IISc and Lam Research Upskill Engineers in Semiconductor Tech
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) announced the successful completion of its pilot program aimed at upskilling engineers in semiconductor fabrication technology. The program was conducted in partnership with the US-based semiconductor firm Lam Research and was unveiled during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington, DC in July 2023.
As part of the pilot, Lam Research's Semiverse Solutions portfolio was used to train 32 MTech and PhD students at IISc's Center for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE). The curriculum included training on SEMulator3D, a powerful 3D semiconductor process and integration modeling software that is part of the Semiverse Solutions platform. This advanced software is utilized by the world's largest semiconductor companies, manufacturers, and foundries to model complete process flows and predict downstream ramifications of process changes.
Three students from the pilot cohort have secured placements at leading global semiconductor manufacturing companies. Professor Srinivasan Raghavan, Chair of CeNSE at IISc, expressed confidence in the program's impact, stating, "With three of the pilot's participants already placed in global tier-1 semiconductor manufacturing companies, we are optimistic about the broad rollout of the course and its potential".
Following the pilot's success, IISc and Lam Research have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the India Semiconductor Mission to expand the program nationwide. The plan aims to upskill a targeted 60,000 engineers over the next decade by rolling out Semiverse Solutions broadly across the country.
Rangesh Raghavan, Corporate VP and GM at Lam Research India, expressed enthusiasm for supporting India's growing semiconductor industry, stating, "We believe in the democratization of specialized semiconductor knowledge and are excited to support the scaling of the semiconductor industry in India".
Since 2014, Lam Research India has been a part of CeNSE's Industry Affiliate Programme (IAP), continuously collaborating with the center on innovative projects to advance semiconductor technologies. The successful pilot underscores the potential for large-scale upskilling in the sector, aligning with India's broader goals for semiconductor manufacturing and technological innovation.
