Collaborative Research: Advancing Semiconductor Education through Expansion and Diversification (ASEED)

The Advancing Semiconductor Education through Expansion and Diversification (ASEED) initiative is a collaborative between three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), Central State University (CSU), and Alabama A&M University (AAMU). This collaborative aims to identify solutions and increase nationwide awareness of the challenges most minority-serving institutions face in semiconductor research and education, including access to proper training, maintaining state-of-the-art costly facilities, and assessing community impacts.

ASEED’s goals focus on comprehensive research and education covering all aspects of chip manufacturing: materials science, integrated circuit design, and fabrication & characterization. Supporting activities such as curriculum enhancement, outreach, and knowledge transfer, ASEED integrates faculty training, graduate pathways, and a culturally responsive framework to foster diversity and inclusion.

Faculty training programs will equip educators with industry-relevant knowledge, graduate pathways will facilitate student entry into the workforce, and a culturally responsive framework will enhance support for diversity and inclusion.

The Advancing Semiconductor Education through Expansion and Diversification (ASEED) initiative aims to bridge the gap in the semiconductor workforce by training graduates in cutting-edge technology and relevant industry skills. This collaborative effort includes three minority-serving institutions and industry partners, fostering a diverse and innovative semiconductor sector.

ASEED focuses on three key areas: 1) 2D semiconductor nanomaterials; 2) AI chip design; and 3) GaN-Based Ultra-Wide Band Gap semiconductor devices. Each partner institution leads a specific research area while contributing to collective goals. This decentralized execution and centralized synthesis model is scalable and allows additional partners to join ASEED.

Results from these research areas will enhance academic offerings, including new certificate programs and specialized tracks at both undergraduate and graduate levels, enriched with hands-on lab experiences and practical projects. Additionally, ASEED’s partnerships with leading semiconductor firms provide students with valuable industry exposure and career opportunities.

By collaborating with industry experts, ASEED aims to create seamless educational pathways in STEM, from community colleges to advanced degrees, cultivating a skilled and diverse workforce in semiconductor technology.

This project is funded by the NSF Eddie Bernice Johnson INCLUDES Initiative, which motivates and accelerates collaboration for systems change to broaden participation in STEM to the full spectrum of diverse talent, to advance the goals of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. This project is also funded by the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), which provides awards to strengthen STEM undergraduate education and research at HBCUs, and the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP), which aims to increase STEM degrees to underrepresented populations and supporting research on STEM participation and assessment of LSAMP program impacts.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.