Boise State joins selective network of universities shaping the semiconductor industry of the future
Boise State University’s commitment to innovation and its leadership in technology and engineering have been internationally recognized. Boise State joins a premier group of universities that will help define the future of the semiconductor industry and prepare the leaders and workforce necessary to advance our state, the nation and the world.
The partnership was announced this weekend at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima, Japan, alongside industry CEOs, university presidents, the U.S. Secretary of State, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, and the Japanese Minister For Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
“This incredible initiative positions Idaho as a leader in the world’s semiconductor industry and represents one of this university’s single greatest achievements during my tenure,” said Dr. Marlene Tromp, Boise State president, who attended the G7 summit. “Our faculty’s leading-edge research and our rich and successful partnership with Micron laid the foundation for this monumental collaboration. It will create extraordinary opportunities for our students and our state and will help shape the future of technological innovation.”
The other founding U.S. universities include Purdue University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Washington and Virginia Tech.
The multi-university network between the U.S. and Japan will be led by Micron Technology and will build partnerships focused on developing the next generation of the workforce in this critical technology sector, enabling foundational and cutting-edge research, and extending opportunities to students, researchers and leaders. The UPWARDS Network provides the architecture for U.S. and Japanese universities to collaborate and innovate with Micron and Japanese industry partners. This pathbreaking network will synergistically advance research and the preparation of students for leadership across the semiconductor industry. Additional opportunities to expand and strengthen the network continue to be explored.
All the partners will provide significant support to advance the international initiative for the next five years. Micron and Tokyo Electron, as founding industry partners, the National Science Foundation and universities together will invest over tens of millions in the effort. As part of the partnership, each U.S. university will participate in student exchanges, provide summer research opportunities and fellowship programs, and provide faculty support.