【World Express】Texas Tech University Awarded NSF Grant to Launch Student Research Program on Gallium Oxide and UWBG Semiconductors

      The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $439,233 to Texas Tech University to establish a new Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program focused on wide- and ultrawide-bandgap (UWBG) semiconductor technologies.

      The project, titled Wide/Ultrawide Bandgap Semiconductor Technologies and Applications (WUBSTA), will begin in November 2025 and is led by Professors Hieu P. Nguyen and Tim Dallas from the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. Research will center on the synthesis, device fabrication, and testing of UWBG materials such as gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) and aluminum nitride (AlN).

      Over the course of a 10-week summer program, participating students will commit about 40 hours per week to projects including high-power transistors, memory devices, and optoelectronic components. The program emphasizes both rigorous research training and technology translation, targeting applications in high-speed electronics, power systems, RF devices, and photonics.

WUBSTA also places strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion, offering mentorship, professional development, and soft-skills training to help students prepare for careers in both academia and industry.

“This is a rapidly evolving field critical to national competitiveness and security,” said Professor Nguyen. Professor Dallas added: “The program is designed not only to advance semiconductor technologies, but also to equip students with the tools to become leaders in research and industry.”