Professor Steven Koester named UMN's first chief semiconductor officer
The University of Minnesota has named ECE's Professor Steven Koester as its first Chief Semiconductor Officer. The announcement is accompanied by the launch of a website devoted to the University’s semiconductor and microelectronics research and education, chips.umn.edu.
Koester will coordinate University research and education initiatives and investments related to microelectronics and represent the University within larger efforts to advance Minnesota’s microelectronics industry with local companies, public agencies, and policymakers. The position will provide leadership for coordinating state-wide team building activities to respond to federal and other opportunities under the bipartisan U.S. CHIPS and Science Act. The new website will highlight microelectronics-related work at the U of M and serve as a point of contact for interested collaborators.
Koester is also the director of the Minnesota Nano Center in the College of Science Engineering, and his current research focuses on novel electronic, photonic, spintronic, and sensing device concepts with an emphasis on emerging material systems. Prior to joining the University in 2010, he was a research staff member at the IBM T. J. Watson Research Center. He has authored or co-authored over 300 technical publications and conference presentations, 7 volumes, 4 book chapters, and holds 79 United States patents. He is a Fellow of the IEEE and Optica.