Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said the Department of Commerce has partnered with other federal agencies, including the departments of Defense and Energy, to begin the process of establishing the National Semiconductor Technology Center consortium in accordance with the CHIPS and Science Act.
Raimondo told members of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee on Tuesday that the department named leaders to a committee that will select the board of trustees of a nonprofit entity that will be responsible for operating NSTC.
She described NSTC as a public-private partnership that will bring together government and industry leaders, educational institutions and investors to advance innovation in the semiconductor industry.
“Most importantly, the NSTC will ensure that the United States leads the way in the next generation of semiconductor technologies—everything from quantum computing, materials science, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to future applications not even contemplated yet,” Raimondo told lawmakers in her prepared remarks.
In April, the National Institute of Standards and Technology released a paper detailing its strategy and vision for NSTC.
The secretary said the Commerce Department also secured funding for three programs — the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program, the CHIPS R&D Metrology Program and the Manufacturing USA institute — to advance semiconductor research and development efforts.
Raimondo additionally offered updates on the agency’s efforts to implement the law, including the creation of CHIPS program and R&D offices and the launch of the first funding opportunity for projects seeking to build, modernize and expand commercial semiconductor production facilities.
