Researchers, faculty, graduate students and semiconductor innovators selected for this prestigious cohort will have the opportunity to attend from July 9-11, as a guest of the NSF I-Corp program. Accepted teams can receive up to $5,000  in travel reimbursement, depending on team size.

The monthlong virtual course is taught by NSF-trained instructors through ���ϲ�����, in collaboration with the University of Rochester as a partner in the , funded by the NSF, led by Cornell University and with other collaborators, including Dartmouth College, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Buffalo, University of Pittsburgh, University of Rochester, University of Vermont and West Virginia University. The Hub is part of the , connecting researchers, entrepreneurial communities and federal agencies to help commercialize research.

This NSF I-Corps course is an extraordinary opportunity to be part of a semiconductor-focused national program to catalyze innovation and commercialization.  Application criteria include:

• Applicants should have an early-state technology innovation, with either a prototype or some form of scientific validation.
• Teams of one to three people may apply, and all team members are required to attend and participate fully in every course session and complete all coursework to be considered for NSF lineage and a nomination for the national I-Corps Team.
• While all applicants are welcome, preference is given to those with university-affiliated technology, as well as postdocs, graduate students and undergraduate students who are commercializing research. Applications are also encouraged from researchers and early-stage founders engaged with other campuses as well as community incubators and accelerator programs.

Spaces are limited and the application deadline is Wednesday, May 22. .

NSF I-Corps course programming at ���ϲ����� is co-led by , strategic initiatives advisor for ���ϲ����� Libraries and founding director of the Blackstone LaunchPad, and Jeff Fuchsberg, director of the ���ϲ����� Center for Advanced Systems and Engineering. Both Hartsock and Fuchsberg led the before joining the University. Fuchsberg will also be a co-instructor for the semiconductor course.

Read more about ���ϲ�����’s participation in the new IN I-Corps Consortium and its $15 million STEM innovation program. The initiative aims to create a cohesive innovation ecosystem through inclusive models of education and workforce training designed to catalyze innovation in economically underserved areas.

Partners in ���ϲ�����’s NSF I-Corps programming are resource providers across campus, including the Office of Research, Office of Technology Transfer, ���ϲ����� Libraries, the College of Law’s Innovation Law Center, the College of Engineering and Computer Science and its Center for Advanced Systems and Engineering, and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management.

For more information about the upcoming NSF I-Corps course, contact Linda Dickerson Hartsock (ldhart01@syr.edu) or Jeff Fuchsberg (jrfuchsb@syr.edu).

Rendering of the ���ϲ����� Center for Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing

���ϲ����� today announced its plans to launch the ���ϲ����� Center for Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing, an interdisciplinary center that will bring together expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, manufacturing processes, optimization and robotics to advance the science of semiconductor manufacturing. The center will be funded by a $10 million investment from the University, as well as a $10 million grant from Onondaga County. The center is part of a more than $100 million investment in strategically transforming STEM and expanding the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) at ���ϲ����� over the next five years.

Housed in the University’s Center for Science and Technology and situated within ECS, the new center will position the University and Central New York as a global leader in research and education on the intelligent manufacturing of semiconductors.

“���ϲ����� and Onondaga County have a longstanding history of collaborating in ways that are mutually beneficial for our students, faculty and staff; the Central New York community and the economic prosperity of our region,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “I am grateful for the county’s support. I look forward to the teaching and research that will occur at this new center as well as the meaningful ways that its educational outcomes will contribute to a thriving advanced semiconductor manufacturing industry in Central New York.”

Today’s announcement comes as Micron Technology continues its $100 billion investment in Central New York, which is expected to create 50,000 new jobs in the region, including 9,000 high-paying jobs directly with Micron. Micron will also invest $500 million in community and workforce development, focusing on assisting traditionally underrepresented and disadvantaged populations while training or retraining the region’s  workforce.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, who was central to attracting Micron to Central New York, says this new facility will play a significant role in helping to drive economic development, cultivate the talent pipeline, attract federal research and development funding and build the semiconductor supply chain in ���ϲ�����.

“As Onondaga County prepares to become the hub for memory technology chip production, we know that we will need our partners in higher education to help develop the necessary workforce critical to ensuring our success,” says McMahon. “With this historic investment by Onondaga County and ���ϲ����� to launch the Center for Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing, we are taking a huge step forward in that effort. This new center will serve as a vital workforce pipeline as Micron proceeds with the largest investment in the country at White Pine Business Park. I want to thank Chancellor Syverud and the entire team at ���ϲ����� for their commitment and partnership in making this important initiative a reality.”

The new ���ϲ����� Center for Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing will drive progress in manufacturing processes across the semiconductor supply chain. A state-of-the-art teaching and research facility, it will replicate an autonomous-advanced manufacturing floor enabling research and design that will make ���ϲ����� and the United States globally competitive in semiconductor manufacturing technologies. Students will be trained in the manufacturing technologies of today and create the new ideas that will drive the industry tomorrow. This university’s ongoing partnership with Micron and the county will ensure that Onondaga County can deliver chips through the most high-quality and cost-effective manufacturing processes possible for years to come.

“Central New York is about to undergo a once-in-a-generation transformation and ���ϲ����� will play a critical role as one of the region’s key higher education partners,” says Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation J. Michael Haynie. “We are proud to partner with the county, Micron and other community and business leaders to prepare a workforce in a way that capitalizes on all of the economic opportunities facing our region today.”

Rendering of the ���ϲ����� Center for Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing

The new center is aligned with the University’s academic strategic plan and leverages the investment it has already made in AI, manufacturing, quantum technologies and precision measurement. Over the next five years, the University will hire more than 10 new faculty at various ranks with expertise in manufacturing process engineering and automation, optimization and artificial intelligence, materials science engineering and other related fields.

