The future of New York’s semiconductor and microelectronics industries depends on today’s classrooms. Strong teacher-leaders are the foundation of a talent pipeline that inspires students to explore STEM, pursue advanced education, and step into careers that fuel regional innovation.
That’s why the University of Rochester and Boise State University have been awarded a $2.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation, with support from the Micron Foundation. Over the next five years, the program will prepare 15 STEM teachers in New York and Idaho to become leaders in their schools and communities, designing engaging curriculum, building industry connections, and encouraging students to pursue STEM fields.
“STEM teachers provide a critical foundation for regional innovation industries,” said Michael Daley, principal investigator on the grant and associate professor at the University of Rochester. “Supporting their leadership is essential for high-quality STEM instruction and future innovation.”
This initiative comes at a pivotal moment. With Micron’s planned $100 billion investment in Central New York and the region’s federal designation as the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub, demand for skilled talent is accelerating. By equipping educators to lead, the program ensures that young people across rural and urban districts alike can access pathways into the fast-growing semiconductor sector.
Leaders across government, industry, and education agree on the importance of this investment. Senator Charles Schumer said that this federal funding will “will help prepare the teachers who inspire students to see themselves in STEM and connect them to the future opportunities being created in Upstate New York’s booming microelectronics and semiconductor industries.”
For the NY SMART I-Corridor, the project is more than an education initiative. It is a direct investment in workforce capacity and long-term regional growth.
“By empowering K-12 STEM teachers to become leaders, this initiative advances the foundation for the talent pipeline that will fuel the semiconductor and microelectronics industries of the future,” said Joseph Stefko, Regional Innovation Officer for the Tech Hub.
As the semiconductor ecosystem grows, so must the infrastructure that supports it. Building teacher leadership today ensures that students of today are the innovators, engineers, and problem solvers of tomorrow.