Wide/Ultrawide Bandgap
Semiconductors Laboratory

Electrical &

Computer Engineering

Texas Tech University

Grants & Funding

Federal, state, and institutional investment powering our wide- and ultrawide-bandgap semiconductor research and workforce development.

$80M+

In Recent Semiconductor Funding

Major Awards

Funding Agencies

Our research and the broader semiconductor ecosystem at Texas Tech are supported by major awards from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Defense, DARPA, the Army Research Laboratory, and the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund. These grants fund materials growth, high-power device research, advanced fabrication facilities, and the training of the next generation of semiconductor researchers.

Awarded Grants

Texas Tech lands major $19M chip innovation grant

$19M+ TSIF · Nov 2026

AI Computing Cluster for Semiconductor Innovation

An additional Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund award of more than $19 million builds a next-generation computing cluster in Lubbock with the newest Nvidia chips. The cluster pairs AI with high-fidelity simulation and experimental data to speed the development of semiconductor materials and devices, including AI-driven materials discovery and AI-enabled epitaxial growth of ultrawide-bandgap semiconductors. The team includes Dean Roland Faller, Associate Dean Changzhi Li, and Prof. Hieu P. Nguyen, among others.

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Texas Tech researcher aims to strengthen security with semiconductor light sources

$934K DoD · Jun 2025

Semiconductor Nanowire Light Sources

A $934,596 U.S. Department of Defense grant supports Associate Professor Hieu P. Nguyen in developing high-efficiency, high-power III-nitride nanowire light-emitters spanning the ultraviolet-to-visible range. Over four years through the Nano Tech Center, the work targets micro-display and AR/VR systems, directed-energy and defense applications, disinfection, navigation, and sensing — with nanowire structures engineered to perform in harsh, high-temperature environments.

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Texas Tech receives $4.5 million grant to advance semiconductor research

$4.5M TSIF · May 2026

Advancing Semiconductor Research

The Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering received a $4.5 million Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF) grant to advance ultrawide-bandgap materials, high-power electronics, and semiconductor manufacturing — supporting aerospace and defense through more reliable UWBG materials and high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs).

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Texas Tech to build $24 million clean room for semiconductor development

$24M TSIF · Jan 2026

Multipurpose Clean-Room Facility

A $12 million Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund award, matched by the university for a $24 million total, will build a multipurpose clean-room facility. Led by Dean Roland Faller, Associate Dean Changzhi Li, and Dr. Hieu P. Nguyen, the project significantly expands the lab's fabrication capabilities.

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Texas Tech awarded $2 million to help students join semiconductor workforce

$2M NSF · Sep 2025

S-STEM Semiconductor Workforce Scholarships

A $2 million NSF grant through the Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) program prepares students for careers in the semiconductor industry via scholarships, mentoring, and industry-focused training. The project is led by Prof. Tim Dallas.

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Texas Tech receives NSF grant for semiconductor research program

$439K NSF · Sep 2025

NSF REU Site — WUBSTA

A $439,233 National Science Foundation grant establishes a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site titled Wide/Ultrawide Bandgap Semiconductor Technologies and Applications (WUBSTA). Led by PI Hieu P. Nguyen with co-PI Tim Dallas, the three-year program trains undergraduates in nanoelectronics and nanophotonics, synthesizing and characterizing UWBG materials such as Ga₂O₃, AlN, and related heterostructures.

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$14M DoD · Jul 2025

Advanced Semiconductor Power Devices Program

The U.S. Department of Defense awarded Texas Tech a $14 million grant to lead an Advanced Semiconductor Power Devices Program focused on engineering reliable, high-performance ultrawide-bandgap devices for harsh environments and defense systems.

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$3.75M DARPA · May 2025

3D Heterogeneous Integration Program

A grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the State of Texas launches a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering program specializing in 3D Heterogeneous Integration, combining technical education with hands-on experience. Led by Prof. Tim Dallas.

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Texas Tech to develop semiconductor power devices through $6 million grant

$6M DoD · Apr 2025

Power Device Capability Expansion

A Department of Defense–funded project enables the Whitacre College to acquire equipment, systems, and tools critical to enhancing its wide/ultrawide-bandgap semiconductor power device capabilities.

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Texas Tech secures $6.5 million ARL workforce pilot

$6.5M ARL · Feb 2025

ARL Workforce Pilot Program

Texas Tech secured a $6.5 million Army Research Laboratory (ARL) workforce pilot program to train next-generation researchers in advanced materials and radar technology.

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