Stanford Professors to be Honored for Excellence in Semiconductor Research

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The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) and the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) announced two Stanford University professors are the 2021 recipients of SIA-SRC University Research Awards: Dr. Subhasish Mitra, Professor of Electrical Engineering and of Computer Science, and Dr. Boris Murmann, Professor of Electrical Engineering.

Professors Mitra and Murmann will accept the awards at the 2021 SIA Awards Dinner on Nov. 18. The event also will feature the presentation of the semiconductor industry’s highest honor, the Robert N. Noyce Award, to Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA and a trailblazer in building accelerated computing platforms.

“Research drives the innovation needed to advance semiconductor technology and strengthen America’s economy and national security,” said John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO. “Professors Mitra and Murmann have been instrumental in advancing chip technology, and we are pleased to recognize them for their outstanding achievements.”

Neuffer also highlighted the urgent need for leaders in Washington to enact funding for the semiconductor research, manufacturing, and design provisions in the CHIPS for America Act. SIA has also called on leaders in Congress to enact an investment tax credit for both semiconductor manufacturing and research. A combination of grants, tax credits, and research investments is needed to turbocharge U.S. semiconductor production and innovation. 

The semiconductor industry is highly research-intensive. U.S. semiconductor companies invest nearly one-fifth of revenue into research and development, among the highest of any industry. But federal investment in semiconductor research has been flat as a share of GDP for years, while other governments have invested substantially in research initiatives to strengthen their own semiconductor capabilities. Increased investments in research, including semiconductor research, is vital to maintaining our country’s technological edge.

“SRC works closely with its industrial members to select the University Researcher Awards for both semiconductor technology and design,” said Dr. Todd Younkin, president and CEO of SRC. “The awards recognize a lifetime of exceptional impact by both Professors Mitra and Murmann, who join a distinguished lineup of past award winners.”

Dr. Mitra will receive the honor for excellence in semiconductor technology research. He is being recognized for his pioneering work in design and test of integrated circuits, reliable computing systems, and 3D nanosystems that have advanced the fields of robust computing, Electronic Design Automation (EDA), nanotechnologies, and nanosystems. His work has influenced almost every contemporary electronic system and inspired research initiatives in multiple countries. Dr. Mitra received his doctorate from Stanford University. He is a decorated ACM and IEEE Fellow, with notable awards that include the Newton Technical Impact Award in EDA test of time honor, Intel Achievement Award, and the U.S. Presidential Early Career Award. 

Dr. Murmann will receive the award for excellence in semiconductor design research. He is being recognized for his thought leadership and groundbreaking advances in mixed-signal integrated circuit design, with a special emphasis on sensor interfaces, data converters, high-speed communication, and machine learning. Dr. Murmann received a doctorate in electrical engineering from UC Berkeley in 2003. He is an IEEE Fellow, the founding faculty co-director of the Stanford SystemX Alliance, and a recipient of the 2012 Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.