Meet the leaders shaping the future of microelectronics

Michael Crow is an educator, knowledge enterprise architect, science and technology policy scholar and higher education leader. He became the sixteenth president of Arizona State University in 2002 and has led ASU’s rapid and groundbreaking transformation into one of the world’s best public metropolitan research universities. Under his leadership, ASU has built the largest engineering college in the country and has become a central force in helping transform metropolitan Phoenix into an end-to-end semiconductor hub for the nation.

Sally Morton is executive vice president of Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise and leads the university’s research and economic development ecosystem. Morton advances research priorities; oversees ASU’s institutes and initiatives; and drives corporate engagement and strategic partnerships, international development, intellectual property, and technology transfer. Much of her work includes managing ASU’s research and engagement with semiconductor industry partners and projects including the SWAP Hub and SHIELD USA. She is responsible for the university’s $904M research expenditures and leads 2,700 employees.

Kyle Squires, ASU’s senior vice provost of engineering, computing and technology and dean of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, is a nationally recognized leader in semiconductors and microelectronics, positioning Arizona and ASU at the forefront of the U.S. microelectronics ecosystem. He bridges industry and academia to catalyze partnerships, advance research and champion workforce development, while driving innovation in semiconductor and microelectronics manufacturing, packaging and sustainable technologies that strengthen supply chain resilience and national competitiveness.

Jason Conrad is the COO of SWAP Hub, the director of SHIELD USA, and the site lead for ASU’s MacroTechnology Works (MTW). He brings 23 years of semiconductor industry experience ranging from wafering and silicon machining to wafer fabrication (CMOS and WBG). He is an engineering and operations leader focused on optimizing processes, performance, quality, and costs while developing the technologies (FEOL and advanced packaging) and workforce of the future.

Hokeun Kim, assistant professor of computer science and engineering, advances secure and reliable computing systems central to microelectronics. His work on cyber-physical systems, edge computing, computer architecture and IoT underpins AI-driven innovations. Through open-source ecosystems built on his research, Kim helps industry build trusted systems for health care, smart cities and manufacturing, ensuring innovation without sacrificing safety and reliability.

Baoxin Li, emeritus professor of computer science and engineering, develops AI systems that transform semiconductor manufacturing. His research uses advanced machine learning to analyze recipes, detect anomalies and enhance electron microscope imaging. By adapting technologies first pioneered for medical applications, Li delivers tools that boost yield, reduce errors and improve efficiency across complex chip production lines.

Hugh Barnaby focuses on the analysis, modeling, and experimental characterization of extreme environmental effects in semiconductor materials, devices and integrated circuits. He has been active in microelectronics research and industry spaces for more than 30 years, and has ongoing research activities in advanced complementary metal-oxide semiconductors and embedded memory technologies targeted primarily for use in space-based applications.

Umberto Celano is an associate professor, capability lead of metrology for the SWAP Hub of the Department of War Microelectronics Commons, and the materials characterization lead in the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program SHIELD USA. Celano's research at ASU focuses on nanoscale analytical imaging and correlative metrology for semiconductor devices.

Krishnendu Chakrabarty is Fulton Professor of Microelectronics at ASU and the CTO of the SWAP Hub for the Department of War Microelectronics Commons. Recognized globally for his expertise, Chakrabarty’s current research includes design-for-testability of 3D integrated circuits, heterogeneous integration, silicon lifecycle management, hardware security and AI accelerators. Chakrabarty’s expertise supports industry in creating more reliable, secure and high-performance microelectronic systems.

Houqiang Fu is an assistant professor of electrical engineering. His work focuses on wide and ultrawide bandgap semiconductors for next-generation power electronics, radio frequency electronics, and devices designed to work in extreme environments. This research has applications in power electronics, 5G cellular network technology, optoelectronics and space exploration.

Zachary Holman is a professor and Vice Dean for Research and Innovation. His research expertise includes new semiconductor and solar materials, equipment, processes and device designs. Holman has been named a Moore Inventor Fellow, Fulton Entrepreneurial Professor and is the co-founder of three start-up companies based on ASU research: Swift Coat, Sunflex Solar, and Beyond Silicon.

Michael Kozicki is a professor of electrical engineering. His current research focuses on creating unique identification technology such as dendritic structures and unclonable semiconductor devices. Kozicki’s work helps companies protect their reputations and ensures reliable operation of critical, safety-sensitive electronics. His research ensures authenticity in components for aviation electronics, the defense industry and more.

Matthew Marinella investigates emerging electronic memory technologies to enable low-power, high-performance AI and neuromorphic computing. He is leading research projects that focus on radiation-hardened AI hardware for space and edge applications. He has served in technical advising and leadership roles in various research and federal initiatives on next-generation computing for government applications.

Sule Ozev is a professor of electrical engineering. Her current research focuses on microelectronics testing and fault tolerance to ensure reliability for sensor-based systems and analog, radio frequency and mixed-signal circuits. Ozev’s work improves manufacturing processes through greater yield and lower costs. Her research improves the reliability of communications technology, such as cell phones and personal computers.

Emmanuel Soignard is a senior director in Knowledge Enterprise core facilities. He supports researchers’ analytical needs with their X-ray topography, X-ray diffraction on epitaxial and polycrystalline films, FTIR, UV-vis, ellipsometry, and Raman spectroscopy. His research interests include the study of amorphous materials using pair distribution function analysis and understanding structural and chemical changes happening under extreme pressure and temperatures.

Trevor Thornton is a professor of electrical engineering. His current research focuses on diamond as a semiconductor material for power electronics. Thornton’s work aims to increase the efficiency of high power transistors while simultaneously improving their heat dissipation. His research’s applications include reducing satellites’ weight, keeping cell phone towers cooler and reducing the land needed for power substations for sustainable energy.

Seth Ariel Tongay is a professor of materials science and engineering at ASU. An expert in two-dimensional materials, Tongay is deeply involved in driving collaborative innovation in semiconductor manufacturing and advanced materials research. With over 350 journal articles in top-tier journals, Tongay is at the forefront of the integration of two-dimensional materials in existing manufacturing processes.

Hongbin Yu is a professor and center director of the Center for Efficient Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Systems, a National Science Foundation Industry-University Cooperative Research Center. Yu is also a director with the International Microelectronics Assembly and Packaging Society. His research expertise includes nanostructure and nano device fabrication and characterization, quantum size effect in metallic and semiconducting nanostructures and electronic packaging.