Lubbock, September 23, 2025
News Summary
The Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering at Texas Tech University has secured a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation aimed at bolstering the semiconductor workforce. This S-STEM program will fund scholarships for at least 36 Electrical and Computer Engineering students over five years, along with industry mentoring and curriculum development. The initiative aims to prepare students for careers in a rapidly expanding semiconductor sector, enhancing local economic opportunities in Lubbock.
Lubbock
The Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering at Texas Tech University received a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The award is aimed at preparing students for careers in the semiconductor workforce and is funded through NSF’s Scholarship in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program. The grant will support scholarships, industry mentoring, and curricular work designed to connect students directly to semiconductor employers and roles.
Key details and immediate impact
The S-STEM grant will provide scholarships to at least 36 ECE students over a five-year period across three cohorts. Principal Investigator Tim Dallas, a Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE), is leading the initiative. Students will have access to industry mentors, allowing them to gain insights into the semiconductor industry’s needs and environment. Monthly meetings with industry professionals will help students understand what a day in the life of an engineer looks like.
Dallas believes the grant will enable Texas Tech to significantly impact the semiconductor industry, including design, manufacturing, and sales of microprocessors and integrated circuits. The project also aims to generate insights on effective educational experiences and will disseminate findings through conferences and journal articles.
Local workforce and economic connections
X-FAB Texas, located in Lubbock, is the only fab between major Texas cities and employs about 400 people with diverse engineering responsibilities. X-FAB Texas manufactures silicon carbide-based chips for high-power applications, making it a vital local employer. Both the NSF S-STEM grant and a separate, earlier award to Texas Tech are intended to prepare students for the semiconductor workforce and potentially improve the local economy in Lubbock.
Texas Tech previously received a $3.75 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the State of Texas, focusing on a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering program specializing in 3D Heterogeneous Integration. That program and the new S-STEM-supported scholarships are positioned to feed talent into regional fabs and firms that rely on specialized semiconductor engineering skills.
State and national context
Over $50 billion in new semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs) are either under construction or nearing construction in Texas. This expansion at the state level complements national moves to rebuild domestic semiconductor manufacturing capacity. The U.S. government recently acquired a nearly 10% stake in Intel, a company involved in semiconductor design and production, and federal legislation provides targeted funding to expand domestic manufacturing and workforce development.
U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced a preliminary agreement for up to $50 million in direct funding for X-Fab under the CHIPS and Science Act. This investment is expected to create approximately 150 jobs at X-FAB Texas and enhance national security and competitiveness in semiconductor manufacturing. The CHIPS for America Act, authored by Sen. Cornyn, aims to restore semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. and support job creation. CHIPS and Science Act legislation provides financial assistance for building and expanding domestic semiconductor facilities and workforce development. In June 2023, Governor Abbott signed the Texas CHIPS Act to further strengthen the state’s position in the semiconductor industry.
Workforce development approach
The NSF S-STEM grant combines financial support and structured industry engagement. Scholarship recipients will be organized into three cohorts over five years, with each cohort receiving regular mentoring and exposure to semiconductor employers. The project will track outcomes and share best practices with the wider academic and industry community through publications and conference presentations.
Program leaders expect that some scholarship students may choose to work at local fabs such as X-FAB Texas and remain in the Lubbock area, addressing local employer needs while supporting broader supply-chain resilience.
Next steps and dissemination
The project team will implement scholarship selection, match students with industry mentors, schedule monthly professional meetings, and collect data on student outcomes and employer feedback. Results and lessons learned will be shared through conferences and peer-reviewed journal articles to inform similar workforce development efforts nationwide.
FAQ
What grant did Texas Tech receive?
The Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering at Texas Tech University received a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Which NSF program is funding the work?
The funding is part of NSF’s Scholarship in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program.
Who is leading the initiative?
Principal Investigator Tim Dallas, a Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE), is leading the initiative.
How many students will receive scholarships?
The S-STEM grant will provide scholarships to at least 36 ECE students over a five-year period across three cohorts.
Will students have industry interaction?
Students will have access to industry mentors, allowing them to gain insights into the semiconductor industry’s needs and environment.
How will students learn about engineering careers?
Monthly meetings with industry professionals will help students understand what a day in the life of an engineer looks like.
What are the broader goals of the project?
The project aims to generate insights on effective educational experiences and will disseminate findings through conferences and journal articles.
Has Texas Tech received other related funding?
Texas Tech previously received a $3.75 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the State of Texas, focusing on a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering program specializing in 3D Heterogeneous Integration.
How is the local semiconductor industry positioned?
X-FAB Texas, located in Lubbock, is the only fab between major Texas cities and employs about 400 people with diverse engineering responsibilities.
What does X-FAB Texas produce?
X-FAB Texas manufactures silicon carbide-based chips for high-power applications, making it a vital local employer.
What federal investment is tied to X-FAB?
U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced a preliminary agreement for up to $50 million in direct funding for X-Fab under the CHIPS and Science Act.
What job impact is expected from that investment?
This investment is expected to create approximately 150 jobs at X-FAB Texas and enhance national security and competitiveness in semiconductor manufacturing.
What national policy supports semiconductor manufacturing?
The CHIPS for America Act, authored by Sen. Cornyn, aims to restore semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. and support job creation.
What legislation provides funding and workforce support?
CHIPS and Science Act legislation provides financial assistance for building and expanding domestic semiconductor facilities and workforce development.
What state-level action has been taken?
In June 2023, Governor Abbott signed the Texas CHIPS Act to further strengthen the state’s position in the semiconductor industry.
How do these grants affect the local economy?
Both grants aim to prepare students for the semiconductor workforce and potentially improve the local economy in Lubbock.
What national investment context was noted?
The U.S. government recently acquired a nearly 10% stake in Intel, a company involved in semiconductor design and production.
What is the scale of new fabs in Texas?
Over $50 billion in new semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs) are either under construction or nearing construction in Texas.
Key features at a glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Grant amount | $2 million |
| Funding program | NSF S-STEM (Scholarship in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) |
| Lead investigator | Tim Dallas, Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) |
| Scholarships | At least 36 ECE students over a five-year period across three cohorts |
| Industry mentoring | Monthly meetings with industry professionals; access to industry mentors |
| Related prior grant | $3.75 million from DARPA and the State of Texas for an MS program in 3D Heterogeneous Integration |
| Local fab | X-FAB Texas — employs about 400; manufactures silicon carbide-based chips for high-power applications |
| Federal support for X-FAB | Preliminary agreement for up to $50 million under the CHIPS and Science Act; expected to create approximately 150 jobs |
| State-level activity | In June 2023, Governor Abbott signed the Texas CHIPS Act |
| Broader investment | Over $50 billion in new fabs either under construction or nearing construction in Texas; U.S. government recently acquired a nearly 10% stake in Intel |
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Additional Resources
- KFYO: Texas Tech Semiconductor Grant
- OA News: Texas Tech Awarded $2 Million
- Everything Lubbock: X-FAB to Receive $50M Grant
- KCBD: Cornyn Applauds $50M CHIPS Funding Announcement
- EE News Europe: X-FAB Grabs $50M Cash
- Wikipedia: Semiconductor Industry
- Google Search: Texas Tech semiconductor
- Google Scholar: Texas Tech semiconductor grant
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Semiconductor
- Google News: Texas Tech semiconductor grant
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