A Week of Impactful Collaboration: NORDTECH Hosts National Microelectronics Leaders in New York
Northeast Regional Defense Technology Hub (NORDTECH) leaders proudly welcomed Microelectronics Commons Hub representatives and industry leaders from across the country to New York for a series of impactful events aimed at advancing national semiconductor innovations, R&D, and strengthening the U.S. microelectronics ecosystem.
The eventful week began with the Microelectronics Commons Hub Board Summit, hosted at the University at Albany’s ETEC building. NORDTECH leadership was honored to bring representatives from all eight Microelectronics Commons hubs, NSTXL (National Security Technology Accelerator), NSWC Crane/DOD, and additional industry partners for this educational three-day event. Attendees received strategic updates, shared feedback on current initiatives, and aligned on future programs to accelerate technology innovation to support the Microelectronics Commons shared mission.
The week also included an exceptional networking opportunity at NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex, where NORDTECH members and local stakeholders engaged directly with government technical leads and workforce development representatives. These crucial conversations helped forge stronger connections and identified new pathways for collaboration across industry, academia, and federal agencies.
Capping off the week was the highly anticipated 2025 NORDTECH Annual Meeting, held Friday, June 27, at the Griffiss Institute Innovare Advancement Center in Rome, NY. This exciting member event brought together a dynamic mix of NORDTECH hub leaders, members, partners, industry experts, and government organizations to discuss trailblazing developments in secure-edge computing, AI hardware, quantum technologies, and commercial leap-ahead innovations. The event kicked off with a welcome message from NORDTECH Partnerships Director Michael Greene as he welcomed approximately 150 attendees to Griffiss Institute’s Innovare Advancement Center.
The all-day event featured a dynamic program of several breakout sessions, covering topics critical to the region’s innovation ecosystem, including workforce development, innovative quantum technologies, and technical project updates. Attendees enjoyed an informative breakout session, “NORDTECH 101” discussion, presented by NORDTECH Technical Director Nick Fahrenkopf that highlighted NORDTECH’s shared commitment to shaping the future of national defense technologies while supporting new partnerships vital to lab-to-fab innovations.
Key highlights included an inspiring keynote address from the deputy director of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Information Directorate, Dr. Michael Hayduk, who discussed new defense innovations and microelectronics R&D, as his presentation shared deeper insights into the national defense technology landscape. Stephanie Lin, vice president of microelectronics commons at NSTXL, gave our NORDTECH Annual Meeting attendees an informative presentation on the progress of the Microelectronics Commons Hubs, collaborative projects, and upcoming events.
From strengthening collaboration across the nation to fostering new public-private partnerships, this memorable and impactful week demonstrated the power of teamwork in advancing the mission of the Microelectronics Commons. Its lasting impression will continue to drive the next-generation semiconductor research and defense technologies, help discover new workforce development opportunities, and reinforce NORDTECH’s steadfast commitment to supporting lab-to-fab innovations for its members and partners.