Microsemi Gives UCI $1.5 Million to Create Chair in Electrical Engineering

Aug. 14, 2017 - Microsemi Corp. has donated $1.5 million to the University of California, Irvine that – combined with $500,000 in matching funds from the UC Office of the President – will establish the Microsemi Presidential Chair in Electrical Engineering.

The $2 million endowment will support research and teaching, equipment and laboratory setup, graduate fellowships and more.

“Microsemi is a great partner for us,” said Gregory Washington, the Stacey Nicholas Dean of Engineering at UCI’s Henry Samueli School of Engineering. “The company’s recent push in innovation and high-quality chips and platforms are in direct alignment with one of our major research thrusts: communications and information technology. This gift will help us recruit the highest-quality faculty to be part of one of the most dynamic programs in the nation.”

The Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science is home to more than 50 percent of students in the engineering school. With close ties to industry, the department develops and constantly refines its curricula to meet real-world demands and accommodate rapid changes in technology.

“Microsemi is honored to continue our commitment to UCI by ensuring that the Samueli School of Engineering is a recognized leader in higher education, as we rely upon UCI students and graduates to enhance our team with top engineers, scientists and innovators,” said James J. Peterson, chairman and CEO of Microsemi.

“Investing in electrical engineering education allows our company to give back to our community while preparing the future workforce’s expertise to be aligned with our company’s unique technology developments in areas such as the internet of things, advanced system on chip and programmable hardware solutions like field-programmable gate arrays.”

“UCI attracts some of the world’s most cutting edge and promising faculty through efforts like the Endowed Chair Program,” said Enrique Lavernia, UCI provost and executive vice chancellor. “We are not only preparing the next generation of students for their future, we are creating a collaborative culture across the university with some of the most talented and sought-after faculty.”

Headquartered in Orange County with offices around the world, Microsemi Corp. is a provider of semiconductor and system solutions for aerospace and defense, communications, data centers and industrial markets. It has about 4,800 employees globally.

– Lori Brandt