NSF Engines Development Award: Advancing semi-conductor technologies in the Northwest (OR, ID, WA)

This NSF Engine Development Award is focused on eventually creating a semiconductor ecosystem in the northwest region of the United States. The project's region of service includes Oregon, Idaho, and Washington, and partner institutions include semiconductor manufacturing and supply chain industries, national laboratories, state and local governments, and educational institutions. The semiconductor ecosystem encompasses use-inspired research related to the semiconductor industry, expands innovation and entrepreneurship, creates training programs to enable a workforce that includes associate to graduate degrees, and increases access and awareness of diverse groups leading to recruitment into STEM fields. The leadership team includes Oregon State University, University of Washington, Boise State University, Oregon Business Council, and the City of Hillsboro, along with industry and national laboratory partners, including Intel, Micron, Meta, American Semiconductor, Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, Idaho National Laboratories, and other organizations. Regional stakeholders have identified a need to catalyze R&D in several use-inspired semiconductor research areas. Initial technical focus areas include artificial intelligence and machine learning, semiconductors, nanolithography, memory, and beyond-Moore functionality. The leadership team will analyze the potential of these focus areas to advance semiconductor technology and then refine the scope and scale of the initial use-inspired research topics to have the greatest technical and economic impact on the region. The semiconductor ecosystem can accelerate translation through integrative programs supporting the full cycle from business case development to business funding while offering cohesive services around entrepreneurship and translation to practice as critical components of the innovation engine. Working closely with diversity, equity, inclusion, and access partners, this project will expand its impact to increase underrepresented minority participation in STEM degree programs and professional careers. Collaborations with regional STEM outreach efforts, community colleges, and undergraduate/graduate programs will be leveraged to train a diverse advanced workforce. The NSF Development Award enables the project team to create a framework for an Engine by identifying the state of practice and existing gaps, determining use-inspired research directions, emphasizing translation to practice, expanding workforce growth, and creating a strategic plan that integrates diversity, equity, inclusion, and access and a culture of innovation. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.