Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators: NORDTECH-Supported Workforce Development Programs at NYU

This month, NORDTECH is excited to offer a preview of a number of New York University (NYU) programs supported by our Hub. These important initiatives are increasing awareness of the microelectronics industry as a valuable and rewarding career path, offering improved access and wrap-around support to a previously untapped source of those in the domestic workforce who are eligible to receive a U.S. government security clearance, and facilitating important academic and industry-based experiential learning opportunities. Please plan to join us on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, when professors of Electrical and Computer Engineering at NYU, Farshad Khorrami, Austin Rovinski, and Davood Shahrjerdi, discuss these exciting programs at NORDTECH’s upcoming Lunch and Learn series.   

NORDTECH Workforce Development Highlights at NYU

One of the primary goals of the U.S. CHIPS & Science Act was to establish centers of excellence in research and workforce development dedicated to enhancing U.S. competitiveness in the semiconductor industry. NORDTECH, which brings together participants from academia, government organizations, and industry—including the defense industrial base and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs)—has made education and workforce development one of its key mandates. At NYU, NORDTECH has supported a variety of workforce development and educational initiatives in microelectronics and semiconductors, including1) Cybersecurity Awareness Week (CSAW), 2) Bridge to Microelectronics, and 3) Development of two new online courses—Nanofab Operator Traineeship and Chip Design Using Open-Source Tools— that will soon be made publicly available. In addition, two new NORDTECH-wide initiatives have started: a) the development of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) tools for nanofabrication equipment and facilities, and b) fabless chip tape-outs.

AI-based Hardware Attack Challenge at NYU Cyber Security Awareness Week (CSAW)

With the support of NORDTECH, the AI-Based Hardware Attack Challenge (AHA) debuted at NYU Tandon on November 8-9, 2024, as part of CSAW’24. This competition explored generative AI’s role in hardware security by challenging participants to automate the insertion of Trojans or backdoors into open-source digital designs (e.g., OpenTitan, Ariane). NORDTECH’s funding expanded CSAW’s scope by enabling AI-driven hardware attack simulations, increasing available tools, and enhancing participant engagement. AHA encouraged creative AI-driven exploits and rewarded subtle and powerful attacks. It complemented CSAW’s Embedded Security Challenge (ESC)—the world’s largest hardware hacking contest and enriched its benchmark contributions to cybersecurity research.

The initiative directly addresses the growing microelectronics (ME) workforce gap in hardware cybersecurity by fostering technical expertise in AI-driven attack methodologies. With real-world security threats evolving, competitions like AHA and ESC provide hands-on training for students, equipping them with skills critical to both industry and academia.

CSAW’24 attracted 300 attendees, with 85 finalists presenting their work. The AHA Challenge is expected to grow annually and engage a broader audience of students and professionals. The CSAW series has trained over 1,500 students, many of whom have gone on to influential roles in industry and academia. More than 50 institutions worldwide use CSAW-generated curriculum materials to train the next generation of cybersecurity experts. Beyond this competition, CSAW contributes to workforce development by producing educational content utilized by over 20 universities globally. Its influence extends to industry internships and full-time placements at companies like Intel, Qualcomm, and SRI. By integrating AI, CSAW remains at the forefront of hardware cybersecurity education, preparing students for the evolving challenges in the field.

Bridge to Microelectronics (ME) Workforce Initiative

NYU has created programs to help more people start careers in cybersecurity and engineering. One such program, Bridge to Tandon, helps students without a STEM background (science, technology, engineering, or math) learn the basics they need to apply for graduate school. Thousands of students have taken this program, and many have been accepted into NYU or other partner schools. With Microelectronics Commons education and workforce development (EWD) funds, we will expand this program for students who studied biology, physics, or chemistry so they can enter the microelectronics (ME) industry. Other key parts of this plan include:

• Creating an apprenticeship program for high school students, giving them hands-on training, internships, and a path to college degrees in microelectronics

• Providing extra support to help students succeed in graduate programs

• Funding PhD students working on ME-related research

• Developing a training program on hardware security in partnership with universities and industry

This program can help solve the workforce shortage in microelectronics by giving more students a chance to enter the field, even if they did not start with a computer or electrical engineering background.

Expanding Bridge to Tandon will open new career paths in microelectronics. Students will gain valuable skills, leading to more job opportunities in ME and hardware security. By offering mentorships, financial support, and hands-on experience, this initiative will help build a stronger and more diverse workforce in the field.

Newly developed online courses at NYU

NYU has developed two new courses to train students, engineers, and operators in Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and nanofabrication:

1. Physical Design Databases Course – Focuses on OpenDB, a database used in OpenROAD, helping undergraduates gain the skills needed to start working in EDA;

2. Nanofab Operator Traineeship – Teaches safe operation of equipment in the NYU Nanofab facility, ensuring proper handling and usage.

These courses bridge the gap between education and industry by giving students hands-on training in EDA software and nanofabrication techniques. This helps prepare a skilled workforce for careers in semiconductor manufacturing and chip design.

Students who complete these courses will be better prepared for EDA and nanofab operations jobs. The physical design course opens pathways into chip design automation, while the nanofab traineeship ensures safe and efficient cleanroom training. These programs will help grow the talent pipeline for the microelectronics industry.

NYU Nanofab AR/VR Training Modules

NYU is using Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to create hands-on training for semiconductor manufacturing and cleanroom environments. Cleanrooms have limited space, and access is difficult for many students, especially those in different locations. AR/VR training will allow more students to learn these skills without needing physical access to a cleanroom. This technology will create immersive training experiences, improve safety and efficiency, and track student progress. The first year will focus on NYU Nanofab, with plans to expand training to community colleges in New York City.

Many students do not have access to cleanroom facilities, which limits the number of people who can train in semiconductor manufacturing. AR/VR training will allow more students to gain hands-on experience, learn faster, and improve their skills—helping to grow the workforce in this field.

Our goal in year one is to train 40 students at NYU, refine training based on feedback, and share materials with the NORDTECH community. In year two, we aim to improve modules by adding new equipment, training 100 more students, and expanding training to Cornell University, NY CREATES, the University at Albany, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. By using AR/VR, NYU will make semiconductor training accessible, helping students gain the skills needed for high-tech jobs.

Hands-on Training with E-Fabless Tape-outs

NYU will provide students with hands-on experience in chip design and fabrication by offering tape-outs through E-Fabless or Skywater (130 nm CMOS). Students working in teams, will design their chips and test them after fabrication. Each chip fabrication costs around $1,000 per mm², and with 2 mm² projects, NYU plans to support 30 tape-outs per year to train 90 students.

This initiative gives students real-world chip design experience and skills in VLSI design, digital logic, and Agile hardware. The project will integrate with NYU’s Vertically Integrated Projects (VIPs) to offer new courses in agile hardware design to enhance learning beyond the classroom. A Silicon Makerspace will provide chip testing facilities.

Within this initiative, a new online Agile Hardware Design course will be launched, culminating in an E-Fabless tape-out. In year one, the program was introduced to NYU students. In year two, it will expand to other universities to further increase access to chip fabrication training. By offering practical, hands-on tape-out experience, NYU trains the next generation of semiconductor engineers, ensuring they have the skills needed for careers in chip design and fabrication.