SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University says it has secured just over $1 million in federal funding to establish a semiconductor thermal-noise testbed.
It will advance domestic semiconductor-manufacturing capabilities while creating new job opportunities and strengthening the high-tech workforce in Central New York, the university contended in its announcement.
The funding was part of the fiscal year 2026 commerce-justice-science appropriations bill as community project funding. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.), U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D–N.Y.) and U.S. Representative John Mannion (D–Geddes) all supported the funding, Syracuse noted.
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Syracuse University announced the grant on Friday, the same day that Boise, Idaho–based Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU) broke ground on its upcoming semiconductor-manufacturing campus in the town of Clay. It represents a “multibillion-dollar investment in the region” with Central New York “poised to become a major hub” for semiconductor manufacturing, per the announcement.
The new testbed will help support the development of a pipeline of skilled workers “who are ready to support this transformative economic development.”
The testbed will focus on exploring the manufacturing and testing of ultra-low thermal noise materials for use in quantum sensing, fundamental science, and semiconductor manufacturing — which Syracuse University describes as “skills critical to strengthening U.S. domestic semiconductor industry.”
“Syracuse University is grateful to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Representative Mannion for this critical support,” Duncan Brown, VP of research at Syracuse University, said in the announcement. “Using the semiconductor thermal noise testbed, Syracuse scientists and students will create new semiconductor-on-glass technologies to create ultra-precise measuring devices and advance state-of-the art semiconductor and quantum-optics technologies. This will allow us to engage industry partners, create new job opportunities and economic growth in our region and train students in skills needed by Micron and the chip industry.”
The project will advance knowledge of glass substrates and coatings to create technologies that will impact chips, photovoltaics, and even astronomical observatories, while “positioning Central New York as a national leader” in advanced manufacturing, Syracuse said.
“Thanks to this million-dollar investment that I helped champion, Syracuse University’s cutting-edge thermal noise testbed is poised to develop the semiconductor manufacturing, precision metrology and quantum computing technologies and workforce that will power our nation’s future,” Schumer says. “It gives me great pride to deliver this federal funding to build on Syracuse University’s decades of leadership in thermal noise research while driving economic growth and creating new, good-paying jobs for Upstate New York’s growing semiconductor manufacturing hub.”
