Semiconductor Research Corporation Adds Sixth Center to National, Multi-University Network of Research Centers

Newest Addition to Focus Center Research Program Joins 10 Universities to Tackle
Multi-Scale Systems Research

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(Business Wire)--
Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), the world`s leading university
research consortium for semiconductors and related technologies, today announced
that a new center has been added to its Focus Center Research Program (FCRP)
bringing together leading national universities to advance semiconductor and
systems industry research.

This new center is the sixth member of the FCRP`s national, multi-university
network and links 10 universities collaborating on multi-scale systems research.
Specifically, the new center, based at University of California, Berkeley, under
Endowed Chair and Professor, Jan Rabaey, will create a comprehensive and
systematic solution to the distributed multi-scale system design challenge. Its
grand challenge is the development of "energy-smart" distributed systems-systems
that are deeply aware of the balance between energy availability and demand, and
adjust their behavior in response through dynamic and adaptive optimization
through all scales of design hierarchy.

The Multi-Scale Systems Research Center joins five existing FCRP centers
involving 35 leading U.S. universities in 17 states engaged in research focused
on high level challenges for the industry. Following an open re-competition of
the FCRP, the five centers have refined their high-level research agendas on
topics that include platform systems design, circuit and module design,
inter-connectivity solutions, novel structures and devices and nanoelectronic
materials and processes. The FCRP features more than 200 university faculty and
550 graduate research students.

The FCRP is a cooperative initiative among members of the U.S. semiconductor
industry and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) designed to
expand long-range, pre-competitive, microelectronics and systems research within
U.S. universities.

"The FCRP is aimed at creating breakthrough technology solutions critical to
U.S. economic competitiveness and security," said Betsy Weitzman, SRC executive
vice president and FCRP executive director. "The FCRP is unique because of its
multi-university, multi-disciplinary approach to complex research problems, and
the Multi-Scale Systems Research Center will follow in this tradition as it
works to create structured and formal design methodologies to manage the
complexity of multi-scale systems design."

A Successful Track Record

Formed in 1997, the FCRP has traditionally focused on topics where evolutionary
research and development were not sufficient. With an emphasis on discovery and
a long-range time horizon, the estimated $40 million program has collaboratively
joined the technology industry and government agencies to support advanced
research, with the additional benefit of providing access to relevantly trained
graduate students to fill critical jobs. The Multi-Scale Systems Research Center
is the first center added to the FCRP since 2003.

This basic research program is unique in that industry participants co-fund the
centers with DARPA. The FCRP is guided at a policy and strategic level by the
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and industry leaders through a Governing
Council and at a technical level through a Science Advisory Board.

"Without the commitment and leadership of DARPA, this program would not have
excelled as it has and we would not be in a position to launch this new center
focused on multi-scale systems research," said Rabaey. "The FCRP works so
effectively because of the shared and equal dedication of government, industry
and the academic community. That common sense of direction is what has led to a
broad range of truly innovative solutions to hard problems over the past decade,
and I am convinced it will continue to do so in the next."

"The FCRP is a marquee program in the DARPA university center portfolio," said
Jeff Rogers, DARPA program manager for the FCRP. "It`s a partnership between
industry and the U.S. Department of Defense that has produced well-trained
students and maintained a vibrant academic community at the forefront of
microelectronics."

About SRC-FCRP

The Focus Center Research Program (FCRP) is one of three research program
entities of SRC. Celebrating 27 years of collaborative research for the
semiconductor industry, SRC defines industry needs, invests in and manages the
research that gives its members a competitive advantage in the dynamic global
marketplace. Awarded the National Medal of Technology, America's highest
recognition for contributions to technology, SRC expands the industry knowledge
base and attracts premier students to help innovate and transfer semiconductor
technology to the commercial industry. For more information, visit www.src.org.

The Francisco Group for SRC
Dan Francisco, 916-293-9030, dan@franciscogrp.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009