Epscor graduate fellowship program (egfp): boise state microelectronics education and research fellows

The National Science Foundation awarded Boise State University $954,000 on March 15, 2027, under the NSF EPSCOR Graduate Fellowship Program (CFDA 47.084) to support graduate fellowships aligned with the Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) research agenda.

The award funds three-year graduate fellowships including stipend and cost-of-education allowance for eligible fellows conducting research within Boise State's Microelectronics Education and Research Center (MERC). Fellows participate across six interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs—Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Biomolecular Sciences, Computing, Materials Science and Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering—and receive structured mentorship, career readiness training, and experiential learning designed to connect academic research to semiconductor industry demands.

Performance occurs at Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, through February 28, 2030. No sub-awards are planned.

Abstract

The national science foundation (NSF), NSF epscor graduate fellowship program (egfp) supports egfp-designated institutions/programs in epscor jurisdictions by providing funding for graduate fellowships for eligible applicants. Institutions receive a total of three years of stipend and associated cost-of-education (COE) allowance for each NSF epscor graduate fellow. This award at boise state university seeks to enhance research competitiveness and capacity through an investment in talent development. Fellow research topics will align with goals and programs supported by the NSF directorate for technology, innovation, and partnerships (tip). As part of the microelectronics education and research center (merc), the program integrates students into a robust ecosystem that spans six interdisciplinary PH.d. Programs: engineering, electrical and computer engineering, biomolecular sciences, computing, materials science and engineering, and biomedical engineering. In addition to conducting fundamental research, fellows are guided through a structured program involving mentorship, career readiness, and experiential learning designed to bridge the GAP between academic research and the demands of the global semiconductor market. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.