diversity, equity and inclusion

On February 15, the Science Research and Technology Subcommittee, one of five subcommittees of the United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, held a timely hearing to explore semiconductor legislation and the industry’s workforce needs.

The microelectronics industry works to make the most of the current boom and to manage crises and opportunities around the chip and talent shortage, data explosion, compliance requirements, digital innovation, environmental sustainability, remote work, and other pressing issues.

Considering the history of computing and the low expectations for women that were once widespread in academia and the workplace, little wonder that women continue to face significant hurdles in the microelectronics industry. Today, women make up less than 25% of the computing workforce.

Today, AI algorithms are primarily run at large data centers-- in the cloud. For this intelligence to be used at the edge, data must be transmitted to the cloud, analyzed there, and the results transmitted back to the field of operation, such as a mobile phone, medical implant or autonomous vehicle.

“As a global organization that supports the health and vitality of thousands of member companies, SEMI is committed to helping the semiconductor industry strengthen its workforce through embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Bettina Weiss, Chief of Staff and Corporate Strategy at SEMI.

“The most important work you can do in the coming year is to start engaging allies.” This is how Dr. Joanne Kamens, Executive Director of Addgene, began her keynote at this year’s Women in Semiconductors (WiS) program in early May. Diversity and inclusion challenges in the workplace are not a...