YEREVAN, Armenia, October 29, 2010 -- Synopsys, Inc., a world leader in software and IP for semiconductor design, verification and manufacturing, today announced the final winners of the fifth annual International Microelectronics Olympiad of Armenia held over the past six weeks. This year’s competition reflected the region’s diversity by including participants from Russia, Ukraine, Jordan, Bulgaria and Serbia. Of more than 200 competitors in the Olympiad, 132 were students from Armenian universities: State Engineering University of Armenia (SEUA), Yerevan State University (YSU), Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) State University (RAU) and European Regional Educational Academy (ERIICTA); State Informatics College of Armenia and Yerevan Physics Institute; Gyumri Information Technologies Center (GITC). A number of participating students were from universities outside of Armenia: Moscow Institute of Electronics Technology (MIET); Saint-Petersburg Electrotechnical University (LETI); Saint-Petersburg State University of Information Technology, Mechanics and Optics (ITMO), Kharkov National University of Radio Electronics (KNURE); Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT), University of Niš and University of Serbia. Ten prizes were awarded to the top performers. A list of the winners is provided below.

The Olympiad spotlights the region’s brightest and most talented engineers under the age of 30, which is reflective of the growing development and focus on microelectronics design in Armenia. Olympiad topics for 2010 included Digital IC Design and Testing, Analog and Mixed Signal IC Design and Testing, Semiconductor Devices and Technology, and Mathematical and Algorithmic Issues of Electronic Design Automation (EDA).

The Olympiad was conducted in two stages. The first stage, which entailed a test involving a number of basic tasks, was held on the following dates: October 4 in Kharkov, October 9 in Moscow, October 10 in Gyumri, October 7 in Niš and Serbia, October 8 in Saint-Petersburg, and September 18 in Yerevan. The top contestants advanced to the second stage, which involved a challenging contest and complex engineering tasks requiring advanced solutions. Of the more than 200 participants in the first stage, only 50 qualified to go on to the second stage, which was held October 28 in Yerevan at the Synopsys Armenia Educational Department (SAED). Of these 50 students, three were from Gyumri, two from Moscow, one from Saint-Petersburg, two from Jordan and one from Serbia.

The general sponsors of the Olympiad were Synopsys Armenia CJSC and Vivacell-MTS. The Olympiad was also sponsored by: USAID CAPS project, MICROSOFT RA, Unicomp CJSC, “Enterprise Incubator” Foundation (EIF), ACBA Bank, Arminco CJSC, Viasphere Technopark CJSC, Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE), Union of Manufacturers & Businessmen of Armenia (UMBA), ARCA Agency, Yerkir Media TV, Mediastyle Holding, “Business Express” Weekly, “ECOnomika” Magazine, “168 Hours” Daily and Public Radio of Armenia.

Synopsys held an evening reception on October 29 in Yerevan at the Chamber Music Hall to announce the winners of the fifth annual International Microelectronics Olympiad of Armenia. The winners are:

·       First prize - Notebook computer from Unicomp CJSC and Enterprise Incubator Foundation (EIF) went to Hasmik Osipyan, SEUA,     second year master’s Student

·       Second prize – 300000 AMD from Vivacell-MTS went to Tigran Sahakyan, SEUA first year master’s student

·       Third prize – 150000 AMD from Synopsys Inc. went to Akram Bassam Kamel Malkawe, Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST)

·       Third prize – 150000 AMD from Synopsys Inc. went to Zubov Igor, Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology (MIET), Master

·       Best Engineering Solution – prize from USAID-founded CAPS Project, went to Vardan Grigoryants, SEUA first year master’s student

·       Best Out-of-the-Box Solution – prize from the Olympiad Program Committee went to Hamlet Aslanyan, SEUA 1st year Master student

·       Most Efficient Solution – prize from UMBA went to Anatoli Baranov, Saint- Petersburg Electrotechnical University "LETI"

·       Most Creative Approach – prize from Arminco CJSC went to Mohammad Nazem Mohammad Abu-Sada, Princess Sumaya University for Technology

·       Best result among Participants from Gyumri – special prize from UITE went to Hovhannes Atoyan, Graduate of Computer Engineering Department of Gyumri Information Technology Center

