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NNME Northeast Regional Node

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Activating Semiconductor Talent Across the Greater Northeast

NNME Northeast, led by NY Creates,  advances the National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME) strategy across one of the fastest-growing and most strategically important semiconductor regions in the United States.

Spanning from Maine to Virginia, the region includes major innovation hubs, trusted defense manufacturing facilities, and more than $140 billion in public and private semiconductor investment.

NNME Northeast operates as a coordinated regional system—aligning education, industry, and workforce partners to expand access, accelerate training, and connect talent to opportunity at scale.

Geographic Reach

Connecticut | Delaware | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New York | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | Vermont | Virginia

This region represents a dense and highly interconnected semiconductor ecosystem spanning multiple industry clusters.

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What NNME Northeast Delivers

NNME Northeast is designed to unlock the region’s full workforce potential by:

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Expanding awareness and early exposure to semiconductor careers

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Aligning postsecondary education with employer demand

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Modernizing training with hands-on, industry-relevant experiences

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Creating clear, scalable pathways into high-demand roles

Regional Demand and Opportunity

The Greater Northeast is projected to add 25,000+ semiconductor-related jobs by 2031, with demand exceeding 40,000 jobs by 2040 as major investments scale.

Growth is driven by:

  • Micron’s multi-fab expansion in New York
  • GlobalFoundries’ Fab 8 expansion
  • NY Creates High NA EUV Lithography facility in Albany
  • Continued investment across commercial and defense semiconductor applications

The Northeast region is producing strong momentum in both innovation and talent development, with more than 40,000 STEM graduates annually. NNME Northeast represents a major opportunity to better connect this highly skilled talent pool with the rapidly growing semiconductor industry and expand pathways into high-demand microelectronics careers.

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Key Workforce Challenges

NNME Northeast addresses several structural gaps:

Awareness and Early Exposure

Limited visibility of semiconductor careers across K–12 and early education

Postsecondary Alignment

Fragmented and uneven training pathways across institutions

Experiential Learning Gaps

Limited access to modern facilities, cleanrooms, and hands-on training

These challenges are compounded by demographic shifts, declining enrollment trends, and an aging workforce.

Network of Partners

NNME Northeast operates through a coordinated network of 90+ partners, including leading academic institutions, employers, and workforce organizations.

Postsecondary Institutions

Includes: Bucks County Community College, BC3 - Butler County Community College, Binghamton University, Cayuga County Community College, Clarkson University, Clinton Community College, Cornell University, Dutchess Community College, Erie Community College, Excelsior University, Finger Lakes Community College, Fulton-Montgomery Community College, Genesee Community College, Harrisburg Area Community College, Hudson Valley Community College, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Jamestown Community College, Jefferson Community College, LaGuardia Community College, Mass Bay Community College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mercer County Community College Millersville University, Mohawk Valley Community College, Monroe Community College, New York University, Niagara County Community College, North Shore Community College, Northern Virginia Community College, Old Westbury College, Onondaga Community College, Pennsylvania State University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rowan College at Burlington County, State University of New York (SUNY) System Administration, Stony Brook University, SUNY Adirondack, SUNY Broome Community College, SUNY Cortland, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, SUNY Ulster, Syracuse University, Tompkins Cortland Community College, Ulster County Community College, University at Albany, University at Buffalo, University of Delaware, University of Rochester, University of Vermont, Westchester Community College, Western New England University

Microelectronics Sector Employers

Includes: Applied Materials, ASML, GlobalFoundries, IBM, Inficon, Kurt J. Lesker, Lam Research, Lockheed Martin, Menlo Micro, Micron, National Grid, Northrop Grumman, SCREEN, Synopsys, TEL, xLight

Workforce Development Organizations

Includes: Capital Region Workforce Development Board, CNY Works, EDGE Consortium - Dartmouth College, Griffiss Institute, Northland Training Center, Per Scholas, Quantum Bloom, Springfield Works, Virginia Works

K–12 and STEM Education Partners

Includes: Broome-Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), Capital Region Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), Capital Valley Technical Education Center Board of Cooperative Educational Services (CV-TEC BOCES), Erie 1 Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), Mohonasen Central School District, Otsego Northern Catskills Board of Cooperative Educational Services (ONC BOCES), Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH), Questar III Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), Ulster Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES)

Economic Development Partners

Center for Economic Growth, CenterState CEO, Economic Development Council, Empire State Development, New York Semiconductor Manufacturing and Research Technology Innovation Corridor (NY SMART I-Corridor)

Community-Based & Technical Partners

Includes AIM Photonics, NORDTECH, and the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing.

Industry Associations & Credentialing

Includes MACNY and credentialing frameworks supported by academic partners.

Wraparound Service Providers

Includes Jobs for the Future and Social Finance, supporting access, advising, and workforce participation.

Leadership

NNME Northeast is led by a coordinated academic and research partnership:

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Dr. Robert Geer

Vice President of Education and Workforce Development at NY Creates; Professor of Nanoscale Science & Engineering, University at Albany

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Dr. F. Shadi Shahedipour-Sandvik

Senior Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Economic Development, SUNY

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Emily Behnke

Program Manager, NNME Northeast and Director, Research Programs & Industry Partnerships at SUNY System Administration

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Andrada Niculae

Experiential Learning Coordinator, NNME Northeast

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Meredith O’Connell

Employer Engagement Lead, NNME Northeast

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Capri O’Hara

Partnerships Lead, NNME Northeast

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Karan Patel

Data Project Coordinator, NNME Northeast

The Node is led by the New York Center for Research, Economic Advancement, Technology, Engineering and Science (NY Creates), in partnership with the State University of New York (SUNY), one of the largest higher education systems in the United States.

NNME Northeast Industry Advisory Board

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Amber Beck

Regional Account Manager, Kurt J. Lesker Company

Merry Bhattacharjee

Vice President of People & Culture, INFICON

Katy Crist

Director of Global Workforce Development, Synopsys

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Matthew Gruber

Director of Radar and Electronic Warfare Products Integrated Engineering, Lockheed Martin

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Eric Joseph

Principal Research Staff Member, Master Inventor and Senior Manager of Advanced Materials, IBM

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Chris Keimel

Chief Technology Officer, Menlo Micro

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Tara McCaughey

Strategic University Partnership Manager, GlobalFoundries 

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Christine McLear

Workforce Development Senior Lead, GlobalFoundries

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Aelan Mosden

Director of Operations, TEL

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Janine Rush-Byers

Director, Micron

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