Sehat Sutardja, a pioneering figure in the semiconductor industry and a major benefactor for the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society and the Banatao Institute (CITRIS) at the University of California, passed away on Sept. 18, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the age of 63.
Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sutardja developed an early interest in electronics, becoming a certified radio technician at age 13. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University and master’s and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering and computer sciences from the University of California, Berkeley. He co-founded Marvell Technology Inc. with his wife, Weili Dai, and his brother, Pantas Sutardja, growing it into one of the world’s leading semiconductor companies. He was a fellow of IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization, and held more than 440 patents.
Beyond his industry achievements, Sutardja made lasting contributions to the University of California and to UC Berkeley, where served on the College of Engineering advisory board for nearly 20 years.
Sutardja and his family also contributed significantly to the creation of Sutardja Dai Hall, home to CITRIS’s headquarters on the UC Berkeley campus. The 141,000-square-foot building, dedicated in February 2009, houses the UC Berkeley Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory, research laboratories, the CITRIS Invention Lab maker space, the CITRIS Tech Museum, faculty offices, student collaboration spaces, a 149-seat auditorium networked to broadcast events live to all CITRIS campuses, and much more.
In fall 2021, Weili Dai and Sehat Sutardja, alongside Pantas Sutardja and his wife, Chuk Ting, were recognized in a virtual showcase celebrating the 20th anniversary of CITRIS’s founding.
“Sehat Sutardja’s vision and generosity leave a lasting legacy in technology and education. Our headquarters, Sutardja Dai Hall, stands as a testament to his commitment to fostering innovation,” said CITRIS Director Alexandre Bayen, Liao-Cho Innovation Endowed Chair and professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences at UC Berkeley. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues.”