Student and Faculty Exchanges
UPWARDS is an international partnership between 11 Japanese and United States universities. UPWARDS@VT are holding short- and long-term exchange programs to enhance collaboration and communication among students and faculty from diverse academic backgrounds.
“Virginia Tech is proud to partner with Micron and leading U.S. and Japanese universities to support economic innovation by advancing growth and diversity in the semiconductor workforce,” Virginia Tech President Tim Sands said. “Our top-ranked department is educating the next generation of engineers with 10 specialized areas of study including a major in chip-scale integration. This creative partnership will keep Micron and Virginia Tech at the forefront in meeting the nation’s critical need for talented, innovative engineers with a global perspective.”
Along with Virginia Tech, partner universities in the UPWARDS for the Future initiative from the U.S. are Boise State, Purdue, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, and the University of Washington. Partner universities from Japan are Hiroshima University, Kyushu University, Nagoya University, Tohoku University, and Institute of Science Tokyo.
Upcoming Opportunities for Students
UPWARDS 2025 Summer Semiconductor Program for UPWARDS Partner Universities
Students from Hiroshima University, Kyushu University, Nagoya University, Tohoku University, Institute of Science Tokyo joined the 2025 UPWARDS Summer Camp hosted by Virginia Tech. Click here for more details!
The 2025 UPWARDS Summer Camp is featured in Virginia Tech's news, Science and engineering take center stage at UPWARDS Summer Camp in the D.C. area.
VT Students engaged in the US-Japan Exchange Program in Japanese Universities
Virginia Tech facilitated a student exchange program with Japanese partner universities in Summer 2025, sending five students - two to Kyushu University and three to Nagoya University for an intensive summer program. Three Virginia Tech students - Chaitrali Samant, Chris Howard and Sammy Craypoff joined the 2025 UPWARDS Summer Intensive Program hosted at Nagoya University from July 28 to August 8 in Nagoya, Japan. The program focused on state-of-the-art semiconductor technologies. Students visited the research facilities at Nagoya University's Higashiyama campus. In addition, they gained first-hand experience from semiconductor and automotive electronics companies in the Tokai region. Throughout the program, they immersed themselves in Japanese culture with additional perspective on semiconductor research and development.
In August of 2024, two Virginia Tech students, Danny Rosen and Kris DeGray, attended the UPWARDS Summer Internship Program hosted by Nagoya University’s Semiconductor Research Lab. Four students from University of Washington, Boise State University, and Rochester Institute of Technology accompanied Virginia Tech’s representatives.
Virginia Tech’s Participation in the UPWARDS Summer Camp by Tokyo Electron
As one of the participants in the UPWARDS Summer Camp, Fabiha, a graduate student from Virginia Tech, joined a vibrant community of university students gathering at the Tokyo Electron Karuizawa Club in Nagano.
This immersive camp aimed to inspire and connect participants with the technology industry, specifically in the field of semiconductors, through a blend of educational sessions and recreational activities.
VT Student Participation in UPWARDS Workshop at Institute of Science Tokyo
On Nov 14, 2025, Virginia Tech graduate student Danny Rosen attended the 5th UPWARDS U.S.–Japan Meeting in Tokyo. During the workshop, he shared reflections from last summer’s U.S.–Japan exchange program hosted at Virginia Tech, where Virginia Tech welcomed a cohort of 22 international students and showcased Virginia Tech's latest work and state-of-the-art facilities at both Blacksburg and Northern Virginia campuses.
This participation strengthened Virginia Tech’s engagement in the UPWARDS network and showcased the impact of international exchange programs in advancing global collaboration and semiconductor education.
Virginia Tech Faculty and Students Participate in UPWARDS Graduate Workshop at Boise State University
In April 2025, a group of Virginia Tech graduate students including Shirazush Salekin Chowdhury, Md Rubel Sarkar, Purv Bavishi, Chuan Xiao, and Meysam Sohani Darban traveled with Dr. Yang "Cindy" Yi and Dr. Luke Lester to Boise State University to participate in the UPWARDS Graduate Student Workshop.
Through the UPWARDS for the Future program, Virginia Tech continues to strengthen its partnerships with leading institutions and industry collaborators to advance semiconductor education and develop the next generation of the global workforce.
Institute of Science Tokyo Visited Virginia Tech's Northern Virginia Campus
On March 18, 2025, Virginia Tech hosted a delegation of 4 faculty from the Institute of Science Tokyo to advance UPWARDS collaboration and explore opportunities for joint research and student/faculty exchange. The visiting delegation included Prof. Nobuhiro Hayashi, Prof. Yasuko Yanagida, Prof. Sanae Akaba, and Prof. Hiroo Ueda. They were hosted at Virginia Tech by Prof. Cindy Yang Yi, Prof. Luke Lester, Prof. Rose Hu, Prof. Lance Collins, Prof. David Baker, Prof. Megan Wallace, and Prof. Kirk Cameron. Discussions focused on semiconductor and integrated-circuit research, international joint-research coordination, and expanding US–Japan academic exchange across the UPWARDS network.
Rochester Institute of Technology Professor Gave a Lecture on III-Nitride Materials
On March 28, 2024, Dr. Jing Zhang, Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, gave a lecture titled "Advancements in III-Nitride Materials: Potential of UV Photonics and Next-Generation Display Technologies." Dr. Zhang presented her group's work on III-nitride semiconductor materials and their emerging applications in ultraviolet photonic devices and next-generation display technologies, offering students and researchers a window into a fast-moving area of optoelectronics with direct relevance to the semiconductor workforce UPWARDS is building.