About
UPWARDS for the Future is a unique partnership with Boise State and 10 other universities across the globe to build a diverse semiconductor workforce, advance research, and expand opportunities for women through collaboration and experiential learning.
UPWARDS at Boise State Photo Gallery
What
Boise State is one of 11 institutes of higher education pioneering the University Partnership for Workforce Advancement and Research and Development in Semiconductors (UPWARDS) for the Future program.
UPWARDS for the Future is an international semiconductor program that is funded by Micron, Tokyo Electron and the National Science Foundation.
This partnership was launched in 2023 by Micron Technology, Inc.
Who
Japanese Universities:
Hiroshima University
Kyushu University
Nagoya University
Tohoku University
Institute of Science Tokyo
USA Universities:
Boise State University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rochester Institute of Technology
University of Washington
Virginia Tech
Purdue University
Objectives
The UPWARDS program seeks to empower collaboration between industry and higher education across Japan and the U.S., and together:
- Advance women in semiconductors
- Create industry relevant curriculum design and subsequent implementation
- Promote experiential learning
- Encourage student and faculty exchanges
- Conduct semiconductor and memory centric research (non-IP).
UPWARDS Pillars
1. Curriculum Design and Implementation
Overarching Mission/Vision: To create an efficient, inclusive framework for sharing industry-aligned curriculum that supports student exchange and experiential learning for all types of learners, while establishing ongoing processes to ensure continuous improvement and content relevance.
2. Women in Semiconductors
Overarching Mission/Vision: Offer programming that prepares students for semiconductor careers with an emphasis on increasing the percentage of women in the field
3. Experiential Learning
Overarching Mission/Vision: Broaden and deepen education by real experience. Broaden the scope of people interested in semiconductors (K-12, educators, veterans/career change), and deepen understanding of semiconductors (undergrad/grad students, engineers within the industry)
4. Semiconductor and Memory Centric Research
Overarching Mission/Vision: Create a vibrant and sustainable microelectronics research community, comprising a diverse set of academic and industrial researchers from Japan and USA.
5. Student and Faculty Exchanges
Overarching Mission/Vision: To establish and regularly share common goals for student, faculty, and staff exchanges, track and communicate progress and outcomes, and provide the infrastructure needed to facilitate study-abroad opportunities.
2025 Summer Programs
Please contact individual schools for more information on how to apply!
| University | Description | Program Dates | Application Deadline | Program Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Washington | This week-long internship offers hands-on semiconductor research at the Washington Nanofabrication Facility, industry insights, and cultural exploration in the Pacific Northwest. Open to students from UPWARDS member universities, it supports cross-Pacific collaboration and workforce development. | August 15-23 | April 30 | $2,500 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | The UPWARDS Immersive Learning Program at RIT offers hands-on training, lab tours, cleanroom access, and industry visits to provide students and faculty with real-world experience in the rapidly growing semiconductor field. | August 6-16 | February 28th | $3,500 |
| Kyushu University, Ito Campus | This program offers an introduction to semiconductors, applied coursework on their business, sustainable, and social impacts, short-term lab research on a selected topic, and company tours in Japan’s Kyushu region. | July 28-August 7 | March 31 | Approx. $3,000 |
| Nagoya University | a two-week summer intensive program in Nagoya, Japan, focusing on cutting-edge semiconductor device and process technologies. Highlights include: | July 28-August 8 | April 15 | Approx. $3,500 |
| Tokyo Electron | This program for female students from UPWARDS universities offers an engaging introduction to semiconductors and Tokyo Electron, featuring factory tours, engineer discussions, team-building activities like curling, and time to connect with new friends—all while staying at the scenic Tokyo Electron Miyagi Club. | August 7-9 | End of May | Approx. 50,000 Yen |
Semiconductor Research at Boise State
Closed captions are provided and a text transcript is provided on this page following the video.
Video Transcript
[Upbeat music]
Kurtis: One of the top exports of Idaho is semiconductors. And so, you know, obviously, the local and regional economy is incredibly dependent on microelectronics and semiconductors. Our work here at Boise State, not just mine, but many of the faculty who are in this area is incredibly impactful. I think locally and regionally, we have students not just at the bachelor’s level, but also the Ph.D. level who go to work for all these different companies in the region. And obviously with new announcements of new facilities and new fabs being built, that’s going to be – have a huge impact in the future.
So the CHIPS Act is legislation that was passed last year by the federal government to incentivize semiconductors and microelectronics manufacturing in the United States. There was also part of that, the Chips and Science Act, and so there’s a large amount of money that was also dedicated just to general science and engineering research and development funds. But the CHIPS Act specifically was something over $50 billion, I think, that is going toward many different aspects of microelectronics manufacturing in the United States.
This legislation matters a lot to Boise State and a lot of other universities because a large part of it actually is workforce development and education focused. In other words, you know, if you’re going to build a manufacturing fab that’s producing semiconductors and chips, you need to have the workforce that’s competent to do that. Especially if it’s, you know, very advanced technology, much of which has been produced recently more in Taiwan and China than in the United States. So bringing that advanced technology manufacturing back to the United States and having the workforce to support that is is especially important.
Here at Boise State, you know, we have clean room here, the Idaho Micro Fabrication Lab, and lots of other research programs that are focused on semiconductors and microelectronics. So we’re kind of at the ready to support different companies with their workforce development efforts. My research group focuses on what we call neuromorphic computing, which is basically building electronic circuits that learn and process information like the brain. There are a lot of different groups here doing research in new types of semiconductor materials, new types of devices, and also the integrated circuits to build different types of chips. And the CHIPS Act is really beneficial for all of us, you know, not just from the workforce development standpoint, but also from providing research funding standpoint.
Workforce development is critical for all the companies who are doing semiconductor manufacturing, but that workforce includes Ph.D. level folks who are developing the next generation of electronics and electronic circuits. What drives and inspires me is just working with students. I think that’s the reason most of us become faculty. Obviously we’re interested in doing our research and trying to push the envelope, so to speak, right, in terms of what’s possible with technology. But really the day to day is working with students, teaching students and getting them excited about the same kinds of things that you’re excited about, and that is just new discoveries, especially as they relate to semiconductors and microelectronics.
[Upbeat music]