Ion Bita, Google

Ion Bita is currently Head of New Technology Introduction for Pixel Displays Hardware at Google.  He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, receiving a PhD in Materials Science in Engineering in 2005 for interdisciplinary research in photonics and nanofabrication, and dual BSc in Chemistry and in Chemical Engineering in 2000.  While at MIT, he was a recipient of the Beckman Scholar award from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, Graduate Fellowship from the interdepartmental Program in Polymer Science and Technology, and an MRS Graduate Student award (2004).  He also served as President of the local MRS Student Chapter during 2001-2005.

Ion’s career path over the past 20yrs has been shaped by a passion for developing new device technologies at the intersection of novel materials-architectures-manufacturing and for commercializing new innovative products for consumer electronics improving visual and interactive experiences (including mobile displays, optical, optoelectronic and sensing components).  After MIT, he worked at Qualcomm and then at Apple, in both cases joining new entrepreneurial divisions formed after Silicon Valley startup acquisitions, helping build teams, R&D infrastructure, technology & product development programs, IP portfolios, fabs, and industry partnerships across US, Asia and Europe.  Examples include low power, reflective displays based on capacitive switch interferometric MEMS, plastic and glass-based planar light-extracting waveguides, touch sensors, microLED displays and hybrid optoelectronic devices using hetero-integrated semiconductor micro-devices.   Most recently at Google, his work expanded to both component and system development, working with global suppliers, leading display technology roadmap development, display architecture for new mobile devices (phones, foldables, smartwatches) and multi-functional integrations (optical sensors, fingerprint scanners, RF antennas, imaging, etc.).

Ion is an active member of the international display community, involved across industry and academia.  He served as invited Guest Editor for the Information Display Magazine typically highlighting advances in materials and processing (2011-2017), and over the years has been involved with the Society of Information Displays in various capacities - as Chair of the Display Manufacturing Committee (2012-2016), organizing the first MicroLED Symposium (2018), and as General Program Chair (2024).  He has 89 issued US patents, multiple publications, and also started and co-edited the current “Flat Panel Display Manufacturing” reference book (Wiley 2018). 

Candidate's Statement

I am honored by the opportunity to be a candidate for the 2025 MRS Board of Directors.  The mission to advance interdisciplinary materials research and technology for improving the quality of life encapsulates far-reaching goals and deeply resonates as my own path has been shaped by a passion for enabling materials innovations for improving, so far, visual and interactive experiences in new electronic products. 

I’ve spent the last 20 years in Silicon Valley, and have been fortunate to experience and contribute to multiple successful ventures built on materials innovations.  It’s been formative to have seen first hand the power of combining interdisciplinary research, diverse teams inclusive of all levels of experience and individual backgrounds, within organizations truly nurturing excellence, entrepreneurial culture and empathetic leadership with a clarifying vision.  It helped that these ventures were supercharged by $B level investments as they grew from early stages, and all these factors combined enabled accelerating breakthroughs through fast-paced problem solving of hard technology, manufacturing and commercial challenges.  I share this to reinforce my strong belief in the critical role of Materials Science and Engineering (MS&E) for creating tomorrow’s technologies that can reach everyone to help live healthier, more productive, and in a safer environment we safeguard for future generations.

I would be honored to contribute my experience helping the MRS Board in its activities aimed at fulfilling the Society’s mission, strategic and DEI aspirations, at strengthening its values, and at new opportunities in the next 3 years.  I am very passionate about connecting fundamental research in academia with the fast-track development enabled by industry for win-win-win benefits in (1) growing research infrastructure and our next generations of professionals, (2) growing new industries for “tomorrow’s technologies”, and (3) scaling to reach everyone with affordable, globally accessible technologies.  The Society’s portfolio of meetings, exhibits, publications, and variety of programs across awards, DEI, advocacy and government relations create an effective framework I would strive to further amplify in operation and impact.

Serving on the MRS Board would also be a way to give back - MRS played a very important role in my development, having pivoted to MS&E for graduate school after realizing the beauty of designing material structures to enable new properties and functions.   It was a steep learning curve coming from different undergraduate fields, and I was lucky to find the local MRS student chapter early on.  Attending its seminars and later the MRS Boston Meetings allowed me to quickly ramp up learning about state of the art materials research and to meet others that helped me grow.   Later, as president of the MIT MRS chapter, I myself sought to strengthen our materials community by bringing together students and faculty from across MS&E, ChemEng, Physics, EE, MechE and other departments, sharing intellectual curiosity and celebrating big and small discoveries.  I’ve been amazed over the years how many technical challenges encountered during my industry journey had solutions connected to fundamental science work I recall from those years.  These experiences, connections and opportunities opened by MRS left a lifelong mark I will forever cherish, and are reasons for which I’d be honored to have the opportunity to help the MRS Board of Directors in its mission for the global materials community.