Building Collaboration and Knowledge in Semiconductor Research: A Case Study on CHIPS & Science Act Workshops

This study explores the impact of Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) & Science Act researcher development workshops conducted at a single research-intensive university in the United States, with the overall goal to align with national priorities in semiconductor research, workforce development, and education. This $50 billion legislation, passed in August 2022, envisions a shared ecosystem among states, industry, and higher education designed to propel the nation’s contribution to the semiconductor industry. In response to this national initiative, one university launched a series of workshops designed to equip researchers with the tools and networks necessary to drive impactful research. Using a mixed approach of descriptive findings and qualitative research, this research examines how three workshops facilitated in 2023 fostered collaboration, knowledge sharing, and capacity building among faculty and researchers. Each workshop progressively increased in size and scope, beginning within the institution, growing to include the university’s system partners, and expanding across the state. The findings, including both a descriptive review of each workshop and qualitative findings, align with the learning theory emphasis, anchoring a design-based research methodology. The descriptive findings review attendee participation, along with workshop materials and resources. The qualitative results report on attendee engagement, including their perceived learning challenges with each workshop. The findings also highlight the workshops’ ability to create research teams capable of increasing preparedness for semiconductor-related initiatives, while revealing workshop challenges such as time management and hybrid engagement. Overall, this research provides valuable lessons learned for designing effective researcher development and team formation activities to effectively respond to emerging national needs.