$1,039,000 RELEASED TO SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY FOR SEMICONDUCTOR THERMAL NOISE TESTBED 

SYRACUSE, NY — Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Representative John W. Mannion (NY-22) today announced that $1,039,000 in federal funding they secured for Syracuse University’s Semiconductor Thermal Noise Testbed has been formally released to the university by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The finalized award allows Syracuse University to purchase specialized manufacturing equipment, technology, and laboratory infrastructure and move forward with establishing the new testbed.

“Syracuse University’s cutting-edge thermal noise testbed will help develop the semiconductor manufacturing, quantum computing, and precision measurement technologies and workforce that will power our nation’s future. I was proud to deliver more than $1 million to bring this technology to Central New York and help build on Syracuse’s research leadership,” said Senator Schumer. “With this funding in hand, Syracuse University can now expand their pioneering research and development while continuing to drive economic growth and create new, good-paying jobs across Upstate New York’s booming semiconductor manufacturing corridor at companies like Micron that are here thanks to my CHIPS & Science Law.”

“I’m proud to have secured these federal dollars that will drive real growth across Central New York through the creation of high-tech jobs and the advancement of cutting-edge research at Syracuse University,” said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This investment in our domestic semiconductor workforce and manufacturing capacity will help to solidify Central New York as a leader in next-generation technologies. I look forward to seeing this funding put to use and will keep working to bring home resources that strengthen our research capabilities and make a real difference for working families.”

“This investment will fuel groundbreaking research, train workers for the jobs of tomorrow, and help Central New York lead the nation in semiconductor and quantum technology,” said Representative Mannion. “Syracuse University has the talent, expertise, and vision to translate this world-class research into good-paying jobs that will strengthen our economy and our national security.”

Duncan Brown, Syracuse University Vice President for Research, said, “We are grateful to Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and Congressman Mannion for securing this investment. The Semiconductor Thermal Noise Testbed will train Syracuse University students and postdoctoral researchers in vacuum technology, precision optics, and thin-film metrology — the same capabilities that Micron and the region’s growing semiconductor and quantum-technology employers depend on. It gives young people from across Central New York a research-grade entry point into the advanced-manufacturing workforce that is taking shape here.”

The Semiconductor Thermal Noise Testbed will focus on manufacturing and testing ultra-low thermal noisematerials for use in quantum sensing, fundamental scientific research, and semiconductor manufacturing.Syracuse University researchers and students will use the testbed to develop semiconductor-on-glass technologies, ultra-precise measuring devices, and next-generation semiconductor and quantum applications.

The project will also provide students with skills needed by Micron and the broader domestic chip industry while supporting new high-tech jobs and economic growth across Central New York.

The project received broad support from community, economic-development, and industry leaders across NY-22.

Schumer, Gillibrand, and Mannion championed the funding through the Fiscal Year 2026 Community Funding Project appropriations process. With the federal award finalized and released, Syracuse University can begin purchasing equipment and implementing the project.