Semiconductor Innovation at Oregon State

Strategic Goals

The College of Engineering strives to lead research and innovation to drive breakthroughs that can change the world, and to provide a transformational education that produces graduates who will drive change throughout their lives. These strategic goals, set forth in our 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, position our college to play an important role in the nation’s ambitious plan, through the CHIPS for America Act, to regain leadership in microelectronics on the global stage.

Workforce Development

Developing high-skilled technical semiconductor talent is of critical importance in the United States. Oregon State University is a place where students, faculty, and researchers across disciplines and backgrounds work together in a truly collaborative, inclusive environment that fosters both theoretical understanding and hands-on experience. The College of Engineering produces graduates who are highly valued and in demand in the semiconductor sector. Our current students and recent graduates are developing new technologies and improving the performance and efficiency of existing devices. And our alumni have been shaping the industry for decades. Standing tall among them is Gene Hill, B.S. electrical engineering ’69, who played a vital role in the creation of Intel’s 386 32-bit microprocessor, which revolutionized the personal computer industry. Read his story and those of other successful innovators, past and present, here:  

Research

Our faculty — including two National Academy of Engineering inductees, two National Academy of Inventors inductees, and 11 NSF CAREER awardees — bring expertise that spans several areas related to microelectronics. 

Research Centers and Institutes

Oregon State University is home to numerous state-of-the-art facilities and multiuniversity collaborations that support our faculty’s research efforts related to semiconductors.

Advanced Technology and Manufacturing Institute
ATAMI is a shared-use facility that supports research and development in the areas of specialty chemicals synthesis, thin film processing, and metal additive manufacturing. Users include companies and university researchers specializing in biotech, semiconductor, solar, defense and advanced materials. ATAMI’s mission is to drive economic development in Oregon through research and technology development in new fields originating at Oregon State.

Center for Design of Analog-digital Integrated Circuits
CDADIC is a university-industry research center established to advance the analysis, design, and methodologies of analog-digital integrated circuits and systems through research and education.

Northwest Nanotechnology Infrastructure
The Northwest Nanotechnology Infrastructure site, a collaboration with the University of Washington, is part of the National Science Foundation’s National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure office. The NNI site specializes in world-class nanotechnology infrastructure, paired with technical and educational leadership, in integrated photonics, advanced energy materials and devices, and bio-nano interfaces and systems. To serve its broad and diverse user base, its facilities act as a center for innovation for making, measuring, modeling, and mentoring to advance the use of nanotechnology in science and society.

Intellectual Property

Research at Oregon State leads to novel patents that provide the first step toward commercialization.

Commercialization

Strong infrastructure for commercializing technology already exists at Oregon State. The OSU Advantage team brings together unparalleled, holistic resources and activities to maximize the university’s impact. The team connects to a wide range of resources supporting innovation and entrepreneurship; develops intellectual property protection strategies; supports the development of high-growth companies through tailored programing and aligned funding; executes research, confidentiality, material transfer, licensing, and other industry agreements; and provides access to unique tooling and development opportunities aligned with advanced technologies and manufacturing.

The College of Engineering has incubated a number of technologies that have spun out into successful entrepreneurial ventures, including Amorphyx (semiconductors), NuScale Power(scalable modular reactors), and Agility Robotics (robotics).