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The Institute for Security and Technology Announces the Winners of the Second Annual Cyber Policy Awards™ Presented by Microsoft

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The annual gathering honors and celebrates those who drove significant progress within the cyber policy community

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Second Annual Cyber Policy Awards™ Presented by Microsoft last night awarded seven individuals, groups, and organizations with the prestigious Cyber Policy Award of Merit. The event celebrated excellence in cybersecurity policy and leadership and honored outstanding contributions in categories such as public policy, diplomacy, research, and journalism.

Hosted by the Institute for Security and Technology in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the awards gala brought together 240 cybersecurity community leaders across the public sector, industry, academia, and civil society. Following a community-wide nomination process, an independent panel of eight judges narrowed the pool down to 24 finalists and selected winners in each category. 

“We gathered as a community to mark and celebrate the accomplishments of 2024 while also looking forward to the cybersecurity challenges before us,” said organizing committee chairman and IST Chief Trust Officer Steve Kelly. “The seven award recipients and their work embody the ingredients of our more secure future, from safer technology products to better international security cooperation.”

Congratulations to the following individuals and organizations:

Domestic Policy Impact: Lauren Zabierek, Jack Cable, and Bob Lord for making Secure by Design (SbD) a reality while at CISA, alongside Jim Richberg and Taylor Roberts on behalf of the IT Sector Coordinating Council’s SbD subcommittee for their efforts in advancing the private sector pledge.International Policy Impact: Dr. Adam Segal for influencing the United States’ strategy on international cyberspace and digital policy.International Partnership: The International Counter Ransomware Initiative leadership for shaping the collective international response to ransomware: Jamila Ade (NGA), Amb. Regine Grienberger and Amb. Maria Adebahr (DEU), Patrick Boucher (CAN), Hamish Hansford (AUS), David Koh (SGP), Monika Korolioviene (LTU), Anne Neuberger (USA), and Chloe Squires (GBR).Ecosystem Champion: J. Michael Daniel for his tireless efforts in building bridges to secure the future.Research Impact: NIST’s Cryptographic Technology Group for research leading to post-quantum cryptographic standards: Dr. Dustin Moody, Dr. Angela Robinson, Andrew Regenscheid, Dr. Lily Chen, Ray Perlner, Dr. Daniel Tone-Smith, Dr. David Cooper, Hamilton Silberg, Noah Waller, Dr. Carl Miller, Dr. Yi-Kai Liu, Quynh Dang, and Dr. Gorjan Alagic. Excellence in Journalism: The Wall Street Journal’s Sarah Krouse, Dustin Volz, Aruna Viswanatha, Robert McMillan, and Drew FitzGerald for reporting on the ‘Salt Typhoon’ cyberespionage campaign.Lifetime Achievement: Leonard Bailey for being an indispensable resource for the cyber community; a leader in driving collaboration among law enforcement, cybersecurity, and the intelligence communities; and a source of exceptional knowledge, judgement, selflessness, calm, and humor throughout his three decades of public service at the Justice Department.

“Congratulations to the individuals and organizations honored with Cyber Policy Awards for their exceptional contributions,” said Amy Hogan-Burney, VP of Customer Security and Trust at Microsoft. “Their dedication to tackling complex cyber policy challenges has improved our collective security. We are proud to recognize those who are shaping a safer, more resilient digital future for everyone.”

“It is our privilege to honor this year’s winners, whose critical work comes at a pivotal moment for the global cybersecurity community. As digital connectivity accelerates and threat actors become increasingly sophisticated, advancing smart and risk-based cyber policy is more vital than ever,” said Vincent Voci, vice president of cyber policy and operations, Cyber, Space, and National Security Division, U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “These leaders are proof that policy is an essential safeguard in the collective effort to protect governments, critical infrastructure, and the global economy.”

For additional information on the Cyber Policy Awards or to learn more about this year’s recipients, please go to www.cyberpolicyawards.org.

About The Institute for Security and Technology

The Institute for Security and Technology (IST) is a 501(c)(3) critical action think tank that unites technology and policy leaders to create actionable solutions to emerging security challenges. IST stands at the forefront of convening policymakers, technology experts, and industry leaders to identify and translate discourse into impactful action. We take collaborative action to advance national security and global stability through technology built on trust, guiding businesses and governments with hands-on expertise, in-depth analysis, and a global network. Since its foundation in 2019, IST has launched more than 10 initiatives addressing challenges such as ransomware, the resilience of lifeline critical infrastructure, trust and safety, and more. To learn more, visit https://securityandtechnology.org/

About Microsoft
Microsoft is a global technology leader that empowers individuals and organizations to achieve more through innovation and digital transformation. At Microsoft, we harness the power of technology to drive positive change and create a safer, more inclusive digital world. We collaborate with governments, industries, and communities to develop innovative solutions to emerging security challenges, ensuring that our technology is built on trust. Through extensive research, hands-on expertise, and a commitment to transparency, Microsoft addresses critical issues such as cybersecurity, privacy, and digital safety. Since its inception, Microsoft has launched numerous initiatives and partnerships to enhance the resilience of critical infrastructure, promote digital trust, and foster a secure online ecosystem. To learn more, visit https://microsoft.com.

