News: Microelectronics
18 July 2025
onsemi to establish wide-bandgap materials research center at Stony Brook University
Intelligent power and sensing technology firm onsemi of Scottsdale, AZ, USA plans to invest $8m with Stony Brook University to establish a wide-bandgap research center to advance innovation in power semiconductors and foster the next generation of skilled professionals in the field.
The investment is part of a broader $20m strategic collaboration with Stony Brook University and Empire State Development aimed at positioning New York as a national hub for power semiconductor innovation.
The center aims to advance foundational research in silicon carbide and other wide-bandgap materials and device-enabling technologies — capabilities critical to improving energy efficiency in AI and electrification. Expected to be fully operational in early 2027, the facility will feature specialized laboratories and advanced instrumentation for materials development, device integration, and performance characterization.
“Advanced power semiconductors are at the core of enabling the widespread adoption of AI and electrification. This new center will play a key role in accelerating innovation in one of the most critical fields for these global megatrends,” says Dinesh Ramanathan, senior VP of corporate strategy. “Aligned with Governor Hochul's vision, and in strong partnership with Stony Brook and Empire State Development, we are building a pipeline of skilled talent who will drive the next wave of breakthroughs in power semiconductors and pave the way for our sustainable future,” he adds.
“The state-of-the-art research facility at Stony Brook University will be another step in our mission to reshore the chip industry, strengthen our national security, and cement New York’s status as the chips capital of the United States,” says New York State Governor Kathy Hochul. “By investing in cutting-edge technology and world-class talent, we’re building a stronger, more resilient future for Long Island, and New York.”
As part of the collaboration, Stony Brook University is developing a curriculum for an undergraduate minor and a graduate master’s degree and certificate in silicon carbide and wide-bandgap semiconductors.
“This public–private partnership between onsemi, Stony Brook and Empire State Development has tremendous implications for economic development and national security,” believes incoming Stony Brook University president Andrea Goldsmith. “As a technology entrepreneur and the founder of a fabless semiconductor startup, I am thrilled that Stony Brook is a key academic partner with onsemi, an industry leader in power semiconductors. This partnership places Stony Brook and New York State at the forefront of advancing power semiconductor technology while providing students hands-on research and practical opportunities as they prepare for leadership roles in high-skill, high-demand technology fields.”
Empire State Development is supporting the effort as part of New York’s broader strategy to revitalize domestic semiconductor capabilities and workforce development.
The new center will be led by Stony Brook professor Michael Dudley, a leading researcher in SiC growth and a member of the university’s Department of Materials Science & Chemical Engineering, in partnership with fellow professors Balaji Raghothamachar and Dilip Gersappe.
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