Roseanne Perez, Ed.D., the staff member behind innovative — and highly successful — student-engagement programs at the Florida Semiconductor Institute (FSI), has won the Staff Innovation Award from the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering.
FSI’s Perez honored for student-engagement innovation
“Dr. Perez came up with, and led the deployment of, FSI’s statewide K–12 semiconductor education and workforce development activities,” noted Professor Jack Judy, Florida Semiconductor Institute’s deputy director for workforce development and a professor with the University of Florida’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering.
As FSI’s workforce development program specialist, Perez created and led the Chip in Florida Challenge, a statewide semiconductor education challenge that engages K–12 educators and students in design-based learning and career exploration. In the inaugural offering in 2025, 172 teachers, 29 school districts and over 12,000 students participated. Building on that momentum, the initiative continues to expand statewide, with growing participation across Florida.
Perez also created and leads SemiClubs, extracurricular clubs that introduce K–12 students to semiconductors and microelectronics in fun, hands-on ways. There are now 12 clubs across nine Florida counties.