“Not only will this center support economic and workforce development, it will also generate significant academic opportunities for both our students and our faculty from a teaching, learning and research perspective,” says Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter. “There is huge demand for trained professionals in and across these fields and ���ϲ����� will be at the forefront of preparing the next generation of scientists, engineers and leaders in the advanced semiconductor manufacturing space.”

The center’s research will drive the improvements in manufacturing needed to give designers the ability to create tomorrow’s most advanced chips. It will also deliver the skill sets needed by today’s semiconductor industry by educating graduate and undergraduate students in cutting-edge manufacturing and supply-chain technologies.

ECS Dean Cole Smith, who is leading the efforts to expand engineering at ���ϲ�����, says the new center will allow the University to attract and retain diverse and talented student scholars from across the globe who will come to ���ϲ����� to live, learn, study and work.  The University will also work closely with the county and the City of ���ϲ����� to recruit students from area high schools, including the new STEAM High School. These efforts directly support the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s plan to grow its undergraduate enrollment by 50% by 2028.

“We want to make advanced manufacturing tangible, exciting and accessible for all students, even if they have not yet seen engineering and computer science as a potential career field,” says Dean Smith. “One of the most exciting aspects of this center is in its dual use for research and education. Prospective students, especially those coming from Central New York, will see amazing opportunities for themselves in the field of semiconductor manufacturing. Instead of just reading about the industry, they will both witness exciting research and interact with an automated, intelligent factory floor when they visit the center.”

Work to transform existing space into the new facility is underway.

The pathway program, “Roadmap Into ���ϲ����� Engineering Undergraduate Programs and the Profession” (“RISEUP²”), aims to attract academically talented, low-income students from Central New York who historically have been excluded from those types of careers, including adult learners, first-generation students, traditionally under-represented minorities, veterans and students with high levels of financial need.

The grant also allows a multi-school project team to plan for and prepare to submit a later for NSF funding that would provide student scholarships for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) studies.

That step recognizes the need to educate, grow and retain a diverse and highly skilled STEM workforce in the Central New York region, a realization catalyzed by of plans to build a $100 billion megafab semiconductor manufacturing facility in the region and New York State’s subsequent in community and workforce development, says , Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence and chair of biomedical and chemical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS), who is the project’s principal investigator.

Julie Hasenwinkel

“This is a really exciting opportunity for ECS to envision different ways to bring students into our undergraduate program. With the growing regional and national need for engineers, we want to attract students who don’t just come to us straight out of high school. This planning grant gives us the opportunity to dig deeply into assuring that we would give those students the best opportunity to succeed if they come here,” Hasenwinkel says.

The NSF award funds information-gathering, program research and partnership-building efforts that the multi-school, multi-organizational project team is undertaking through spring 2025, when the Track 3 S-STEM NSF grant proposal will likely be submitted, Hasenwinkel says. That type of grant would directly fund scholarships for engineering students and underwrite the support services to help assure the academic, social and career success of RISEUP² program participants, Hasenwinkel says.

Goals for the planning phase include:

• Strengthening current connections between the University and Onondaga and Mohawk Valley Community Colleges and expanding partnerships with additional regional community colleges (potentially Jefferson, Cayuga, Tompkins Cortland and Broome Community Colleges)
• Formalizing transfer agreements with the regional community colleges to provide direct admission to ���ϲ����� ECS programs
• Conducting a comprehensive needs assessment across all partner institutions to determine what kinds of programming best support low-income engineering students at their two-year college, during their transition to a four-year university and throughout their time at ���ϲ�����
• Developing formal partnerships with Micron and other area STEM employers and strengthening alliances with the Manufacturers Association of Central New York and the Technology Alliance of Central New York to solidify internship and employment opportunities
• Conducting research to better understand how a scholarship-based cohort model focused on workforce development can improve outcomes for low-income community college engineering transfer students

Project team members envision a program that offers a clear pathway to a bachelor’s degree within a “360-degree” system of student support. Beginning in the earliest years of college, it would offer ongoing guidance in financial aid, academic counseling, student success and educational and social programming at both the community college and University campuses. It would also offer living-learning residency opportunities, summer internships, professional development training and ultimately, job placement assistance.

Michael Frasciello

Working with Hasenwinkel are co-principal investigators , professor of mathematics at ; , associate professor of higher education in the ; , dean of the School of STEM Transfer and associate professor at ; and , dean of the at ���ϲ�����. Other ECS faculty and staff in admissions, recruitment and enrollment, student success and inclusive excellence are also part of the process, as are their counterparts at the community colleges.

David Pérez

Though the team fully plans to proceed with a Track 3 S-STEM proposal, this year’s planning activity and research will be useful in and of itself, creating knowledge and new information regarding the group of students the proposal aims to help, Hasenwinkel says.

“We’ll also be learning as we go, and we’ll be able to contribute to the educational literature on the most effective practices for supporting this population of students.”

On Wednesday, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the SSIC would receive the federal funding, as part of $3 million package. The new funding demonstrates the significant role ���ϲ����� will play in building and training the workforce of the future that will power Micron’s leading-edge memory megafab in Clay, New York, the largest facility of its kind in the United States.

The South Side Innovation Center will receive $1 million in federal funding to upgrade its facilities in support of its role to help grow the workforce and prepare small businesses as Micron’s $100 billion investment in the region.

“The funding will “supercharge Central New York’s efforts to make sure Micron benefits every corner of the community,” Schumer says. “From upgrading facilities on ���ϲ�����’s South Side Innovation Center to help training our workforce and increasing small businesses’ ability to access the semiconductor industry, this funding will help get Central New York ready for the transformation ahead.”

The SSIC, an entrepreneurial project of the , seeks to increase the vitality of the local and area economy by recruiting, nurturing, and training emerging and mature businesses. The SSIC provides these businesses with incubation support, development, education, market access, and credit assistance, using highly skilled trained professional counselors.

