A research hub at Arizona State University has been awarded $21.3 million in new funding to continue its efforts to advance the country’s microelectronics industry.
In 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense set up eight hubs around the country to help address the need for semiconductor research and manufacturing. One of those is the Southwest Advanced Prototyping (SWAP) Hub at ASU.
Jason Conrad is the hub’s chief operating officer. He said the Hub works with nearly 200 national and regional partners to build the infrastructure, connect the talent and leverage resources to deliver results on projects that will advance semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S.
“Microelectronics are basically the brains behind everything electronic, so your cellphone, your computer, your automobile, everything has chips in it now," Conrad said.
He added that over the next six to 10 years, it’s projected that there will be a 60,000-100,000 person gap in employees for the semiconductor industry.
“This funding’s provided by the government, signaling to the industry that not only ASU, but also the Southwest and Phoenix area is a great place to make its own investments in the private sector," Conrad said. "That private sector investment far outpaces what's been invested by the CHIPS Act. In Phoenix alone, it's over $100 billion in private spending investment already over the last couple years in semiconductors."
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