Purdue University focuses on semiconductor workforce development
NewsNovember 30, 2023
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Purdue University, long known for its engineering programs, is leaning hard into its emphasis on creating an international footprint in chip technology and microelectronics workforce innovation.
Among the newest of the programs and partnerships Purdue is pursuing includes the Summer Training, Awareness, and Readiness for Semiconductors (STARS) program, which is a new eight-week summer initiative aimed at students who want to ready themselves for internships and training for careers in the semiconductor industry by helping them to develop skills related to chip design and manufacturing.
Another Purdue initiative is Semiconductor Week, held this year in mid-October 2023, which featured meetings, seminars, and mentorship opportunities between industry officials and Purdue students.
The university announced that it received $19 million from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for the Purdue-led SCALE [Scalable Asymmetric Lifecycle Engagement] microelectronics workforce development program. SCALE is aimed at promulgating research into radiation-hardened microelectronics and trusted artificial intelligence (AI) and expanding student training, continuing education, and information dissemination. Purdue will also be part of a CHIPS and Science Act of 2022-funded Silicon Crossroads in Indiana, one of eight Microelectronics Commons Hubs funded through the CHIPS Act 2022.
Additional initiatives specific to Purdue are its new Institute for Advanced System Integration and Packaging, which is intended to enable faster designing and building of microelectronic systems by highlighting Purdue’s established research in system integration and placing additional focus on advanced packaging research at the university. Its Center for Secure Microelectronics Ecosystem is tackling the issues of security in AI and machine learning, including emphasis on design, fabrication, and supply chain.
