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Micron
Foundation Pledges $1.25 Million for USTAR Building
Other topics:
Carbon Nanotube Composite
University of Utah
February, 2008
Salt Lake City , UT -- The University of Utah
today announced a $1.25 million pledge from the Micron
Technology Foundation to support the development of a
nanofabrication teaching and research laboratory as a core
facility in the new Utah Science, Technology and Research
(USTAR) building now under development on the university’s
campus. Micron’s investment will help leverage nearly $130
million in state and private dollars, and launch an exciting
new era of scientific discovery and technology innovation. |
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"With this gift to the University of Utah’s USTAR building,
the Micron Foundation helps support research and education
in microelectronics" said Dee Mooney, executive director of
the Micron Foundation. "We find that relationships with
universities offer unique opportunities for students and
faculty to enhance research activities that support the
roadmap of the semiconductor industry"
The nanofab lab is one of several highly specialized
facilities planned to support research teams on the leading
edge of technology development and commercialization. The
goal is to create a best-in-class university nanofab lab
that will support world-class semiconductor, nanotechnology
and electronics research. The lab will be accessible to
researchers at other Utah universities and businesses. The
nanofabrication laboratory is also critically important to
some of the nanotechnology faculty including those who have
been hired under the USTAR program, who will apply nanoscale
constructs in nanomedicine, biosensors, brain probes,
artificial eyes, etc.
Micron’s total support for students, faculty, equipment and
research at the University of Utah has exceeded $2.2 million
during the past decade. The Micron Technology Foundation is
a private, non-profit organization established by Micron
Technology, Inc., to fund education efforts and charitable
activities.
According to Michael K. Young, University of Utah president,
“Micron’s support has made a significant difference in the
quality of research and education at the University of Utah
and throughout the state. This most recent gift will help to
assure that the goals of the USTAR project will be
realized.”
In 2006, the Utah legislature voted to invest significantly
in university research at the University of Utah and Utah
State University by enacting the $400 million legislative
USTAR Initiative. The funding, which is administered by a
state-appointed board, supports faculty and buildings, with
benchmarks for performance in technology commercialization.
Through the recruitment of international experts, USTAR is
aimed at turning research funding into patents, marketable
products, services, companies and jobs.
In order to achieve the USTAR objectives and to attract
world-class researchers in microelectronics and
nanotechnology, the university must improve its
nanofabrication facilities. Microelectronics research is a
major emphasis at the University of Utah, which is
well-aligned with the region’s semiconductor related
companies.
Corporate partnerships can have a critical influence on a
university’s research and education. According to Richard B.
Brown, dean of engineering, “Micron’s involvement in the
College of Engineering has been a motivating force for more
than a decade. The Micron members of our advisory board and
the company’s technical leaders have helped us develop a
relevant and rigorous curriculum. Micron-funded scholarships
and capstone projects consistently represent the highest
level of academic achievement. Micron jobs are an important
and highly sought-after source of professional employment
for the college’s top graduates.” |
