Professors from Cornell University and University of Michigan to Be Honored for Excellence in Semiconductor Research

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) and Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) today announced the recipients of the 2025 University Research Awards:

• Huili Grace Xing, the William L. Quackenbush Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell University with a joint appointment in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering; and
• Todd Austin, the S. Jack Hu Collegiate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Science at the University of Michigan.

SIA and SRC present the University Research Awards annually to professors who demonstrate excellence in advancing research in semiconductor technology and design. Professors Xing and Austin will receive the awards at the SIA Awards Dinner on Nov. 20, 2025, in San Jose, Calif.

“Advancements in semiconductor technology underpin America’s economic strength, national security, and global leadership,” said John Neuffer, president and CEO of SIA, which represents U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, design, and research.

“Research is the beating heart of our industry, fueling the innovations that power our economy and improve lives around the world. Professors Xing and Austin exemplify excellence in semiconductor research, with their cutting-edge work expanding the frontiers of chip technology and strengthening America’s role as the global innovation leader. We’re honored to recognize Dr. Xing and Dr. Austin for their outstanding achievements.”

The U.S. semiconductor industry remains one of the most R&D-intensive sectors in America, allocating roughly 18% of revenue to research and development in 2024. These sustained commitments to innovation power the breakthroughs that keep America at the forefront of semiconductor technology, strengthen economic competitiveness, and support high-quality jobs. As global competitors expand their research investments, it’s critical for the U.S. government to continue to prioritize funding for chip research to complement the industry’s substantial investments.

“In partnership with the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) and leading industry experts, we are proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 SIA/SRC University Research Awards for Semiconductor Design and Technology,” said Dr. Todd Younkin, President and CEO of SRC.

“The hallmark of SRC research programs is the consistent delivery of real-world impact through visionary research, deep collaboration, and a commitment to excellence across academia, industry, and government. Professors Huili Grace Xing and Todd Austin exemplify this legacy—not only through their groundbreaking innovations and mentorship, but through the scale and ambition of the programs they’ve helped lead. Both have played pivotal roles in transformative initiatives funded by industry and SRC’s longstanding partnership with DARPA’s Microsystems Technology Office (MTO). Their work moves at industry speed and demonstrates the power of public-private partnership to accelerate progress and shape the future of microelectronics.”

Dr. Xing will receive the 2025 SIA/SRC University Research Award for Technology. She is recognized for her pioneering work in III-V nitride materials and devices, oxide materials and devices, 2D semiconductors, and layered crystals. Her research on wide-bandgap semiconductors like AlN/GaN ultrascaled high electron/hole mobility transistors for high-speed, high-power applications has significantly advanced applications of polar semiconductors in electronics and in photonics, such as high-frequency wireless communication, solid-state electronics, and energy-efficient devices. Dr. Xing’s contributions include both fundamental research, such as studying material properties at the atomic level, and applied research, involving the design and testing of GaN devices in real-world scenarios. A Fellow of IEEE, AAAS, and APS, Dr. Xing has previously received numerous awards, including the Intel Outstanding Reseacher Award, ISCS Young Scientist Award, NSF CAREER Award, and AFOSR Young Investigator Program Award.

Dr. Austin is recognized with the 2025 SIA/SRC University Research Award for Design for his contributions to computer microarchitecture, robust and secure system design, hardware and software verification, and performance analysis tools and techniques. Dr. Austin gained early recognition for creating SimpleScalar, a suite of tools for simulating, testing, and debugging computer designs. His work in runtime verification, including the DIVA fault-tolerant pipeline and the Razor technique, has influenced computer architecture practices. More recently, Dr. Austin has focused on processor security, most notably through his Morpheus project, which uses dynamic encryption and randomized data/code shuffling to thwart cyberattacks, and his entrepreneurial ventures at Agita Labs in developing next-generation privacy-enhanced computing architectures. His career is distinguished by numerous accolades, including the Richard Newton Gigascale Systems Research Center Industrial Impact Award, the U-M Henry Russel Award, an NSF CAREER Award, the ACM Maurice Wilkes Award, the IEEE/ACM MICRO Test of Time Award, and recognition as a Sloan Fellow and IEEE Fellow.