FSI is excited to announce the FSI Fellows Program, celebrating outstanding research and impact on Florida’s semiconductor ecosystem. FSI Fellow is a prestigious designation bestowed by the Florida Semiconductor Institute.  Recognition as an FSI Fellow is reserved for truly distinguished leaders from industry, academia, or government whose contributions are not nationally/internationally recognized, but also have made significant, demonstrable contributions to Florida’s semiconductor ecosystem.

Nominee Eligibility:

• Basic Eligibility: Must be a permanent resident of Florida.  Must be employed or a retiree from industry, academia, government, or other related careers.
• Professional Accomplishment:  Proven record of professional excellence, for example,

• • Fellow, Chief Engineer, Distinguished Engineer, or equivalent status in industry
  • Holder of industry/professional awards
  • Fellow status in major professional societies such as IEEE, IMAPS, APS, ASME, SPIE, etc.
  • Recognition in academies such as NAE, AAAS, NAI, etc.
  • Comparable honors
• Florida Impact: Clear, documented contributions to Florida’s semiconductor growth. Examples may include:

• • Founding or supporting a Florida business
  • Generating and/or licensing IP used by Florida companies
  • Sustained collaboration with Florida organizations
  • Graduating/placing students into Florida industry
  • Establishing funded partnerships, consortia, testbeds, or workforce pipelines in Florida

Submission Requirements:

• Nominee CV: Current CV of the nominee (PDF format).
• Nomination Letter: Nomination letter (PDF format, 2 pages max) from an academic, industry, or government leader addressing the following items:
  • Confirmation of nominee’s employment history
  • Professional accomplishment, such as global stature and recognition (including society Fellowships and major awards). Industrial, scholarly and translational impact (technology development, product development, publications, patents, licensing, startups, standards, large programs/centers).
  • Florida impact describing specific projects, partners, outcomes, jobs created/retained, student placements, training programs, facilities/testbeds, or funded collaborations.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Professional Accomplishment (50%) 
• Impact (50%)

Awards:

• Invitation to the FSI Florida Semiconductor Summit in February 2026 and broad recognition of the award.

Application Process:

• Deadline: January 15, 2026
• Fill out the nomination form below.

For more information, please contact Prof. Navid Asadi, FSI deputy director of R&D, at nasadi@ufl.edu. We look forward to your submissions and celebrating the innovative research shaping the future of semiconductor technologies.

FSI is excited to announce the 2026 FSI Rising Star Award, celebrating outstanding Ph.D. research in semiconductor technologies.

Nominee Eligibility:

• Must be a Ph.D. graduate from a Florida university who defended their Ph.D. dissertation between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025.

Research Area of Interest:

All areas of research related to semiconductor materials, design, simulation, fabrication, technologies, devices, and systems.

Submission Requirements:

• Nominee CV: Current CV of the nominee (PDF format).
• Dissertation Document: Full dissertation (PDF format).
• Nomination Letter: Nomination letter from the Ph.D. advisor (PDF format, 2 pages max). The cover letter should address the following items:
  • Confirmation of nominee’s graduation date and activities/employment since graduation.
  • Technical Impact: Summary of the context (sponsor(s) and objectives) and scope of the nominee’s doctoral work. Include details of scholarly productivity such as journal papers, conference publications, invention disclosures, patents, presentations, awards, etc.
  • Broader Impact: Summary of the broader attributes of the student. Include details of leadership roles, mentorship, collaborations, service to the profession or community, etc.
  • Description of how the nominee meets the three evaluation criteria listed below.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Innovation and Originality: Novelty of the research, its contribution to the field, and potential for future application.
• Technical Quality: Rigor, depth, accuracy, and thoroughness of the research methodology.
• Impact: Potential and anticipated influence on both academia and the semiconductor industry.

Awards:

• First Place: $1,000 cash prize and an invitation to present at the FSI Florida Semiconductor Summit in February 2026.
• Honorable Mention(s): Recognition across the FSI community.

Application Process:

• Deadline: January 15, 2026
• Fill out the nomination form below.

For more information, please contact Prof. Navid Asadi, FSI deputy director of R&D, at nasadi@ufl.edu. We look forward to your submissions and celebrating the innovative research shaping the future of semiconductor technologies.

