BOISE, Idaho — Boise State University’s College of Engineering has secured its largest-ever research award. A $7.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation will establish a new semiconductor education and research hub.
The AWESOME Center, short for Advancing Workforce Experience in Semiconductors through Outreach and Mentoring Excellence, is designed to strengthen Idaho’s role in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain while training students for high-demand jobs.
WATCH | Inside Boise State’s engineering labs, students and staff talk about how the award will open doors
Miguel Mancias, a Ph.D. student researching magnetic materials, looks forward to the opportunities the funding will bring. “More people to collaborate with, and more access to mentorship and different perspectives in my work," said Mancias.
Undergraduate student Tristan Burnham added that the technology he’s learning to use mirrors what global leaders in the industry rely on.
“These processes are actually what different industries such as Micron, Intel, and TSMC use to put materials on their computer chips,” Burnham said. “Very similar processes here that I’m getting exposed to and learning, which is very valuable."
Faculty say the funding will both prepare students for the workforce and advance critical semiconductor research.
“This is a National Science Foundation Award that funds the creation of The Center for AWESOME,” said Eric Jankowski, Associate Professor and Director of the Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering. “That big FAB that Micron is making just down the road – that’s 17,000 new semiconductor jobs coming online in the next couple of years.”
Assistant Professor Karthik Srinivasan said the program will help Idaho retain homegrown talent. “It’s going to create the workforce we need to fill the gaps that exist today in Idaho’s semiconductor industry,” he said. “If Micron wants to recruit, they don’t have to look outside the state.”
The funding will also support research into developing more efficient, environmentally friendly semiconductor technologies. Which is a key step for high energy-use artificial intelligence, as it becomes more popular.
“Our approach is to use light, instead of electricity, to make those computers,” Srinivasan said. “That means we consume far less energy to process the same amount of information — and we can also process a lot more information in the same footprint.”
Boise State leaders say they hope the award not only expands opportunities for students but also draws more top research talent to Idaho.
