A delegation from Idaho, including leaders from Idaho State University (ISU), traveled to Taiwan as part of a four-day trade mission aimed at strengthening partnerships in the semiconductor sector. The mission, announced by the Idaho Technology Council on February 5 and organized by the Idaho Department of Commerce and the Idaho–Asia Trade Office, marked the 40th anniversary of the sister state relationship between Idaho and Taiwan. Delegates focused on studying Taiwan’s integrated approach to semiconductor education, manufacturing, and alignment with industry.
Representing ISU were Dr. Jim Widmann, dean of the College of Science and Engineering; Gerald “Jerry” Anhorn, dean of the College of Technology; and Dr. Steve C. Chiu, professor and chair of computer science and electrical and computer engineering.
During their stay in Taiwan, delegates toured Micron’s semiconductor manufacturing operations in Taichung. They also met with university leaders, research institutes, and government officials to discuss strategies for building talent pipelines that can be scaled up, aligning educational curriculum with industry requirements, and examining models such as science parks that integrate education, research, and manufacturing functions.
“This mission reinforced how important it is for Idaho’s universities and technical colleges to stay closely aligned with industry as semiconductor manufacturing expands in our state,” Anhorn said. “For ISU, that means continuing to strengthen applied, hands-on programs that prepare students for high-demand technical and engineering careers.”
Widmann noted that seeing how Taiwan operates provided valuable perspective on global best practices: “We saw firsthand how Taiwan integrates research, education and production at scale,” Widmann said. “Those lessons will help inform how ISU continues to support Idaho’s growing semiconductor ecosystem.”
The trade mission comes at a time when Idaho is expanding its role in domestic semiconductor production as well as workforce development efforts across the state. Both ISU’s College of Technology and College of Science and Engineering are involved in training technicians, engineers, and professionals needed for this growing field.
According to university officials who took part in the trip, new partnerships formed during the mission are expected to strengthen curriculum development efforts at ISU. These relationships may also broaden opportunities for collaborative research while opening additional career pathways into semiconductors for students.
