WOLFSPEED, A&T TO ESTABLISH JOINT R&D FACILITY

[aggie2039]

DURHAM, N.C. – Wolfspeed, Inc. (NYSE: WOLF), the global leader in Silicon Carbide technology, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, America’s leading historically Black college or university, today announced their intent to apply for CHIPS and Science Act funding to build a new research and development facility on the North Carolina A&T campus. The R&D facility will be focused on Silicon Carbide to support the next generation of advanced compound semiconductors. Wolfspeed and A&T intend to submit the project for federal investment as part of the CHIPS and Science Act when the Notice of Funding Opportunity for R&D facilities is released this fall.

“Wolfspeed has been working with North Carolina A&T to develop a workforce of the future, and we are excited to expand that partnership to develop the technology of the future,” said Gregg Lowe, President and CEO of Wolfspeed. “The R&D facility will enable the next generation of innovators to explore new processes, applications and breakthrough advancements to support the global transition from silicon to Silicon Carbide technology and achieve new levels of sustainability and energy efficiency across a variety of industries.”

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and A&T Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr., among others, were also in attendance at the event.

President Biden at Wolfspeed, Biden noted A&T's distinction as the No. 1 producer of Black engineering graduates in the nation and the university's partnership with Wolfspeed to establish the new center.

“As one of the top three public research universities in North Carolina and the nation’s largest HBCU, we are keenly interested in the future of the semiconductor chip industry in our state,” said Martin. “As a research and education partner with Wolfspeed, we bring deep academic and scientific strengths in STEM disciplines to our collaboration, as well as the fact that we produce more Black engineers than any university in the nation. This new facility will integrate our research and development interests toward major economic and social impact, not just in this North Carolina, but globally. The possibilities are tremendously exciting.”

www.ncat.edu/news/2023/03/wolfspeed-chips.php

[Bornthrilla]

"The announcement was made at an event with President Joe Biden at Wolfspeed’s headquarters in Durham, North Carolina, and the R&D facility is intended to augment the company’s establishment of the John Palmour Manufacturing Center for Silicon Carbide, the world’s largest Silicon Carbide crystal growth facility, under construction in Siler City, North Carolina. Phase one construction is anticipated to be completed in 2024 and, combined with the company’s ongoing materials expansion at its Durham headquarters, will increase material production for Wolfspeed more than 10x and create 1,800 jobs."

www.ncat.edu/news/2023/03/wolfspeed-chips.php

[Bornthrilla]

[aggie2039]

We need to be R1!!!!!


NC State, Wolfspeed, A&T, partners land $39.4M fed grant for semiconductor hub
wraltechwire.com/2023/09/28/nc-state-wolfspeed-at-partners-land-39-4m-fed-grant-for-semiconductor-hub/

RALEIGH – A new semiconductor research hub will be developed by a partnership including Wolfspeed, N.C. State and North Carolina A&T with the federal government choosing the group for a $39.4 million grant.

It’s called the Commercial Leap Ahead for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, or CLAWS, Hub.

Other partners include Adroit Materials, General Electric and Kyma.

The partnership, which is led by NCSU, landed one of eight federal research hubs through the “Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act.”

“I’d like to thank the DOD for choosing to invest in NC State’s CLAWS proposal,” said U.S. Senator Ted Budd. “It is critical that the United States takes the lead in semiconductor manufacturing, and it was a privilege to advocate for North Carolina’s unique capacity to get the job done for our national and economic security.”


www.budd.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CLAWS-Hub-Letter.pdf
As a world-class research institution, NC State is uniquely positioned with subject matter
expertise, facilities, and experience in managing joint industry and academia institutes with longterm sustainability. With its partners, NC State has unparalleled access to materials, fabrication,
packaging, and testing capacity such that prototypes can be demonstrated and that system-level
and programmatic decisions can be made without delay. NC State’s model and workforce
approach are anchored by decades of working with WBG semiconductor companies (including
CREE/Wolfspeed, Kyma, Adroit, Hexatech).
NC State and NC A&T are already active in workforce development and have enhanced the
training and recruiting efforts of WBG semiconductor companies like Wolfspeed. This includes
NC A&T’s efforts to develop the relevant curriculum, experiential learning programs and career
pathways for the next generation of diverse, highly skilled semiconductor workforce. North
Carolina’s skills-focused and industry integrated community college system allows for a
comprehensive approach to workforce development, which would benefit the DoD’s
Microelectronic Commons mission under the CLAWS proposal.