Thi Nguyen, a second-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, has been awarded a one-year graduate fellowship from the RPI Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR). The fellowship is supported by the U.S.-Japan University Partnership for Workforce Advancement and Research & Development in Semiconductors (UPWARDS for the Future Network), funded by Micron, Tokyo Electron, and the National Science Foundation.

The UPWARDS fellowship supports graduate students conducting research in semiconductor-related fields while fostering international collaboration with leading Japanese research institutions. Fellowship recipients and their faculty advisors are expected to contribute to the program’s goals by engaging in joint research activities and hosting visiting scholars from participating universities in Japan.

Nguyen, who is advised by Assistant Professor Prashun Gorai, was nominated for the fellowship in recognition of her research on next-generation electronic materials. Her doctoral work, titled “Emerging Materials, Mechanisms, and Design Principles for Wurtzite Ferroelectrics,” focuses on advancing materials for nonvolatile ferroelectric random-access memory (FeRAM) and energy-efficient computing technologies. Her research aligns closely with the UPWARDS program’s Semiconductor and Memory-Centric Research pillar.

“Thi has demonstrated exceptional initiative and creativity in tackling complex problems in materials design,” said Prashun Gorai. “This fellowship will not only support her research but also provide valuable opportunities to engage with international collaborators working at the forefront of semiconductor science.”

As part of the fellowship, Gorai’s research group, the 3D Materials Lab, will collaborate with the experimental group of Prof. Hiroshi Funakubo at the Institute of Science Tokyo. The partnership will include faculty visits and student exchanges aimed at accelerating the discovery and characterization of wurtzite ferroelectrics.

In addition, Gorai will serve as a faculty advisor and instructor for an upcoming RPI UPWARDS two-week summer intensive program in Troy, New York. “Programs like UPWARDS are critical for preparing the next generation of researchers to address global challenges in semiconductor technology,” said Sarah Niemann, Assistant Vice President for Research in RPI’s OVPR. “We are proud to support students like Thi who are advancing innovative research while building international partnerships.”

Nguyen’s selection highlights the department’s growing impact in semiconductor research and its commitment to interdisciplinary and global collaboration.