About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business organization representing companies of all sizes across every sector of the economy. Our members range from the small businesses and local chambers of commerce that line the Main Streets of America to leading industry associations and large corporations.

They all share one thing: They count on the U.S. Chamber to be their voice in Washington, across the country, and around the world. For more than 100 years, we have advocated for pro-business policies that help businesses create jobs and grow our economy.

Media Contact:
Sophia Mauro
Director for Strategic Communications
sophia@securityandtechnology.org

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Chef Robotics Physical AI Models Can Now Automate Baked Goods Packing

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SAN FRANCISCO, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Chef Robotics, a leader in physical AI for the food industry, today announced that Chef robots can now automate tray assembly for baked goods packing. The application places baked products, such as burger buns, chocolate chip cookies, biscotti, butter cookies, biscuits, fortune cookies, granola bars, rusks, and shortbreads into trays and packaging containers before sealing.

Watch Chef robots in action.

Baked goods packing has historically been difficult to automate for high-mix production. Each item behaves differently on the production line—a granola bar compresses under the wrong grip, while a biscotti or rusk can crack if placed at the wrong angle. Surface textures range from glazed and smooth to crumbly and irregular, and strict presentation requirements leave little room for error. This variability has made it challenging for automation systems to reliably handle baked goods at production speeds, leaving food manufacturers dependent on manual labor and traditional bakery equipment.

To address this, Chef built its baked goods packing application on its existing piece-picking capability, which uses Chef’s AI-powered computer vision and physical AI models trained across diverse real-world production environments. This allows Chef robots to assess each item’s position, shape, and orientation in real time and determine how to pick the items from the pan and place them quickly and precisely without damaging them.

The baked goods packing application supports four distinct placement capabilities.

First, Chef’s vision system detects the angle at which each item sits in the pan and reorients it after picking, placing it on the tray at the exact angle required, regardless of its original position, enabling retail-ready presentation for SKUs that require precise angular placement.

Second, Chef robots can place multiple baked goods into the same packaging container in a single automated pass, completing full tray assembly without manual intervention.

Third, for packaging containers with multiple small compartments, Chef robots can precisely place items into each designated section, including multiple items in the same compartment, using Chef’s AI vision model to detect compartment positions and orientations in real time.

Fourth, Chef’s vision system identifies the exact center of each tray and places every item at a predefined offset from that center, ensuring a uniform, consistent arrangement across every pack regardless of how trays arrive on the conveyor.

For food manufacturers evaluating bakery systems and baked goods packaging automation, the application offers higher throughput, reduced labor dependency, and consistent presentation across shifts. The capability runs on Chef’s existing robotic hardware and software, allowing manufacturers to deploy it without requiring any changes to their production lines.

Chef’s baked goods packing application is available in the U.S., Canada, Germany, and the UK and is included as part of Chef’s robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) pricing model.

About Chef Robotics
Chef is the first company to have commercialized a scalable AI-driven food robotics solution. With over 104 million servings made in production, Chef leverages ChefOS, an AI platform for food manipulation, to offer a Robotics-as-a-Service solution that helps industry-leading food companies increase production volume and meet demand. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Chef aims to empower humans to do what humans do best by accelerating the advent of intelligent machines. Visit https://chefrobotics.ai to learn more.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chef-robotics-physical-ai-models-can-now-automate-baked-goods-packing-302756923.html

SOURCE Chef Robotics

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Chef Robotics Physical AI Models Can Now Automate Baked Goods Packing

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on

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SAN FRANCISCO, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Chef Robotics, a leader in physical AI for the food industry, today announced that Chef robots can now automate tray assembly for baked goods packing. The application places baked products, such as burger buns, chocolate chip cookies, biscotti, butter cookies, biscuits, fortune cookies, granola bars, rusks, and shortbreads into trays and packaging containers before sealing.

Watch Chef robots in action.

Baked goods packing has historically been difficult to automate for high-mix production. Each item behaves differently on the production line—a granola bar compresses under the wrong grip, while a biscotti or rusk can crack if placed at the wrong angle. Surface textures range from glazed and smooth to crumbly and irregular, and strict presentation requirements leave little room for error. This variability has made it challenging for automation systems to reliably handle baked goods at production speeds, leaving food manufacturers dependent on manual labor and traditional bakery equipment.

