Basic university research has proven it can advance technology and the economy

For more than three decades as president and CEO of Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), it has been my pleasure to be part of the advancement of humanity and our national economy through the semiconductor industry. 

SRC has served as an integral partner to the semiconductor industry as well as academia and government by sponsoring the basic university research responsible for semiconductor technology advancements. In turn, these advancements have led to today’s range of sophisticated computing devices and applications that support our everyday lives. 

{mosads}The fact that SRC has been in operation since 1982 means we are doing something right. We think we probably set the record for the longest running consortium in any industry, but our ongoing mission simply affirms the critical role that university research plays in the future of technology and the U.S. economy in general. 

Indeed, the world-class U.S. university system built through decades of steady government support serves as a foundation for public-private partnerships such as SRC. Along the way, SRC has proudly been recognized as a recipient of the National Medal of Technology. Our talented team has worked to expand the scope and reach of our research programs internationally to mirror the growth of the semiconductor industry. 

When we initiated SRC, the semiconductor industry faced international competitive concerns with the manufacturing goals of increasing yields and a better understanding of the design and manufacturing of integrated circuits. Now with the help of basic university research, the industry is tackling design automation and nanotechnology, among myriad other advancements. 

Over the years, SRC has supported $2.3 billion in research via the efforts of more than 11,000 university students working in 25 different countries and 40 out of the 50 U.S. states. Many of these students advanced to earn their doctorate degree in technology-related fields and moved on to impact the industry. 

Additionally, SRC sponsored more than 2,500 research tasks, with the SRC community publishing more than 20 percent of the world’s semiconductor-related research. In sum, SRC has served the industry as a preeminent, value-driven model for advancing the capabilities of semiconductor devices. 

Just like the technology industry we serve, we’re not going to stop there. For example, SRC is helping pioneer new research programs, such as the Semiconductor Synthetic Biology program that concentrates on synergies between synthetic biology and semiconductor technology. 

As semiconductor technology continues to shrink devices dimensionally, it begins to approach the same size of biological information managing systems. This provides the opportunity to learn from nature to further advance semiconductor technology. SRC has also developed an undergraduate student research program that is extremely successful, with a number of industry companies hiring these students and expanding the workforce pipeline. 

Therefore, it is critical to understand that today’s technology-based economy depends on a robust university research enterprise. America’s university research engine has made our country the cradle of discovery and innovation that created industries including aerospace, biotechnology, information technology and all that is enabled by the Internet. 

There is no disputing that precompetitive collaborative research is an excellent stepping-stone into conducting a useful activity that leads to profitable results for the product sector. However, a basic, precompetitive research base is required to continue to advance these ongoing results. 

Furthermore, the effective collaborative research model requires three major pillars: namely industry, academia and government to work in unison—take any one of these out of the equation and the likelihood for success significantly diminishes. 

In closing, I have enjoyed a front row seat in the development of today’s technology-based economy. While it has been a tremendous ride, I am completely confident that SRC is well positioned and will continue to flourish, to seed breakthrough innovation, and help provide the people and ideas to keep the U.S. semiconductor industry competitive and prosperous in years to come. 

Sumney is president & chief executive officer of the Semiconductor Research Corporation.