“The South Side Innovation Center has been a hub of innovation in our community for nearly two decades. Its work has stimulated economic growth, propelled job creation and driven community revitalization,” says . “With Central New York on the verge of a once-in-a-generation transformation, this support will allow the center to enhance its impact in cultivating a thriving and stable workforce in Central New York. I am grateful to our elected officials, especially Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, for their tenacious advocacy on behalf of our state, our region and our city.”

“We are delighted to receive this support for the SSIC. This significant investment in modernizing the SSIC facility truly is a game-changer and will act as a cornerstone of our work to support even greater success for our community entrepreneurs and innovators. This investment is an investment in creating an even greater future for ���ϲ����� and Central New York” says Alex McKelvie, interim dean of the Whitman School.

The funding will help SSIC upgrade its infrastructure to reflect current business needs and workplace expectations and update its technology to provide training in an inducive and innovative environment. The investment in the SSIC will “expand workforce training,” and “spark new life and grow businesses in Central New York,” says Gillibrand.

The funding will also help modernize SSIC’s facilities to both better serve the community and guarantee that the space is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act’s accessibility regulations.

Knowing the size and scope of Micron’s transformative investment in the region, and recognizing that has one of the highest poverty rates () in the U.S. and higher levels of unemployment (), Schumer and Gillibrand emphasized that the money will “help ensure that the economic development [created] will be equitable and inclusive.”

According to a issued by the senators, the funds will also be used to support transformative capital investment to create jobs, develop a more qualified workforce, and generate tax revenues through sales of profitable new businesses, ultimately contributing to the overall health and stability of the Central New York economy.

Officials with Micron Technology Inc. and the National Science Foundation, along with U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, visited campus earlier this week for the announcement of a partnership of universities that will focus on developing the next generation of the U.S. semiconductor industry’s workforce. (Photo provided by Micron; photo by Skip Dickstein)

Earlier this week, ���ϲ����� hosted officials with Micron Technology Inc. and the National Science Foundation, along with U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, for the announcement of a partnership of leading universities that will focus on developing the next generation of the U.S. semiconductor industry’s workforce.

The University will be one of 21 institutions as part of the Northeast University Semiconductor Network that will form a training pipeline to build the future of the semiconductor industry in Central New York.

Micron Technology made a historic announcement in October to create a proposed $100 billion semiconductor fabrication facility in the town of Clay, New York. The plant is expected to increase the domestic supply of leading-edge memory and create nearly 50,000 New York jobs, including approximately 9,000 Micron jobs, with ���ϲ����� playing a key role in training this workforce of the future.

During the event on Monday, Schumer and Sethuraman Panchanathan, director of the National Science Foundation (NSF),  joined Micron executives as they revealed the new network and the publication of a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL). The DCL opens two NSF solicitations and follows a partnership between Micron and NSF to support future workforce development efforts at institutions of higher education, aligned with the strategic vision laid out in the CHIPS and Science Act.

“Alongside government partners, Micron is taking bold action to cultivate and support collaboration between institutions of higher education to develop a diverse and robust STEM talent pipeline—a model that we look forward to advancing in other regions,” said Sanjay Mehrotra, Micron’s president and CEO. “By uniting institutions across the Northeast, we can further develop the talent needed to produce leading-edge memory at Micron’s massive scale here in New York. U.S. technology leadership and the future of the American semiconductor industry depend on the development of a diverse, highly skilled workforce that is fully prepared to excel in tomorrow’s STEM careers.”

Also on Monday, Micron facilitated two roundtable discussions with representatives from the region’s technician, apprenticeship and community colleges as well as four-year institutions at the at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building,

Combining the reach of traditional and nontraditional pathways into the semiconductor industry, the Northeast University Semiconductor Network will expand and prepare the next generation of talent through a framework centered on collaboration, innovation and problem solving.

Micron, in partnership with the network institutions, will champion efforts to modernize and enhance curriculum by sharing industry-backed technical content, expanding experiential learning programs for greater access to cleanrooms and teaching labs, and bolstering research opportunities for students. In all these efforts, the Northeast University Semiconductor Network will work to reach more underrepresented students.

The NSF solicitation is the next step in the partnership between the Micron Foundation and NSF to jointly invest $10 million to fund and develop semiconductor curricula in colleges and universities across the country. supports inclusive experiential learning opportunities designed to give learners the skills needed to succeed in STEM and strengthen the semiconductor workforce, while supports projects to improve STEM teaching and learning for undergraduate students.

“Now that Central New York has landed the largest investment in U.S. history, it’s all-hands-on-deck to prepare a new generation of workers to fill the tens of thousands of new construction, manufacturing and innovation jobs that Micron’s $100 billion project will create in ���ϲ����� and across Upstate New York,” said Sen. Schumer.

“���ϲ����� is proud to partner with Micron to advance this once-in-a-generation investment here in the Central New York Community,” said Chancellor and President Kent Syverud. “The Northeast University Semiconductor Network will cultivate collaboration to unlock new opportunities for educators and students in the semiconductor industry. Together with our fellow Northeast universities and colleges, we will develop the workforce of the future, strengthening our region’s and our country’s position as a leader in manufacturing and technology.”

Other founding partners in the Northeast University Semiconductor Network include the entire State University of New York and City University of New York systems, Brown University, Carnegie Mellon University, Clarkson University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Harvard University, Hofstra University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University, Penn State University, Princeton University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, University of Pennsylvania, University of Rochester, University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.

“The College of Law is proud to have Rob as our 2023 commencement speaker. As ���ϲ����� and the surrounding area welcome Micron to our community, I am excited to build a truly symbiotic relationship with Micron, to help it accomplish its ambitious goals and to advance our mission, our students and our surrounding communities,” says College of Law Dean Craig M. Boise. “We look forward to Rob’s perspective as a C-suite leader of one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies, and the important impact the law has on global business and innovation.”

