Boise State Dean Amy Fleischer Honored for Tech Leadership

Amy Fleischer, dean of Boise State University’s College of Engineering, received the Star Garnet Women Leading Tech Award on Oct. 29 at the Boise Centre. The Idaho Technology Council presented the honor during its 2026 Hall of Fame Gala and Idavation Awards. The award is named for Idaho’s state gem and recognizes women who demonstrate rare and transformative technology leadership.

Fleischer joined the university in February 2025. In her first year and a half, she expanded the college’s research capacity and strengthened programs in artificial intelligence and microelectronics. Under her direction, the college’s faculty and staff more than doubled their invention disclosures and patent applications compared to the previous two years. The engineering department also secured over $580,000 in grants to move Boise State technology toward commercial use.

The dean has driven fundraising for two new endowed professorships, one in microelectronics and one in artificial intelligence. She has also prioritized strategic hiring for faculty and staff roles. These efforts aim to expand the college’s capacity to serve students and engage with industry.

Diane Temple, president and CEO of the Idaho Technology Council, cited Fleischer’s role in mentoring a new generation of students, especially young women, in engineering. “Dr. Amy Fleischer is exactly what the Star Garnet Award was created to recognize: a leader who is as rare and resilient as Idaho’s state gem,” Temple said. “She is an internationally respected engineer, and since becoming dean she has expanded Boise State’s research capacity and strengthened the AI and microelectronics programs that Idaho’s technology economy depends on.”

Tom Kealey, director of the Idaho Department of Commerce, noted that the college serves as a key workforce development partner for the state. “Nowhere is this more evident than her leadership on the international stage in advancing Idaho’s position in global microelectronics and semiconductor technology,” Kealey said. He noted that the department worked closely with Fleischer to build lasting relationships that translated into real outcomes.

In February 2025, Fleischer joined a statewide delegation to Taiwan organized by the Idaho Department of Commerce. The group included representatives from higher education institutions, the Idaho Technology Council, the Idaho Manufacturing Alliance, and Micron Technology. Over five days, the delegation completed 13 site visits focused on microelectronics and semiconductor workforce development.

Those relationships resulted in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in May 2026 at the Idaho State Capitol. The agreement between Boise State and Minghsin University of Science and Technology establishes a framework for joint research, student and faculty exchanges, curriculum development, and workforce training.