PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (January 16, 2025) – Suxia Cui, Ph.D., a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Prairie View A&M University, has secured nearly $150,000 in grant funding from Texas A&M University System through the State of Texas – State Appropriations to strengthen the Semiconductor Workforce Pipeline for underrepresented communities.
Shuza Binzaid, Ph.D., and Abburi Kumar, Ph.D., both of Prairie View A&M University, will serve as co-principal investigators for this project. Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), the second-oldest public institution of higher learning in Texas, has been selected for Apple’s New Silicon Initiative (NSI) program. The initiative aims to establish a VLSI Design Laboratory and enhance the university’s Computer Engineering program.
The research team plans to enhance workforce diversity through collaboration with Texas A&M University. Their proposal includes developing new graduate-level courses and improving existing ones. TAMU peers will assist PVAMU team to strengthen the research infrastructure on system level chip design including architecture and circuit designs for machine learning hardware accelerators.
A key outcome of the project is the establishment of a Computer Hardware and VLSI Design certificate program at PVAMU. Additionally, the impact of the CHIPS Act on underrepresented communities will be studied and evaluated as part of the initiative.
By Joe McGinty