Starting with my background in microelectronics, I will demonstrate the ever-gaining importance of semiconductor manufacturing in the 21st century. From refrigerators to cars, from cell phones to cloud computing, from ChatGPT to smart homes, the penetration of integrated circuits in our lives is only accelerating. Chips are more than a piece of technology; they also demonstrate the geopolitical prowess of countries and affect foreign policies. What is the United States doing about supporting the domestic microelectronics production? I will cover the CHIPS Act and its expected impact on semiconductor manufacturing, R&D, and the workforce development. How are we going to prepare for it? I will conclude my talk with ideas on how higher education institutions, specifically RPI, can lead the pack.
Executive Semiconductor Technologist, Niskayuna, NY. Muhsin Celik was born and grew up in Ankara, Turkey. His interest in science and technology guided him to Ankara Science High School which was originally funded by the Ford Foundation. After receiving his Electrical and Electronics Engineering degree from Middle East Technical University in Ankara, he came to the USA for graduate studies. He completed his M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at North Carolina State University in 1998 and moved to Austin, TX to join Motorola Advanced Products Research and Development Labs. He worked on the transistor technology development for PowerPC High Performance applications in Austin before working in Grenoble, France as an international expatriate with Freescale Semiconductor. Muhsin's industrial experience continued back in the USA with a variety of leadership positions at Freescale Semiconductor and later, STMicroelectronics. He worked at the IBM International Semiconductor Development Alliance in Fishkill, NY and later became the STMicroelectronics Project Leader at SUNY Nanotech in Albany, NY. Subsequently, he joined GlobalFoundries in 2015 and served as Senior Director at the Fab 8 site located in Saratoga County, NY. In GF, he led the 14nm FINFET program, and held various executive positions for fab expansions, business operations and transformation. He served on the Industrial Advisory Board of CNSE, SUNY Poly. He is an IEEE senior member.
Muhsin lives with his wife and daughter in Niskayuna, NY where he enjoys tennis, community activities and exploring the Capital Region.