Wolfspeed, a global leader in silicon carbide technology, and North Carolina A&M State University (HBCU), one of the top traditional black colleges in the United States, announced plans to apply for government funding to establish a new research and development institution in the North Carolina A&M State School District. The research and development institution will focus on silicon carbide to support the development of the next generation of advanced compound semiconductors.http://www.ic-bom.com/

Wolfspeed President and CEO Gregg Lowe stated: Wolfspeed has currently partnered with North Carolina A&M State University to cultivate talent resources for the future. We are pleased to expand this collaboration to develop technology for the future. http://www.ic-bom.com/This research and development institution will empower a new generation of innovators to explore new processes, applications, and breakthroughs to support the global transformation from silicon based products to silicon carbide based technologies, and to contribute to the sustainable development and energy efficiency of many industries To a new level

The statement was made during President Joe Biden‘s inspection of Wolfspeed‘s headquarters in Durham, North Carolina. Gina Raimondo, Secretary of the United States Department of Commerce, and Roy Cooper, Governor of North Carolina attended the meeting at the same time. The research and development institution aims to strengthen the construction of Wolfspeed‘s John Palmour silicon carbide manufacturing center. The John Palmour Silicon Carbide Manufacturing Center located in Sailor City, North Carolina will be the world‘s largest silicon carbide crystal growth plant and is currently under construction in full swing. The first phase of construction is expected to be completed by 2024. When the entire project is completed, combined with the company‘s ongoing material expansion plan at the headquarters in Durham, it will increase Wolfspeed‘s silicon carbide material manufacturing capacity by more than 10 times and create 1800 new jobs. The John Palmour Silicon Carbide Manufacturing Center will supply 200mm silicon carbide wafers to the Wolfspeed Mohawk Valley factory. The Wolfspeed Mohawk Valley factory opened grandly in New York State last year and is currently the world‘s first, largest, and only 200mm silicon carbide manufacturing factory.

As the top three public research universities in North Carolina and the largest traditional black university in the United States, we have a strong interest in the future of the semiconductor chip industry in North Carolina. As a research and education partner of Wolfspeed Corporation, we will bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) to our collaboration The deep academic and scientific advantages of the discipline, as well as the fact that we have trained more black engineers than other universities in the United States. The newly established institution in this plan will integrate our research and development advantages, face significant economic and social impacts, and is not limited to North Carolina, but also based on the world. The possibilities for the future are very exciting

North Carolina A&M State University is one of the top engineering colleges in the United States. Wolfspeed sees North Carolina A&M State University as a key component of the company‘s talent development strategy. Wolfspeed promised in 2020 to provide $4 million within 5 years to North Carolina A&M State University to establish the Wolfspeed Ended Schools project. This was the largest single donation received in the history of North Carolina A&M State University at that time. In September 2022, both parties announced a collaboration to develop a wide range of education and training courses, including undergraduate and graduate training in silicon carbide semiconductor manufacturing, as well as training and career development for existing semiconductor manufacturing workers.http://www.ic-bom.com/

To further support Wolfspeed‘s growing talent demand, the company is collaborating with multiple schools in the North Carolina community college system to develop skills that meet the needs of advanced manufacturing. This includes apprenticeship training and pre apprenticeship training, customized training courses, career and college commitment paths for high school students, and work based learning plans.http://www.ic-bom.com/