The FSI Industry Technician of the Year award celebrates a Technician who exemplifies excellence in technical skill, innovation, and commitment to operational success. This individual consistently goes above and beyond in supporting the company’s mission to deliver world-class semiconductor products through precision, efficiency, and quality.

The award honors a Technician who demonstrates exceptional problem-solving abilities, a strong safety mindset, and collaboration across teams, someone whose contributions have a lasting, measurable impact on manufacturing performance and workplace culture.

Nominee Eligibility:

• Must be a technician working within the Florida semiconductor ecosystem for the last 12 months.

Research Area of Interest:

All areas of research related to semiconductor materials, design, simulation, fabrication, technologies, devices, and systems.

Submission Requirements:

• Nominee CV: Current CV of the nominee (PDF format).
• Nomination Letter: Nomination letter from supervisor (PDF format, 2 pages max). The cover letter should address the following items:
  • Confirmation of nominee’s dates of employment.
  • Technical Impact: Summary of the context (sponsor(s) and objectives) and scope of the nominee’s work. Include details of measurable impact, professionalism and outcomes of productivity.
  • Broader Impact: Summary of the broader attributes of the technician. Include details of leadership roles, mentorship, collaborations, service to the profession or community, etc.
  • Description of how the nominee meets the three evaluation criteria listed below.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Technical Mastery: Demonstrates expert knowledge and proficiency in semiconductor equipment operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting. Consistently delivers high-quality technical work with minimal error or rework.
• Innovation and Continuous Improvement: Develops or implements new methods that enhance tool uptime, process efficiency, or yield. Actively contributes ideas that drive continuous improvement initiatives or cost savings.
• Safety and Quality Commitment: Maintains exemplary adherence to safety protocols, cleanroom standards, and quality procedures. Promotes a culture of safety awareness and proactive risk reduction within their team.

Awards:

• First Place: $1,000 cash prize and an invitation to attend the FSI Florida Semiconductor Summit in February 2026.
• Honorable Mention(s): Recognition across the FSI community.

Application Process:

• Deadline: January 15, 2026
• Fill out the nomination form below.

For more information, please contact Ben Larry, Assistant Director for Workforce Integration at blarry@ufl.edu. We look forward to your submissions and celebrating the dedication and commitment to supporting and recognizing Technicians across the Semiconductor industry.

The FSI Workforce Development Program of Excellence recognizes Florida’s most outstanding workforce development programs that are building a larger, higher-skilled, and job-ready talent pipeline for the semiconductor industry.

Award recipients are proven leaders in learning and innovation, with demonstrated success in creating and expanding career pathways, and measurable results in trainee quantity and quality.

Nominee Eligibility:

• The nominee is a specific program offered by a host organization.
• Open to all organizations contributing to semiconductor workforce development in the state of Florida including:  universities, state/community colleges, career and technical colleges, K-12 school districts, workforce development organizations, regional training centers, industry-led training providers, and other relevant programs.

Submission Requirements:

• Self nominations are welcome.
• Nomination Letter: Nomination letter (PDF format, 5 pages max) should address the following items:
  • Confirmation of the program’s focus on advancing the semiconductor workforce in Florida.
  • Description of how the program excels evaluation criteria listed below.
  • Supporting evidence such as project outcomes, training metrics, or testimonials is encouraged.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Program Implementation: Leadership, quality of design, industry alignment, capacity, and cost-effectiveness.
• Innovation: Creative solutions that improve trainee awareness, access, engagement, completion, or retention.
• Measurable Impact: Quantifiable results such as throughput, completion rates, credential acquisition, job placements, stakeholder feedback, program expansion, replication/adoption by others, etc.

Awards:

• Recognition across the FSI community
• Public endorsement as an FSI Workforce Development Program of Excellence.

Application Process:

• Deadline: January 15, 2026
• Fill out the nomination form below.

For more information, please contact Ben Larry, Assistant Director for Workforce Integration at blarry@ufl.edu. We look forward to your submissions and celebrating the dedication and commitment to supporting the Semiconductor workforce talent of the future.