Oregon semiconductor, timber industries get $500,000 innovation grants
(The Center Square) – Oregon State University received two $500,000 awards from the White House to further its efforts related to microfluidic technology, used in semiconductors and mass timber design and manufacturing.
“The $500,000 Consortium Accelerator Awards from the Economic Development Administration will allow the two Oregon State-led efforts to continue implementing Tech Hub strategies focused on establishing the Pacific Northwest as a national leader in these areas within ten years,” a press release from Oregon State University said.
Oregon State University leads the Corvallis Microfluidics Tech Hub (CorMic). It is a partnership featuring over 60 organizations. They develop, scale, and manufacture microfluidics technologies.
“Microfluidics refers to precisely controlling small volumes of liquid used in semiconductor thermal management, biotechnology, and advanced materials and manufacturing,” the release said.
Via collaborations with universities, tech companies, and community groups, CorMic is working to commercialize microfluidics-connected technologies and educate the workforce that supports the technology.
“The Accelerator Award from the EDA is an important boost for CorMic,” Tom Weller, leader of the Tech Hub and the Michael and Judith Gaulke Chair in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, said. “It allows us to continue moving forward with our plan to expand the global leadership of the Willamette Valley in microfluidics, creating new companies and job opportunities.”
The Pacific Northwest Mass Timber Tech Hub wants to be among the top mass timber designers and manufacturers globally. Its focus involves cutting the carbon footprint of the construction industry and increasing housing affordability, the release said.
The Tech Hub hopes to capitalize on the region’s abundance of wood product research, development expertise, plus architectural, engineering, and construction firms. It plans to invest in advanced materials science to help make mass timber a viable construction alternative.
“This award will enable us to continue convening our industry across Washington and Oregon and make progress on addressing workforce needs, fiber supply, modular systems development, capital access, and innovation support,” Iain Macdonald, leader of the Tech Hub and director of the TallWood Design Institute, said. “Our region is a national leader in the fast-growing field of low-carbon mass timber construction, and our goal is to be a globally competitive region within 10 years.”
TallWood Design Institute is a research collaboration between the University of Oregon School of Architecture and Environment in the College of Design and Oregon State’s College of Forestry and College of Engineering, the release said.
The Tech Hub program is a major initiative from the Biden-Harris administration and its Investing in America initiative. It focuses on, “supporting regional efforts to scale up the production of critical technologies, such as semiconductors, quantum computing, autonomous systems, biotechnology, clean energy, critical minerals, innovative materials, and advanced manufacturing,” the release said.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is working to build world-class ecosystems across the nation that will advance America’s global leadership in technologies of the future, catalyze the creation of good jobs, and strengthen U.S. national and economic security,” Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo said. “These Consortium Accelerator Awards demonstrate the level of excellence every designee embodies and will enable Tech Hubs to not only keep up their momentum but also leverage their coveted designation to attract additional collaboration and capital.”
