Ankur Srivastava to lead semiconductor program at Maryland University

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi alumnus to lead new effort in research and partnerships related to CHIPS Act

By Arun Kumar

University of Maryland has named Ankur Srivastava as the Inaugural Director of Semiconductor Initiatives and Innovation, a newly created effort that will lead UMD in research and partnerships related to the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS Act).

An Indian Institute of Technology Delhi alumnus, Srivastava is currently the Director of the Institute for Systems Research (ISR) and will step down from this position as of Jan 1, 2025. He holds joint appointments with ECE and ISR.

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Srivastava has been a leading advocate for UMD’s position in the national conversation around semiconductor research, according to a university press release.

In January 2024, his leadership led to an agreement between UMD and the Midwest Microelectronics Consortium (MMEC), expanding MMEC’s technical areas to include secure edge microelectronics, 5G/6G communications, and microelectronics to support artificial intelligence, the release stated.

In partnership with Northrop Grumman, his group, managed by MMEC Hub, is co-investigator for the Secured Edge Project: Validated GPU Based Secure Processing Module. This project aims to build validated security measures in next generation GPU’s, aimed at providing better protections for hardware systems critical for the future of artificial intelligence. Other partners for this program include NHanced Semiconductors, Battelle, and NVIDIA.

In 2022, UMD and Booz Allen Hamilton combined forces to create the Mid Atlantic Semiconductor Collaborative (MASC) for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Microelectronic Commons (ME Commons). Led by ISR and Srivastava, this partnership furthered UMD’s program in semiconductor research on the national stage.

Overall, he has contributed to more than $31 million in awards related to CHIPS Act funding. As the Inaugural Director of Semiconductor Initiatives and Innovation, he will be focused on increasing UMD’s presence on the national stage and contributing to leading edge technologies surrounding the CHIPS Act.

He will continue building and maintaining partnerships with leading designers and manufacturers of semiconductors, including Carnegie Mellon University, Arizona State University, University of Texas-Austin, and Ohio State University, as well as numerous industry colleagues.

Samuel Graham, Jr., Dean of the A. James Clark School of Engineering, has noted, “we appreciate Ankur’s contributions to our school, university, and profession as ISR director. We look forward to him bringing the same energy and spirit of discovery to our university’s semiconductor efforts.”

Since being named ISR Director in 2019, Srivastava has strived to continue ISR’s position as an internationally recognized leader in systems sciences. In addition, new educational programs were developed under his guidance, including Maryland Applied Graduate Engineering’s Professional Masters of Embedded Systems.

Srivastava received his B.Tech in electrical engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in 1998 and PhD in computer science from UCLA in 2002.