Rob Beard

“I am honored to deliver the commencement address to the 2023 graduating class at ���ϲ����� Law,” says Beard. “These talented lawyers will be the leaders who help move our world forward in sustainable ways, greatly contributing to the communities where they work and live.”

The College of Law commencement will take place on Friday, May 5, at 11 a.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome. Visit the for updates and details.

“Rob is among the many members of the Micron team that were instrumental in bringing this transformational company to our region,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “His experiences and accomplishments will be valuable lessons for our graduates as they make their way in the professional world. It is especially fitting that Rob will speak at this year’s law commencement, the first since Micron announced its $100 billion investment that will revitalize Central New York and its economy, and impact lives for generations to come.”

Beard was involved in Micron’s plans to invest more than $100 billion over the next 20-plus years in Clay, New York, and led the team that negotiated a historic incentive package with Empire State Development. Beard also promoted the CHIPS & Science Act and now co-heads Micron’s CHIPS grant application process. His team of around 100 lawyers and legal professionals at Micron spans 11 sites globally, including the United States, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and the European Union.

Beard joined Micron in 2014 to work with the company’s corporate development team on a wide range of strategic transactions.

Before joining Micron, Beard was an associate at Weil Gotshal & Manges in London and New York, where he focused on M&A and capital markets transactions, and at Shearman & Sterling in London, where he focused on debt capital markets transactions. He has also taught at the University of Illinois College of Law and the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, and clerked for the Honorable Judge N. Randy Smith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He is a member of the New York State Bar.

Beard graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s in political science and received his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law, summa cum laude. He was a college athlete and continues to be active today through mountain biking, skiing and other outdoor activities.

Quite the opposite. Pollard prefers an evening relaxing on the couch with his wife, Enesa, to a night on the town.

But when U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer’s office invited Pollard to be an honored guest during the annual State of the Union inside the U.S. Capitol, Pollard, an admitted introvert, knew the opportunity to tell his story was too good to pass up.

Pollard is a U.S. Navy veteran who is currently majoring in electrical engineering in the  . He is also the first person hired by the semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology for the company’s proposed $100 billion campus in the town of Clay, New York.

And while the attention that came from being in attendance for the State of the Union made Pollard a little uncomfortable, it was also a chance to inspire current and future military-connected students to step out of their comfort zones and learn to ask for help if they need it.

Savion Pollard ’25, the first person hired by the semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology for the company’s proposed $100 billion campus in the town of Clay, New York, was an honored guest during last week’s State of the Union.

Pollard, who previously worked as a nuclear engineering electronics technician on a Navy submarine, struggled in his transition from active duty to civilian life. He wasn’t sure how he would acclimate to life as a full-time student, especially at ���ϲ�����, which had denied his original application back in 2010.

Pollard knows he’s not alone when it comes to these issues.

“It’s important for other veterans to see that success can be found in higher education, and if not higher education, in different industries. I’ve worked really hard to be in the position that I’m in, and I want to inspire people, to show how far hard work can get you. I wanted people to see my light shine and I’m glad I get to be an inspiration for them and allow them to see what’s possible if we just work hard,” Pollard said after his trip to Washington.

A Whirlwind 36 Hours

This trip to the nation’s capital was certainly more memorable than the only other time Pollard visited Washington, when he watched the New York Mets take on the Washington Nationals a few years back. Unlike that visit, this time, Savion and Enesa made sure to do some sightseeing.

Savion Pollard ’25

After arriving Tuesday morning, the two went to the Washington Monument, the White House, and the Capitol building, soaking in the sights before an action-packed afternoon of meetings.

Pollard first met with Rep. Brandon Williams, a congressman representing New York’s 22nd district, which includes Central New York (CNY). Like Pollard, Williams is a submarine veteran, which made this the day’s most impactful meeting.

“Just the connection we had was immediate and special. We went to the same training schools. He knew all about my background. It was like we were part of this brotherhood without ever having met each other,” Pollard says. “I almost cried in his office, it was pretty crazy. I was ecstatic about meeting him and I’m going to cherish that interaction forever.”

Following was a meeting with U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s assistant, in which Pollard expressed his gratitude for the senator’s support of the CHIPS and Science Act, a bill aimed at increasing semiconductor manufacturing in the country. Thanks to the bill’s passage, Pollard landed this life-changing internship with Micron, which hopes to bring 9,000 high-paying jobs to the area over the next 20 years.

Pollard (fifth from right) stands alongside some of the other honored State of the Union guests inside the office of Sen. Schumer.

Then it was time for Pollard to sit down with Sen. Schumer, who invited Pollard as his honored guest because he represents Micron’s commitment to transform the CNY community into the nation’s leading producer of these high-tech memory chips.

Back in October, Pollard met President Joseph R. Biden L’68 during the president’s visit to Onondaga Community College to promote Micron’s investment in the community and celebrate the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act.

During that meeting, Sen. Schumer proudly wore a pair of orange socks as a nod to ���ϲ�����, which will play a key role in building and training the workforce of the future that will power Micron’s leading-edge memory megafab. Pollard will , maintaining and troubleshooting any problems that arise with Micron’s equipment used to produce these semiconductors.

This time, in Schumer’s office, Pollard upped his fashion game, wearing orange ���ϲ����� socks, an orange and blue tie, and a pin with both the American flag and the Block S flag on his suit coat. Pollard says it was important for his school spirit to be on display for his visit to the Capitol.

“���ϲ����� has been huge for me over the last year since I started here. The eight years I served in the Navy did a lot for me in terms of my character and my discipline. I’m grateful to be able to translate all those skills back to school. Being at ���ϲ�����, where we’re so supported, the resources are so robust and everyone wants us to succeed is really amazing,” Pollard says.

A Full-Circle Moment

Following some group photos with Schumer and other honored guests, the Pollards headed to the gallery and took their seats for the State of the Union, President Biden’s 90-minute address to a joint session of Congress and the American people.

