Emerson partnership bolsters UT expertise in semiconductors and AI
A new partnership between industrial technology leader Emerson and The University of Texas at Austin will support advanced research into artificial intelligence, automation, energy, semiconductors and other scientific disciplines.
The three-year agreement includes research lab upgrades at UT facilities, contributions to help launch the new Semiconductor Science and Engineering master’s degree program in partnership with the Texas Institute for Electronics (TIE), and help developing the next generation of talent skilled in automation. More broadly, UT will become a core research partner for Emerson as it delves further into semiconductors, AI, energy and other areas in the future.
“Emerson has been an important partner for UT, the Cockrell School of Engineering and our chemical engineering department for decades,” said Roger Bonnecaze, dean of the Cockrell School and a chemical engineering faculty member. “This investment will strengthen our relationship, further elevate Austin as a national technology leader, and push the boundaries of research, innovation and education in semiconductors, energy, AI, automation and more.”
The total value of the agreement is $8.5 million. Emerson has now contributed more than $20 million to UT, primarily to the Cockrell School of Engineering and its McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, both from the St. Louis-based company and its recent acquisition of Austin-based National Instruments, now operating as Emerson’s test and measurement business.
“This is an exciting new chapter in Emerson’s storied history with The University of Texas at Austin as we build on our vision to accelerate automation and innovation that transforms vital industries,” said Lal Karsanbhai, president and CEO of Emerson. “As a company founded on science, engineering and technology, we look forward to working with UT to help prepare tomorrow’s workforce to solve the world’s toughest challenges.”
Rendering pending Board of Regents approval
In support of Emerson’s goal to advance UT’s semiconductor efforts, the company will contribute technology and equipment to modernize the Montopolis Research Center, the former Sematech facility in South Austin, to advance semiconductor research and innovation. Replacement of the decades-old Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition equipment will improve data acquisition and storage and allow personnel and visiting industry partners to better monitor and control what is happening in the fab. In addition, the company will provide funds to support the first three cohorts of students enrolled in the new 18-month Semiconductor Science and Engineering master’s program, starting fall of 2025.
Emerson will also help upgrade the Process Science and Technology Center (PSTC) on the J.J. Pickle Research Campus and commence a three-year research collaboration to further AI-enabled automation research in process optimization, control and safety.
Emerson’s investment will also contribute to the Engineering Discovery Building (EDB), a new building on the main UT campus that will be the central learning and research space for the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering and the Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering when it opens in 2026. The building will feature a signature Emerson Lab and be a critical learning environment to thousands of students each year. And as a new member of the Center for Customer Insights & Marketing Solutions (CCIMS) in the McCombs School of Business, Emerson will further position itself as an industrial technology leader among students, faculty members and marketing professionals to help bring automation solutions to real-world problems.
