News Release

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June 21, 2005

Micron Technology Foundation Gives $320,000 To Start Boise State Electrical Engineering Doctoral Program
 

The Micron Technology Foundation has granted $320,000 to Boise State University to initiate development of a doctoral program in electrical and computer engineering, university officials announced today.

The grant also challenges the university to find additional partners for the full implementation of the doctoral program in fall 2005, pending State Board of Education approval. The investment is a continuation of the strong partnership between Micron and Boise State�s College of Engineering, said Cheryl B. Schrader, dean of the College of Engineering, and Mark Durcan, chief technical officer and vice president of research and development at Micron Technology Inc.

Micron�s grant, together with university funds, has enabled the college to hire three new faculty in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department.

�The grant from the Foundation will help alleviate the shortage in production of electrical engineers trained at the doctoral level,� said Schrader. �Despite a high concentration of technology industries in the Treasure Valley region, there is limited access to academic programs at the doctorate level.�

Schrader said the new Ph.D. program will help to provide the workforce necessary for the region�s growing high tech economy and create a culture of innovation in research and development.

�We will also be looking for the opportunity for additional partners to join us in this effort,� she said.

Durcan also invited other donors to join the Foundation in this effort.

�Micron is pleased to provide this initial gift to assist with the program development and we invite and welcome other industry and private partners to participate in ensuring the successful implementation of this instrumental program,� Durcan said. �Ready access to graduate level engineering talent is essential to Micron and the semiconductor industry. It also contributes to a strong foundation for the local high tech economy and serves as an engine to enhance innovation � all things that ultimately benefit the local community as a whole.�

Jake Baker, chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said the program will provide students and industry access to a research intensive academic program.

�The doctorate program will leverage the unique strengths of the regional industrial base and academic expertise at Boise State, providing a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary focus on the development of novel circuitry designs, materials applications, and fabrication process development for advancement of memory device technology,� Baker said.

New ECE faculty members who will start this fall including Kris Campbell, a senior engineer from Micron Technology in Boise and Wan Kuang from the University of Southern California.

Campbell holds a bachelor�s degree in electrical engineering from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of California, Davis. She has more than 10 years of industrial electrical engineering experience. Her research interests include nano and memory technology.

Kuang holds both a bachelor�s and master�s degree in electrical engineering from Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications in China, and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California. His research interests are in photonics, ultra-high speed optics, and nanotechnology.

Baker said he anticipates hiring additional senior level faculty with proven experience in the development of research programs, and in the development of Ph.D. graduate programs.

Established in 1997, the College of Engineering enrolls more than 1,400 students in its graduate and undergraduate programs. Nationally recruited faculty bring academic excellence and industry partnerships that enhance education through laboratory experiences and nationally funded research.
 

Contact:
 

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Sona Andrews, (208) 426-1202, sonaandrews@boisestate.edu

or Jake Baker, chair, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, (208) 426-5715, or jbaker@boisestate.edu

(Please note: Dean Cheryl B. Schrader, College of Engineering, (208) 426-1153, is out of town this week and unavailable for immediate comment.)

Contact: Dan Spangler, University Relations Manager, Micron Technology Foundation Inc., (208) 368-5619, dkspangler@micron.com  

Media Contact: Janelle Brown, communications and marketing, (208) 426-1790, jbrown2@boisestate.edu

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Last reviewed on Thursday, December 22, 2005