Then, just like that, the speech ended, and Wednesday morning, Pollard flew back to ���ϲ�����. Only as he was relaxing at home on his couch, reflecting on the tremendous honor he had enjoyed, did the magnitude of the moment sink in for Pollard.

“I just took it all in. I had been nervous about this experience, but afterward, I finally had a moment to just be amazed and understand everything I did over the past couple of hours. It was a cool moment to represent ���ϲ����� and the Navy at the State of the Union. It’s still so crazy that this happened to me. It was such an honor to be there,” Pollard says.

Savion Pollard ’25, the first person hired by the semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology for the company’s proposed $100 billion campus in the town of Clay, New York, will attend the State of the Union inside the U.S. Capitol as an honored guest of U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer.

Savion Pollard ’25, the first person hired by the semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology for the company’s proposed $100 billion campus in the town of Clay, New York, will attend the State of the Union inside the U.S. Capitol as an honored guest of U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer. The primetime address begins at 9 p.m. ET.

Schumer invited Pollard, a student in the and a U.S. Navy veteran, because he represents the commitment Micron has made to transform the Central New York community into the nation’s leading producer of these high-tech memory chips. Micron hopes to bring 9,000 high-paying jobs to the area over the next 20 years.

“I am hopeful for the future of Micron and the Central New York region. The historic investment will bring about a lot of opportunity in the area. I feel blessed that my military and engineering backgrounds have led me to be able to take advantage of this opportunity,” Savion Pollard said in a statement.

���ϲ����� will play a key role in building and training the workforce of the future that will power Micron’s leading-edge memory megafab in Clay, the largest facility of its kind in the United States.

“The future will be made in ���ϲ�����, in Upstate New York, and I am proud to have Savion as my guest as one of the first people who will be helping lay the foundation to have the future be built here in America,” Schumer said in a statement.

President Biden speaks at a podium at Onondaga Community College on Oct. 27, with Gov. Kathy Hochul ’80 and Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra seated over his left shoulder

Pollard met President Biden on Oct. 27 during the president’s visit to Onondaga Community College to promote Micron’s investment in the community and celebrate the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act, a bill aimed at increasing semiconductor manufacturing in the country.

Pollard, who previously worked as a nuclear engineering electronics technician on a Navy submarine, is majoring in electrical engineering. He will , maintaining and troubleshooting through any problems that arise with Micron’s equipment used to produce these semiconductors.

The president and the first lady typically invite around two dozen guests to attend each State of the Union address, watching the events from the House gallery. Additionally, elected leaders like Sen. Schumer were encouraged to invite their own guests this year.

Check back later for a follow-up story recapping Pollard’s experience as an honored State of the Union guest.

Now, Pollard is once again taking on a role to inspire—with a company that is making a big impact in Central New York and beyond.

Savion Pollard ’25 and his wife, Enesa, along with Pollard’s little brother, Kenorie, bottom left, through Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and the youngster’s twin brother, Kenare (Photos provided by Savion Pollard)

Pollard, a student in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, has been selected by Micron Technology, which plans to build a $100 billion semiconductor fabrication facility in the Town of Clay, New York, as the company’s first intern hire from the ���ϲ����� veteran community.

“Being selected for this new role means progress. I joined the U.S. Navy as a 21-year-old from New York City that just wanted to get out of the city and be somebody. I wanted to inspire people and be admired but I did not know how. The military was that how for me,” says Pollard, who is pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. “Upon my separation in 2021, I still felt compelled to give back and inspire. I think being selected as the first hire of Micron in Central New York is extremely inspiring.”

The announcement about Pollard was made as part of an event last week in ���ϲ����� to mark a $500 million investment in education, community assets and organizations by Micron, New York State and other local, state and national partners to ensure that the Central New York workforce has the advanced skills needed to sustain leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing.

���ϲ����� was noted as preparing to play a key role to build and train the workforce of the future that will power Micron’s leading-edge memory megafab in Clay, the largest facility of its kind in the United States. Chancellor and President Kent Syverud was among the Central New York leaders who welcomed President Joseph R. Biden Jr. L’68; federal, state and local officials; and Micron leadership at the community event at Onondaga Community College.

As part of Micron’s plans that were announced, the Micron internship program is designed to prepare students for full-time positions as engineers, scientists and other critical roles in the semiconductor industry. Recruitment will focus heavily on veterans and students from traditionally underrepresented communities.

“Getting selected for this position gives hope to little boys and girls who look like me. It gives hope to veterans, it shows that success in higher education for a non-traditional student is possible,” Pollard says. “I am honored to have been selected for this position and hope I can use this opportunity to uplift my campus community as well as the ���ϲ����� and Onondaga County community.”

During last week’s event, April Arnzen, Micron’s chief people officer, introduced the plans for the internship program and Pollard as its first recruit, noting Pollard’s eight years of experience in electronic systems maintenance and nuclear power, including nuclear subs.

“He’s a proven leader—treasurer of the Student Veterans Organization. He also volunteered as a youth mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America,” Arnzen said. “To him, I say, ‘thank you for your service and welcome to Micron.’”

Pollard, who was hired as an equipment engineer intern, will work with the team in Manassas, Virginia, during the summer of 2023. He will maintain the state-of-the-art fabrication equipment and troubleshoot issues and correct deficiencies to improve production and quality, Pollard says.

Pollard’s little brother Kenorie (back), with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and his twin Kenare (forefront) met President Joe Biden at the Micron event.

“I am mostly looking forward to being a sponge and soaking up all the knowledge that I can, to bring back home to CNY to make the fab up here as successful as I can,” Pollard says.

Pollard’s wife, Enesa who is originally from Watertown, New York, and is an associate banker at Chase Bank, attended the event, along with Pollard’s mentee, Kenorie, through Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and the youngster’s twin brother, Kenare.

“It was truly a blessing to have them there, where they got to interact with the president. I think it is extremely important for them to see what can be done when you put your mind to it,” Pollard says.