To address this, Chef built its baked goods packing application on its existing piece-picking capability, which uses Chef’s AI-powered computer vision and physical AI models trained across diverse real-world production environments. This allows Chef robots to assess each item’s position, shape, and orientation in real time and determine how to pick the items from the pan and place them quickly and precisely without damaging them.

The baked goods packing application supports four distinct placement capabilities.

First, Chef’s vision system detects the angle at which each item sits in the pan and reorients it after picking, placing it on the tray at the exact angle required, regardless of its original position, enabling retail-ready presentation for SKUs that require precise angular placement.

Second, Chef robots can place multiple baked goods into the same packaging container in a single automated pass, completing full tray assembly without manual intervention.

Third, for packaging containers with multiple small compartments, Chef robots can precisely place items into each designated section, including multiple items in the same compartment, using Chef’s AI vision model to detect compartment positions and orientations in real time.

Fourth, Chef’s vision system identifies the exact center of each tray and places every item at a predefined offset from that center, ensuring a uniform, consistent arrangement across every pack regardless of how trays arrive on the conveyor.

For food manufacturers evaluating bakery systems and baked goods packaging automation, the application offers higher throughput, reduced labor dependency, and consistent presentation across shifts. The capability runs on Chef’s existing robotic hardware and software, allowing manufacturers to deploy it without requiring any changes to their production lines.

Chef’s baked goods packing application is available in the U.S., Canada, Germany, and the UK and is included as part of Chef’s robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) pricing model.

About Chef Robotics
Chef is the first company to have commercialized a scalable AI-driven food robotics solution. With over 104 million servings made in production, Chef leverages ChefOS, an AI platform for food manipulation, to offer a Robotics-as-a-Service solution that helps industry-leading food companies increase production volume and meet demand. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Chef aims to empower humans to do what humans do best by accelerating the advent of intelligent machines. Visit https://chefrobotics.ai to learn more.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chef-robotics-physical-ai-models-can-now-automate-baked-goods-packing-302756923.html

SOURCE Chef Robotics

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Air Products to Expand Industrial Gas Supply for Samsung Electronics’ Next-Generation Semiconductor Fab in South Korea

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New investment underscores the company’s long-term commitment to Korea and its leading role in the global semiconductor industry 

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Air Products (NYSE:APD), a world-leading industrial gases company and serving Samsung globally, today announced it has been selected by Samsung to supply industrial gases for its new advanced semiconductor fab in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.

Under the agreement, Air Products will build, own and operate multiple state-of-the-art production facilities and a bulk specialty gas supply system to supply nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and hydrogen for Samsung’s new semiconductor fab. The new facilities are expected to come onstream in multiple phases from 2028 through 2030.

Air Products has a long track record of executing multiple phase expansions in Pyeongtaek to support Samsung’s growing manufacturing needs. This latest project represents Air Products’ largest investment to date in the semiconductor industry and will establish Pyeongtaek as the company’s single largest operations site globally supporting the electronics industry. 

“Air Products is honored to be selected once again by Samsung and to have their continued confidence as a trusted partner supporting their strategic growth plans,” said SR Kim, President, Air Products Korea. “This significant investment reinforces Air Products’ role as a leading global supplier to the semiconductor industry and underscores our long-standing commitment to supporting our strategic customers with safety, reliability, efficiency and excellent service.”

Air Products has served the global electronics industry for more than 40 years, supplying industrial gases safely and reliably to many of the world’s leading technology companies. The company has operated in Korea for more than 50 years and has established a strong position in electronics and manufacturing sectors.

About Air Products

Air Products (NYSE: APD) is a world-leading industrial gases company in operation for over 85 years focused on serving energy, environmental, and emerging markets and generating a cleaner future. The Company supplies essential industrial gases, related equipment and applications expertise to customers in dozens of industries, including refining, chemicals, metals, electronics, manufacturing, medical and food. As the leading global supplier of hydrogen, Air Products also develops, engineers, builds, owns and operates some of the world’s largest clean hydrogen projects, supporting the transition to low- and zero-carbon energy in the industrial and heavy-duty transportation sectors. Through its sale of equipment businesses, the Company also provides turbomachinery, membrane systems and cryogenic containers globally.

Air Products had fiscal 2025 sales of $12 billion from operations in approximately 50 countries. For more information, visit airproducts.com or follow us on LinkedInXFacebook or Instagram.

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release and are not guarantees of future performance. While forward-looking statements are made in good faith and based on assumptions, expectations and projections that management believes are reasonable based on currently available information, actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors, including the risk factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2025 and other factors disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, we disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the assumptions, beliefs or expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances upon which any such forward-looking statements are based.

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SOURCE Air Products

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