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Lam Research Corp. and New York Center for Research, Economic Advancement, Technology, Engineering and Science (NY Creates) announced a collaboration to enable the training of approximately 3,500 students in semiconductor process integration over the next five years. NY Creates is a New York not-for-profit organization that owns and operates the Albany NanoTech Complex, the most advanced nonprofit-led 300m semiconductor R&D site in North America. The program will use Lam's SEMulator3D® virtual fabrication software, part of the Semiverse ® Solutions portfolio, to deliver hands-on learning across NY Creates' network of partner colleges and universities in the Northeast.
Addressing a Critical Talent Gap
The semiconductor industry faces a growing talent shortage as next-generation chip technologies demand engineers with hands-on process integration experience — which many universities cannot provide because of the high cost of physical fabrication facilities, equipment, and materials. This collaboration bridges that gap directly, bringing industry-grade virtual fabrication tools into academic programs at scale, without requiring access to a cleanroom.
"Preparing the next generation of semiconductor engineers requires more than classroom instruction; students need practical experience with the complex process decisions that shape how advanced chips are made," said David Fried, chief AI officer and corporate vice president for Semiverse Solutions at Lam Research. "Through this collaboration, access to Lam's SEMulator3D virtual fabrication platform is expected to help students build the critical process integration skills that complex chipmaking demands before they set foot in a fab."
SEMulator3D is a semiconductor process modeling platform that uses advanced physics-based simulation to virtually replicate fabrication steps such as etch, deposition, and lithography for the full virtual fabrication flow, enabling students to design, analyze, and optimize chip manufacturing integration flow without the need for physical wafers. By visualizing how individual process steps interact — and the tradeoffs involved in building advanced semiconductor structures — students can move beyond learning what happens in chip manufacturing to understanding why specific process decisions are made. Integrating SEMulator3D into engineering curricula can accelerate the learning process and instill a deeper understanding of the complexities and nuances of manufacturing semiconductor chips at current and future technology nodes.
"Lam Research's Semiverse Solutions bring world-class virtual fabrication capabilities directly into our partner institutions," said Dr. Robert Geer, NY Creates Vice President for Education and Workforce Development. "This collaboration enables students across the Northeast to access immersive, hands-on learning that directly prepares them for careers in advanced semiconductor manufacturing — and strengthens the regional talent pipeline that our ecosystem needs."
Scale and Scope of the Program
The collaboration is expected to advance semiconductor workforce development across NY Creates' programs and partner colleges and universities, using academic partnerships and industry-aligned education in advanced semiconductor manufacturing and process integration. Specifically, the program is intended to:
- Expand curriculum: Develop semiconductor process integration coursework aligned to advanced logic technologies and modern fabrication flows.
- Enable virtual learning at scale: Use SEMulator3D to deliver hands-on learning in complex device architectures across the NY Creates workforce development network to reach college and university students.
- Support regional workforce goals: Align with state and regional initiatives, including the National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME) Northeast, supporting next-generation semiconductor manufacturing. As the Regional Node lead for NNME, NY Creates helps coordinate regional collaboration and industry alignment efforts across the broader Northeast ecosystem.