In October, ���ϲ����� was the site of the historic announcement by Micron Technology to build a leading-edge memory fab in Central New York—the largest investment and facility of its kind in the United States.

Micron Technology Inc. is one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies and the only U.S.-based manufacturer of memory. The new megafab will increase domestic supply of leading-edge memory and create tens of thousands of new jobs. It is the largest private investment in New York state history.

Micron is looking to tap Central New York’s significant military population, a highly skilled and talented pool of labor critical to scale U.S. high-tech manufacturing. In coordination and partnership with Micron, the University’s D’Aniello Institute of Veteran and Military Families (IVMF) will support veteran skill development for advanced manufacturing jobs and transitions into Micron and other industry roles.

Micron plans to hire more than 1,500 veterans in the region over two decades in Central New York, aligned with Micron’s goals for veteran hiring.

���ϲ����� Chancellor and President Kent Syverud was among the Central New York leaders who welcomed President Joseph R. Biden Jr. L’68; federal, state and local officials; and Micron leadership at a community event at Onondaga Community College this afternoon. President Biden, wearing a pin with both the American flag and the Orange block S flag on his suit coat, told a standing room crowd that the Micron investment is one of the most significant ever made in American history.

“This is going to ensure that the future is made in America. This is one of the bright spots around the country, and it should give us a sense of optimism and hope about who we are as a nation. … I’ve never been more optimistic in my life about America’s future. … We have entrepreneurs and people who know what they’re doing to lead us to a whole new era. I hope you feel what I feel standing here today: pride, pride in what we can do when we do it together,” the proud Orange alumnus added.

This unprecedented investment in the Central New York community presents a series of exciting opportunities for ���ϲ����� to contribute to these efforts to advance American innovation and ensure economic and national security. These initiatives include the following:

• Establishing ���ϲ�����’s Future-Ready Workforce Innovation Consortium at the College of Professional Studies. Together with the Central New York business community, trade unions, community colleges and other four-year institutions in New York State and beyond, Micron and ���ϲ����� will implement a multi-dimensional and inclusive approach to workforce development, upskilling and professional retention. The Workforce Innovation Consortium will foster an ecosystem for skills training, academic and partnership programs designed to support Micron’s workforce and talent development strategy.
• Leveraging the intellectual property and thought leadership of ���ϲ�����’s D’Aniello Institute for Veteran and Military Families (IVMF) to support Micron’s efforts to hire more than 1,500 veterans in the region over the next two decades. The IVMF will support veteran skill development for advanced manufacturing jobs and transitions into Micron and other industry roles.
• Partnering with Micron to enable ���ϲ����� to support new, diverse faculty whose research and teaching will train the workforce of the future through its Future Professors Fellowship Program. The program will focus on the quantum and chips cluster at ���ϲ�����, which is designed to enhance capacity for cutting-edge research in these domains. It will do so by adding world-class faculty, establishing facilities that serve as cutting-edge research labs, enabling experiential learning and attracting a large and diverse set of students at different stages of their educational careers to study engineering and science.
• Creating a Micron internship program designed to prepare students for full-time positions as engineers, scientists and other critical roles in the semiconductor industry. Recruitment will focus heavily on veterans and students from traditionally underrepresented communities. To initiate this program, Micron announced at today’s event that it has selected Savion Pollard ’25 as the first Micron intern hire from the ���ϲ����� veteran community. Pollard is a student in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and a U.S. Navy veteran.

During an event today, Chancellor Kent Syverud stressed the importance of ���ϲ����� and the Central New York community coming together to work nimbly and efficiently to help Micron succeed.

Speaking to the audience inside the SRC Arena at Onondaga Community College, Chancellor Syverud stressed the importance of ���ϲ����� and the CNY community coming together to work nimbly and efficiently to help Micron succeed with this investment, promising that the University community will “do our part in this work” to “assure Micron’s success and the growth of this community.”

“In partnership with Micron, our team is rolling up our sleeves and getting to work,” says Chancellor Syverud. “Already, we have several initiatives underway. These include the creation of the ���ϲ����� Future-Ready Workforce Innovation Consortium, efforts to ramp up Micron’s hiring of veterans and the further investment in the Future Professors Fellowship Program. Individually, these are great opportunities for our university and our community. Combined, they represent transformative and innovative ways to reimagine and reshape how we prepare the next generation of leaders, innovators, and disruptors.”

Micron’s investment will create 50,000 new jobs in this region, including 9,000 high-paying jobs directly with Micron. It involves $500 million in community and workforce development, focusing on assisting traditionally underrepresented and disadvantaged populations while training or retraining workers in our community. Micron’s historic investment was made possible by the passage of New York’s Green CHIPS legislation and the bipartisan federal CHIPS and Science Act, signed into law in August by President Biden to increase the country’s production of semiconductors while fueling efforts to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.

Site preparation is set to begin next year, with construction starting in 2024 and production in volume beginning after 2025.

In the last month, we have hosted more than 1,500 alumni for a successful Orange Central reunion weekend. We had more than 7,000 family members for Family Weekend, the largest ever. And, we have had major speakers on campus, including Representative Liz Cheney, and an incredible array of classes, events, research and performances. Last week I taught 51 students all day Saturday and Sunday—they were from six schools and colleges, graduate and undergraduate students. They came from 12 countries and spoke more than 20 languages. And, it was among the finest group of students I have taught in 35 years. I feel very fortunate to teach here.

The biggest news from the last month is the announcement by Micron Technology at ���ϲ�����’s D’Aniello Building. Micron is building the largest semiconductor fabrication facility in the U.S. here in Central New York. This megafab, as Micron Technology refers to it, will include the nation’s largest cleanroom, which is the size of 40 football fields.

