Endowment for New UTT Lab

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler College of Engineering and Computer Science has received an endowment from SPEA to create a new computer engineering center within the Department of Electrical Engineering, Dr. James Nelson, College of Engineering and Computer Science dean, announced. School officials say The SPEA Center for Semiconductor Testing in the department will be used to introduce hands-on laboratory semiconductor test procedures into the electrical engineering curriculum so that graduates are prepared for a career in this field. SPEA designs and manufactures automatic test equipment for microchips and electronic boards. Its systems are utilized in all high-tech fields, such as aerospace, aeronautics, telecommunications, automotive, consumer and safety electronics.

“The gift from SPEA will help our college to meet the needs of local industry by preparing our students for successful careers in semiconductor engineering,” said Nelson. “College industry partnerships are the best way to introduce high-tech jobs to invigorate the East Texas economy and we hope to have many such successful collaborations in the near future.” A dedication ceremony will be 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 4 at the UT Tyler Ratliff Engineering and Science Complex Building South, fourth floor suite and terrace. Dr. David Hoe, assistant professor, and Dr. Mukul Shirvaikar, chair and professor of electrical engineering, will oversee the daily activities of the grant.

UT Tyler has also been invited to join the Collaborative Alliance for Semiconductor Testing, including industry bellwethers such as Texas Instruments, IBM, and Intel — and such major universities as Texas A&M, Auburn, and Georgia Tech. UTT officials say this collaboration will inevitably result in high-tech research and development applications, thereby benefiting the East Texas area economy.