Gonzalez Appointed NSTC Advisory Board

HRSU’s Azuri L. Gonzalez to play role in Developing U.S. Semiconductor Workforce through NSTC Advisory Board

The National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) recently launched an inaugural Workforce Advisory Board (WFAB) to provide critical input on strategies to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor workforce, which faces a staggering shortage.

The Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities has named Azuri Gonzalez, Ed.D., as the organization’s new Executive Director. She will begin her new role on Oct. 1,2022. Prior to her role with HSRU, Gonzalez served as director of the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) and as interim director of the Center forFaculty Leadership and Development at The University of Texas at El Paso.

Dr. Azuri L. Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU) and U.T. System Board of Regents Endowed Distinguished Director at the Diana Natalicio Institute for Hispanic Student Success, has been appointed to the Workforce Advisory Board (WFAB). The board, established under the CHIPS and Science Act of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is made up of leaders from across higher education, industry, workforce development organizations, and federal agencies. Together, the board will help guide the Workforce Center of Excellence (WCoE), which aims to address workforce gaps in the semiconductor sector and support innovation across the country.

A McKinsey & Company study predicted a shortage of U.S. engineers in the semiconductor sector up to 146,000 by 2029. This multi-billion-dollar industry is critical to innovation and our daily lives because semiconductors are used in many of the things we rely on, from smartphones and cars to computers and prosthetics. Gonzalez, who leads the HSRU’s collaboration network to increase access to opportunities for Hispanic students in research, technical, scientific, and professoriate careers, will bring her expertise to this important role. She will collaborate with other members to help shape workforce development strategies that meet the needs of the semiconductor industry, ensuring the U.S. remains at the forefront of technological innovation. Her work will further support the Alliance's mission to foster collaboration between academic institutions and industry while increasing access and opportunity for historically underserved communities.

The HSRU’s goal is to collectively double the number of Hispanic doctorates at its institutions. This will be achieved through improved education pathways that contribute to the professoriate and to the nation's research, scientific, and technical workforce. The Alliance has recently entered a partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense on a $9.3 million initiative, the Hispanic Serving Research Institutions Research and STEM Education (HSI-RSE) project. Co-led by UTEP and UCF, the effort aims to grow the number of doctoral graduates in technical fields, advance defense-related research, and mentor undergraduates pursuing STEM graduate degrees. To learn more about the HSI-RSE project, visit this link: HSRU Alliance Awarded $9.3M DoD Grant.