·       Best Result among Participants from Serbia – prize from ACBA BANK went to Petković Miloš, University of Nis

“The International Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad is a unique event in the region. Originally created to recognize the best young engineers in Armenia and to inspire the next generation of Armenian engineers, it has evolved to provide value in other countries in the region as well,” said Rich Goldman, president of the organizing committee of the Olympiad, chief executive officer of Synopsys Armenia CSJC, and vice president of Corporate Marketing and Strategic Alliances at Synopsys. “This year we welcomed engineers from five different countries outside of Armenia who travelled to Yerevan to participate in the Olympiad. We see this as the beginning of a growing trend in which Armenia is becoming a regional center for the development of high tech economies throughout the area.”

“I am glad the Olympiad has picked up greater momentum this year and has turned into an international event,” said professor Vazgen Melikyan, president of the program committee of the Olympiad (Appendix 2), director of Synopsys Armenia Educational Department, head of the interdepartmental chair of SEUA Microelectronic Circuits and Systems, and honorable scientist of RA. “Each year the Olympiad expands in both geographic reach and size. We have more participants this year than in previous years and the quality of the participants’ knowledge has grown as well. This is a positive sign not only for the event but for the greater purpose behind the event –to grow the microelectronics design industry in the region by recognizing the impressive talents of the region’s future engineers.”

“The annual International Microelectronics Olympiad of Armenia is a great opportunity for us to compete with not only with our peers, but also with participants from other countries,” said first year master’s student of Synopsys Armenia Educational program in EDA specialization Hamlet Aslanyan. “Participation in such competitions helps us test our knowledge and practical skills in microelectronics design, which is an important aspect of the program because it pushes us to become better future engineers and thus strengthens our contributions to Armenia’s high tech industry.”

About Annual Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad

The first Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad was held on September 22-26, 2006. Eighty-two participants took part in the first stage, and 32 passed to the second stage. The second annual Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad was held on September 18-26, 2007. One hundred eighteen participants took part in the first stage, and 48 passed to the second stage. The third annual Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad was held on September 16-25, 2008. One hundred fifteen participants took part in the first stage, 15 of whom were from Gyumri. Thirty-two participants went on to the second stage. The fourth annual Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad was held on September 4-30, 2009. One hundred eighteen participants took part in the first stage, with 10 from Russia, 27 from Ukraine, and 11 from Gyumri. Forty-seven moved on to the second stage. Visit Annual Armenian Microelectronics Olympiad online at http://www.microolymp.am.

About Synopsys Armenia CJSC and Synopsys, Inc.

Synopsys, Inc. is a world leader in electronic design automation (EDA), supplying the global electronics market with a comprehensive, integrated portfolio of software, intellectual property (IP) and services used in semiconductor design, verification and manufacturing. Synopsys established its presence in Armenia in 2004, after Armenia declared information technology (IT) as a priority business for the country. Since then, Synopsys Armenia closed joint stock company (CJSC) has become an important Synopsys site, providing R&D and product support in EDA, design for manufacturing (DFM) and the development of semiconductor intellectual property (IP). The company employs several hundred qualified Armenian engineers and is one of largest IT employers in Armenia. To help provide Armenia with highly qualified IT specialists, Synopsys Armenia invests locally in IT education and is engaged in a number of successful cooperation programs with major Armenian universities such as Yerevan State University (YSU), State Engineering University of Armenia (SEUA), American University of Armenia (AUA), Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) State University, and the Moscow Institute of Electronic Technologies (MIET). The company consistently promotes public interest in the high tech industry by sponsoring Presidential Awards for the best students in IT and contests among young specialists and students, and engages the broader community through charity work and volunteer activities. Synopsys Armenia CJSC is located in Yerevan. Synopsys, Inc. is headquartered in Mountain View, California, and has approximately 70 offices located throughout North America, Europe, Japan, Asia and India. Visit Synopsys, Inc. and Synopsys Armenia online at http://www.synopsys.com and http://www.synopsys.am.

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Editorial Contact:

Gayane Markosyan

Synopsys Armenia CJSC

(374 10) 492-356

(374 91) 292-302

gayanem@synopsys.com