were yesterday. You may not be where you want to be, or where everybody wants you to be at that point, but if you are still moving forward, then you’re doing all right in my book. It’s the best thing you can do, and it’s the best thing you can hope for.

What do you do when things get difficult and you feel overwhelmed? Does that ever happen?

There are a lot of times in life when things get kind of difficult. When that happens and I feel overwhelmed, I focus on the small things, and one of those little things each day that did go right. I have a gratitude journal, and I make sure that I write in it every day. I actually was looking at it the other day and I saw entries from when I was interviewing at Nova. It’s great to be able to look back when you’re having a tough day and remember good moments. Things don’t seem as bad.