9-State Node Sets First Quarterly Meeting in Boise

Boise State University hosted the first quarterly meeting of the Pacific-Intermountain Network for Education in Semiconductors on Oct. 6 and 7, 2026. The two-day session took place at the Stueckle Sky Center. It marked the inaugural convening of this regional node of the National Network for Microelectronics Education.

Stakeholders from across the nine-state region attended the gathering. Participants included representatives from the College of Western Idaho and Washington State University. Industry leaders from Micron and Intel also joined the group. These partners met to align on microelectronics goals and workforce strategies for the region.

Kurtis Cantley, Ph.D., served as the node lead and director of the Microelectronics Education and Research Center. Camille Platts-McPharlin, assistant director of the center and node manager, also opened the event. Carmen Achabal, Senior Manager of University Network at Micron Technology, provided an introduction as well. Their remarks set the stage for a focus on bridging academic instruction with industry requirements.

The first afternoon featured presentations and panel discussions. Higher education leaders and semiconductor manufacturing executives shared insights on strengthening partnerships. The group discussed aligning regional priorities with employer needs. They also addressed the creation of shared research infrastructure and streamlined curriculum pathways for students.

"This first convening of the NNME Pacific-Intermountain regional node provided the opportunity for face-to-face connection between community, academic, and industry partners," Cantley said. "There is tremendous value in learning about the various microelectronics workforce activities happening across the region, and in understanding how we can go about serving the needs of stakeholders efficiently and effectively."

Day two began with breakfast and structured breakout sessions. Participants formed working groups focused on technical standards, outreach, and curriculum. Other groups addressed experiential learning and operations. These teams identified immediate action items for regional workforce training and shared lab facilities. They presented their findings to the full audience during the afternoon.

Platts-McPharlin described the event as a milestone for the regional network. "Bringing together partners from across our nine-state region for the first time was an exciting milestone for the Pacific-Intermountain Regional Node," she said. "We have an incredible range of expertise across our network, and this convening gave us the opportunity to move beyond individual efforts and identify where we can make a greater impact together."

The next quarterly meeting for the NNME Pacific-Intermountain Node is scheduled for early 2027. The organization will announce the specific date in the coming months. Future meetings will continue to focus on collaborative workforce strategies and shared regional goals.