This is a $100B investment in our community—the largest private investment in the history of the state of New York. It will create 50,000 new jobs in this region, including 9,000 high-paying jobs directly with Micron. This involves $500M in education alone to train or retrain workers in our community.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring an economic resurgence to Central New York. The University was a key part of the team that recruited Micron Technology to our area. I am really grateful to everyone in our community who played a role in attracting Micron. For the University that included Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie; Provost Gretchen Ritter; Dean Cole Smith from Engineering and Computer Science; Dean David Seaman, currently both dean of Libraries and the interim dean of the iSchool; Vice President for Research Duncan Brown and Vice President for Community Engagement and Government Relations Cydney Johnson, among others.

It really is a tremendous opportunity for ���ϲ����� too. In courting Micron, our team demonstrated how the University can be a partner in many critical ways. These include collaborating on new research and development efforts, student internships, student success initiatives, creating a pipeline of capable and talented workers, and building the infrastructure to prepare our community for jobs in new and evolving technology fields.

I’ve spoken a lot in the last couple of years about the importance of being entrepreneurial in all we do. This is really time to put that approach into action. We must move quickly and creatively to realize the full potential of this opportunity. How prepared and proactive we are as a university will have a direct impact on our success and the success of the region. I think we can do this well. I’ve created a program office to coordinate all our Micron-related efforts at the University. Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie will serve as executive leader.

The program office will run point on all coordination with Micron from research to educational training to community relations. At the same time, Provost Gretchen Ritter, who you will hear from next, will be working on advancing academic and research opportunities with our Micron counterparts. Our hope is to make collaborating with ���ϲ����� simple for Micron, and to build on the successful partnership we’ve already established over the last few months.

Next, I’d like to address employee benefits. Open enrollment begins in five days on Halloween on Oct. 31. This year, unusually high inflation is impacting just about everything in this country, including health care costs and benefits costs. For this year’s open enrollment that created a challenge. Because of my experience with benefits changes last year, I sought counsel on how to manage benefits changes differently going forward. If we follow past practice and process and apply the standard agreed algorithm used to determine the employee contribution rate for employee health insurance this year, it would have resulted in very significant double digit increases in health premiums and contributions by all our staff. After in the last month consulting with some deans, some faculty experts and staff in the budget office, I have concluded those increases are untenable for our people and particularly for our lowest paid staff. I understand the increasing pressure inflation has had on our employees and their families. As a result, I have directed Human Resources to do two things. First, to invest an additional $1M this year to offset rising health care costs for this year. Doing this has lessened the overall impact of what would have been double digit increases. As a result:

• For Schedule A employees, the individual coverage increase will be less than 5%, and the family coverage increase will be less than 8%.
• For Schedule B employees, the changes will be even more helpful. Schedule B provides lower cost insurance to our staff who meet lower income thresholds. For Schedule B employees, the increase will be less than 4% for all plans.
• After listening to faculty expertise, and I’m very grateful for it, the University is also expanding Schedule B eligibility by raising the income limits for those who qualify.
• I’ve also asked Provost Ritter to use part of the extra funding to work with Human Resources to explore expanded support and coverage for part-time faculty as well.
• Finally, I have checked very carefully and been assured that there will be no increases in deductibles, co-pays and coinsurance regardless of your plan selection this year.

That is the first step I have directed, albeit late in the process of preparing for open enrollment. You will receive more detailed information about open enrollment and 2023 benefits in the coming days. Nevertheless, this has not been an ideal process. The second step is that I have directed Human Resources to work with leadership and through the University leadership and the University Senate and its committees and appropriate other bodies to refine the process of how health care benefits and changes in them are determined. I would like changes in that process be made on a timely basis so that new process can be in place by the end of this academic year and inform next year’s open enrollment.

Later on the agenda, we have the honorary degree revocation proposal, which is in draft. I drafted it at the charge of the Board of Trustees. I thank many of you who have provided input on this standard of process already and the University Senate Committee on Honorary Degrees, which comprehensively debated it and we may hear from a little more later. I welcome questions and discussion later in this meeting.

We’ll do an executive summary of all the feedback we’ve gotten. That will go to the full Board of Trustees with the current draft for the Nov. 4 meeting. I will provide an update on the board actions at the Nov. 16 University Senate meeting.

Finally, I’d like to recognize all the student-athletes who had a pretty amazing fall season. The Orange men’s soccer team clinched the Atlantic Division title and are currently ranked fourth in the country. The women’s field hockey team finish the regular season undefeated at home and ranked ninth in the country. The men’s and women’s cross country teams are going to the ACC championships on Friday. Both teams are nationally ranked in the top 15.

And, ���ϲ����� Football is having its best season in 35 years, currently ranked 16th in the country. We are taking on Notre Dame this weekend. There must be somebody on this call who didn’t know that. It will be a sold-out game, the second this season.

It has been an incredibly busy and productive semester. We have much to be proud of and excited about for the future of ���ϲ�����. Thank you.

Micron Technology plans to build a semiconductor fabrication facility in Central New York over the next 20 years, investing up to $100 billion to construct the megafab factories. Those megafabs are actually tiny computer chips that help various devices like cell phones, computers, cars and washing machines hold electronic memory to carry out their functions.

Shiu-Kai Chin

electrical engineering and computer science professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, answers five questions about the semiconductor manufacturing process and why it’s especially significant to have them produced here in Central New York.

Q: Can you talk about the importance of semiconductor memory? What technology uses these sorts of chips?

A: The only things that are real in cyberspace are people and hardware. Chips are the electronic DNA of cyberspace.  The ability to store information, i.e., remember, is at the heart of computing. From simple math to artificial intelligence, memory is key.

If you’ve seen something before and can remember it, you will react and compute faster. If you learn (remember) from experience, you make better decisions. Memory, and knowing what to remember and what to ignore, is what makes people and machine smart. It is a keystone of adaptability and resilience.

Q: What is the significance of bringing another manufacturing operation online in the U.S., specifically in the Central New York region?

