NORDTECH Supports Semiconductor Career Exploration at UAlbany
Image courtesy of University at Albany
For more than two decades, the University at Albany’s College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering (CNSE) has been an important pipeline for trained engineers to find success in the U.S. semiconductor workforce. As a founding member of NORDTECH, CNSE and its leadership knew this role would become even more critical to meet the ambitious goals related to re-shoring U.S. microchip manufacturing and ensure the industry has the highly educated workforce it needs to maintain the country’s technological edge in sectors like artificial intelligence.
At UAlbany, one of the first major workforce initiatives has been the launch of the NORDTECH-funded Semiconductor and Microelectronics Leadership Program (SMLP) — a unique opportunity that pays students early in their academic careers to take the time to explore their interest in high-priority fields.
The SMLP is designed to recruit and retain students for semiconductor and microelectronics-related majors at UAlbany by providing the students with a one-time $5,000 scholarship and access to monthly educational and workforce development activities that teach them about careers in the scientifically diverse fields essential to microchip design and manufacturing.
The inaugural fall 2024 cohort of 16 first-year and transfer students had the opportunity to tour the NY CREATES Albany NanoTech Complex, visit CNSE labs, meet with CNSE faculty members, and participate in hands-on cleanroom activities — including a visit last month to UAlbany’s 200mm Innovation Lab to receive hands-on experience creating silicon wafers with UAlbany’s logo on them.
Image courtesy of University at Albany
Direct Access to State-of-the -Art Labs
The students — who are pursuing majors in nanoscale science, nanoscale engineering electrical and computer engineering at CNSE — also had the opportunity to hear directly from several on-site semiconductor industry partners at the Albany Nano Tech Complex. This month, SMLP students are scheduled to receive a tour of the Applied Materials META Center at Albany NanoTech.
“This unique leadership program not only provides the SMLP students with scholarships that allow them to reduce any debt that they might otherwise accrue to support their undergraduate study, but it also provides them with important connections to a regional industry with extensive opportunities for employment after graduation,” CNSE Dean Michele J. Grimm said. “While the scholarship is only for one year, we hope that these students will continue to participate in the co-curricular activities that connect them to experiences that will inform their next career steps after graduation.”
Because CNSE’s Department of Nanoscale Science & Engineering is co-located at Albany NanoTech with industrial partners like Applied Materials, TEL, IBM, and AIM Photonics, SMLP students are well-positioned for internship opportunities with those companies over the summer.
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Leveraging a Robust Workforce Pipeline in the Capital Region
The SMLP is an important addition to the critical workforce development pipeline that already makes Upstate New York an attractive location for semiconductor and microelectronics firms.
Alexander McDougall, a member of the inaugural SMLP cohort from South Glens Falls, is studying electrical and computer engineering at UAlbany after transferring from Hudson Valley Community College, another key NORDTECH workforce development partner. At HVCC, he learned he could continue his engineering studies at UAlbany while gaining new knowledge and perspective on the world of microelectronics and nanotechnology.
“As I grew up, I wished to be an engineer because I loved to solve brain teasers and put together jigsaw puzzles to solve problems, in math and day to day life,” said McDougall, who is also a member of UAlbany’s IEEE chapter. “This semester, I have learned a lot about the semiconductor industry. I have become quite interested in chip design, both in the way of FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) and ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) design. If I were to go down the path of ASIC design, I could work in semiconductor facilities creating new chips for the industry.”
After graduating in 2026, McDougall hopes to pursue a master’s degree at CNSE before joining the semiconductor and microelectronics industry in the field of digital logic design.
The SMLP is currently accepting applicants for fall 2025 with plans to expand the cohort to 24 students during the 2025-26 academic year.
Image courtesy of University at Albany