Montgomery County, VA – Virginia Tech recently reported that they have received a $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create a Programmable Cloud Laboratory (PCL) Node, an AI-enabled, cloud-based semiconductor laboratory. According to the Virginia Tech article, researchers will use “its PCL Node to strengthen U.S. semiconductor innovation, manufacturing resilience, and workforce development.”
Virginia Tech was one of twenty teams to receive funding as part of a national effort to use AI for scientific discovery through the U.S Government’s Genesis Mission initiative. The ultimate goal is for all twenty nodes to be made accessible across the entire United States, similar to the evolution of early computer networks into today’s internet. The network could make advanced semiconductor research tools available nationwide, allowing students, researchers, startups, and small businesses across the country to remotely access advanced semiconductor facilities.
The project brings together a multidisciplinary team from Virginia Tech along with partners from leading universities, national laboratories, and industry, including Harvard University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, NVIDIA, Amazon Web Services, Micron, and others. The work will focus on connecting semiconductor design, fabrication, testing, and data analysis into a unified AI-driven workflow. Â Researchers hope to automate complex processes that are traditionally time-consuming and labor-intensive, making semiconductor development faster and easier to duplicate. With semiconductors being used as the foundation for modern electronics like smartphones to medical devices, this research could build a more reliable domestic supply chain and lead to less expensive technology.
Read Virginia Tech’s article here.
Photo by Amber Yost for Virginia Tech. Nanoscale Characterization and Fabrication Lab manager Jarret Wright analyzes a user-provided sample using an advanced electron microscope. The Programmable Cloud Laboratory program will make critical tools and workflows more accessible to users across the nation.
Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world-class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.
