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Samsung Austin Semiconductor maintains commitment to academic initiatives with $1M investment in UT Austin

Since launching its partnership with UT Austin in 2023, Samsung Austin Semiconductor and its parent company Samsung Electronics have invested nearly $6 million in the university.

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Check presentation with Samsung Austin Semiconductor employees who are alumni of The University of Texas at Austin.
Check presentation with Samsung Austin Semiconductor employees who are alumni of The University of Texas at Austin.
Check presentation with Samsung Austin Semiconductor employees who are alumni of The University of Texas at Austin.
Check presentation with Samsung Austin Semiconductor employees who are alumni of The University of Texas at Austin.

Building on its multi-million dollar partnership with The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), Samsung Austin Semiconductor invested an additional $1 million in 2025 to the school to enhance research, innovation and workforce development. Previous investments spurred the launch of the school’s new Master of Science in Engineering in Semiconductor Science and Engineering. The program, which opened to students in fall 2025, is a collaboration between the Cockrell School of Engineering and College of Natural Sciences. According to the school, 24 students enrolled in the master’s program for the inaugural cohort.

As Samsung Austin Semiconductor expands in Central Texas, a robust talent pipeline is also needed. According to an Semiconductor Industry Association-Oxford Economics study, the United States faces a significant shortage of technicians, computer scientists and engineers, with a projected shortfall of 67,000 of these workers in the semiconductor industry by 2030 and a gap of 1.4 million such workers throughout the broader U.S. economy.

“Semiconductors power our daily lives, from the electronic devices we use all the time to important sectors like health care and energy,” said Roger Bonnecaze, dean of the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. “The industry needs innovative scientists and engineers to be the backbone of the next-generation semiconductor workforce."

Since launching its partnership with UT Austin in 2023, Samsung Austin Semiconductor and its parent company Samsung Electronics have invested nearly $6 million in the university. Investments are focused on increasing the number of students who are interested in studying and pursuing careers in semiconductor manufacturing. The key areas of support are:

  • Undergraduate Student Support (Scholarships)
  • Graduate Student Support (Fellowships)
  • Student program/academic support (Capstone projects)

In 2025, Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s investment provided 40 scholarships, four graduate fellowships and supported 10 students involved in capstone projects. In addition, during the school’s fall engineering career fair, recruiters interacted with hundreds of Longhorns and accepted 469 resumes. A large percentage of the company’s college interns also hail from UT Austin.

“Samsung Austin Semiconductor is enhancing our partnership with UT Austin to cultivate the next generation of semiconductor professionals right here in our community,” says Kwee Lan Teo, head of Workforce Development at Samsung Austin Semiconductor. “We are not just investing financially; we are also establishing an ecosystem that fosters talent, accelerates research and opens doors for future innovators.”

To enhance the student experience, Samsung Austin Semiconductor also provides tours of its Austin campus to various UT Austin groups such as the UT Austin chapters of American Institute of Chemical Engineers and American Society of Mechanical Engineers. 

 

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