Professor Kurtis Cantley from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is the newest Boise State University Foundation Endowed Professor in the College of Engineering.
Professor Cantley’s research expertise lies at the intersection of microelectronics design and semiconductor device modeling, simulation and fabrication. The fundamental aim is to leverage the unique physics of semiconductor devices to build ultra-efficient, biologically inspired computing systems. His research has been supported by major federal agencies including the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, and through a National Science Foundation CAREER Award. This support has resulted in impactful contributions including peer-reviewed publications and national and international collaborations that span a broad range of engineering disciplines and strengthen Boise State’s research profile in emerging microelectronics technologies.
The endowed professorship is made possible through the vision and generosity of Boise State Foundation board members and matched by the foundation itself. Faculty support is a key component of Unbridled: The Campaign for Boise State University.
“The board sees firsthand how critical these endowed faculty roles are to strengthening Boise State and advancing its academic mission,” said Bruce Mohr, foundation board chair. “We were proud to step up and demonstrate our commitment to the university by supporting the excellent scholarly work being done by professors such as Dr. Cantley.”
Cantley will continue to expand research capacity in microelectronics, mentor undergraduate and graduate students and drive forward initiatives that position Boise State at the forefront of next-generation electronic systems.
Cantley is currently the director of the Microelectronics Education and Research Center in the College of Engineering where he has expanded innovative curricular offerings to foster student success.
“I am thrilled to recognize Dr. Cantley as the Boise State Foundation Board Endowed Professor in Microelectronics Research and Education,” College of Engineering Dean Amy Fleischer said. “Due in no small part to his expertise in both education and research, Kurtis will continue to position Boise State as a clear national leader in this field.”
“Philanthropy has the power to accelerate excellence at Boise State,” Argia Beristain, CEO of the Boise State University Foundation said. “It means a great deal to our foundation board to champion investments like endowed professorships, which give exceptional faculty like Dr. Cantley the resources and flexibility to elevate their scholarly work, expand their impact and create lasting benefits for our students, our community and the university.”
We sat down with Cantley about his latest honor and discussed how this endowed professorship will advance microelectronics research and education at Boise State in this Q&A.
Q: What is your background with microelectronics and semiconductors?
A: I have been interested in electronics most of my life, but during college, I really wanted to learn more about how tiny micro- and nano-scale electronic devices and circuits actually work. I enrolled in coursework and graduate programs that afforded me the opportunity to study the physics of semiconductor devices and how to fabricate them. From there, I focused on the interesting question of how to utilize those devices and circuits to do some useful computational tasks. These days my research group (the Electronic and Neuromorphic Devices and Systems, or ENDS Lab) studies how to make electronics learn and process information like the brain.
Q: Microelectronics are a growing demand in the United States. How does the college support that for our students?
A: The College of Engineering ultimately aims to prepare its students to solve complex global challenges. In microelectronics and semiconductors, this mostly includes immense technical challenges associated with the constant need for increased computational performance. However, it also includes environmental, societal, ethical challenges associated with the rise of AI and the massive fabrication facilities that employ the most advanced and expensive technology on Earth to create electronic chips. While Boise State has a long history of providing outstanding education and research opportunities in semiconductors and microelectronics, the ultimate goal is for MERC to serve as a catalyst for new, larger programs that prepare students to address these challenges in a variety of ways.
Q: How will this gift support the College of Engineering’s mission?
A: This gift will support the College of Engineering and MERC by providing incentives to bolster microelectronics partnerships with industry, national labs, and other organizations. It will help support students in their research and learning endeavors, and provide professional development opportunities for students, staff, and faculty.
Q: What is the Microelectronics Education and Research Center?
A: MERC is a center within the College of Engineering whose primary focus is to address the workforce needs of the semiconductor industry by increasing awareness and participation of students in microelectronics-focused activities and programs. We work toward that goal in three distinct ways: 1) outreach and recruiting of students into semiconductor career pathways, and teaching them about the types of careers they can have in the industry 2) implementing cutting-edge curriculum and experiential learning opportunities at the university level, and 3) working to increase microelectronics research infrastructure, capabilities, and access, such as tools and equipment for the Idaho Microfabrication Laboratory cleanroom facility, or for integrated circuit design and testing.
Q: What can we look forward to from the Microelectronics Education and Research Center?
A: In just over the past year alone, MERC outreach coordinators and student Chip Ambassadors have interacted with over 20,000 K-12 students and over 150 teachers across the State of Idaho. Through core programs such as Semiconductor for All, we have funded changes to dozens of courses across the university that add semiconductor related content reaching over 3,000 students. Other core programs such as UPWARDS and AWESOME will continue to provide experiential learning opportunities to students at all levels. We have provided fully funded trips to partner university summer programs in the US and Japan for over 15 students. We work with the Micron Student Success Center to organize and advertise professional networking events with industry. Finally, we support research programs such as Vertically Integrated Projects, undergraduate internships, and more. MERC is in a fortunate position that US national security depends heavily on domestic semiconductor manufacturing, and AI has driven massive growth of the industry we serve.