A: It’s hugely significant. Central New York will now have what we call a vertically integrated capability from hardware up through and including major systems such as radars, medical devices, and weapon systems that defend the U.S.

Within Central New York, we will have the capability to design and produce the core components of every digital system, starting from the transistors that make up chips, the software which runs on chips, the networks that connect them, and the perspective gained from over 60 years of experience designing major systems for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy. We have the engineering and public policy expertise to make sure that the right systems are being built and that they are being built right.

Q: What do you think engineers will be doing over the next 18 months to get this operation up and running?

A: Semiconductor processing plants are intricate and require precisely calibrated environments. For example, the chemical content of water must be precisely controlled to prevent impurities from being introduced. The air circulating in the processing facilities must be precisely controlled to make sure there are very few dust particles in the air that can ruin a chip.

I imagine engineers will be looking at the operational requirements for the facility and deciding how best to use the actual site. The logistics of moving and sequencing building materials and construction alone is a huge task. Fortunately, all these things have been done before.

Q: What will be the biggest impact for domestic and international consumers once this new operation is fully running?

A: Memory is used everywhere. Memory prices and availability affect all portions of the supply chain. The facility should help ease the chip shortages once it’s up and running. It also helps secure the supply chain for the U.S., which is important in building systems that can be secured from hardware on up.

Q: What do you see as the most significant point of a new semiconductor manufacturing operation?

A: The only things that are real in cyberspace are hardware and people.  To be an exceptional, we must be able to do more than move money around. We need to build exceptional things that benefit society through innovation. Chips are at the heart of all digital devices. The people we have in Central New York are already excellent in terms of what we can do. Adding chip making to the mix makes us even better. Our foundation for innovation has just doubled.

���ϲ����� was the site of a historic announcement today by Micron Technology, which will invest $100 billion to build a semiconductor fabrication facility in the Town of Clay. From left are Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, Chancellor Kent Syverud, New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul and Micron President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra. (Photo by Ross Knight)

Earlier today, ���ϲ����� was the site of a historic announcement of a transformational investment by Micron Technology in the Central New York region: a $100 billion semiconductor fabrication facility in the Town of Clay—the largest investment and facility of its kind in the United States. Officials with Micron announced plans to build a leading-edge memory fab in New York state this morning during an event in the K.G. Tan Auditorium, at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building, home of the National Veterans Resource Center.

Micron Technology Inc. is one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies and the only U.S.-based manufacturer of memory. The new megafab will increase domestic supply of leading-edge memory and create tens of thousands of new jobs. It is the largest private investment in New York state history.

Chancellor Kent Syverud welcomed Micron President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra and several local, state and federal government representatives for this significant announcement that will impact the region and state for generations to come. The investment will create the largest-ever cleanroom space announced in the U.S., creating nearly 50,000 New York jobs over more than 20 years. Those include 9,000 new high-paying Micron jobs and over 40,000 community jobs, including suppliers, contractors and other supporting roles.

In August, President Joe Biden L’68 signed off on the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, which will increase the country’s production of semiconductors while fueling efforts to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.

“I am grateful to President Biden and his administration for making the CHIPS and Science Act a priority, to Senator Schumer and a bipartisan coalition in Congress for passing the legislation, and to Governor Hochul and County Executive McMahon for the local and state partnerships that made this investment possible. Micron will leverage the diverse, highly educated and skilled talent in New York as we look to build our workforce in the Empire State,” said Mehrotra in a . “This historic leading-edge memory megafab in central New York will deliver benefits beyond the semiconductor industry by strengthening U.S. technology leadership as well as economic and national security, driving American innovation and competitiveness for decades to come.”

At today’s event with Micron Technology, Chancellor Syverud recognized the critical efforts of local and state leaders to help bring Micron to the area. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

At today’s event, Chancellor Syverud recognized the critical efforts of U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul ’80 and County Executive Ryan McMahon, all of whom participated in the event’s speaking program, to help bring Micron to the area. Also in attendance were U.S. Rep. John Katko, ���ϲ����� Mayor Ben Walsh and CenterState CEO President Rob Simpson.

“Micron’s $100 billion investment in New York marks the start of something transformative in scale and possibility for our state’s economic future. I promised that we would jumpstart the economy by being the most business-friendly and worker-friendly state in the nation, and thanks to our State Green CHIPS legislation, the federal CHIPS and Science Act, and extraordinary partnerships with business, labor, and local and federal leaders, this project will do exactly that,” Gov. Hochul said in a . “Together, we are leveraging this investment—the largest private-sector investment in state history—to secure our economic future, solidify New York’s standing as a global manufacturing hub, and usher the state into another Industrial Revolution.”

���ϲ����� was chosen as the site of today’s announcement because of the University’s deep connections and commitment to the Central New York region.

In a message to the Orange community, Chancellor Syverud said: “This is a proud moment for our University. ���ϲ�����’s academic, economic, cultural and civic contributions to Central New York are among the factors that attracted Micron to our area. The opportunity for collaboration—across all facets of our University—is significant. From internship and career opportunities for our students and alumni, respectively, to interdisciplinary research opportunities, educational programs, veterans initiatives, community building, engagement and investment, and economic development, Micron will quickly become one of our region’s greatest partners and a key driver of Central New York’s long-term prosperity.”

Micron selected the New York site based on the state’s leading higher education institutions, access to talent traditionally underrepresented in technology jobs and a significant military population aligned with Micron’s commitment to veteran hiring. The site also offers access to water and clean, reliable power to enable a project of this scale while achieving the company’s long-term environmental goals.

Micron and the state of New York will also invest a historic $500 million in community and workforce development with a focus on disadvantaged populations over the duration of the project. Reflecting the company’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, Micron’s New York plans include initiatives to address economic disparities and accelerate economic opportunity for underserved communities in the semiconductor industry. Micron aims to hire a diverse workforce for both direct roles as well as broader construction ecosystem jobs.