The University of Arizona (U of A) and National Sun Yat-sen University in Taiwan have launched a joint research and education center aimed at improving the technology behind artificial intelligence and high-performance computing systems, university officials announced Tuesday.
The center, called the Silicon Photonics at Arizona-Kaohsiung Center, or SPARK, will focus on semiconductors and photonics — the science of using light rather than electricity to move and process data at high speeds while consuming less energy. The partnership will also train future semiconductor and photonics professionals in both Southern Arizona and Taiwan.
U of A Senior Vice President for Research and Partnerships Tomás DÃaz de la Rubia and NSYSU President Chih-Peng Li unveiled the center during SEMICON Taiwan, a major industry conference held in Taipei. Kaohsiung, home to NSYSU, is described as a global hub for industry and technology in Taiwan.
DÃaz de la Rubia said he could think of no better place to launch SPARK than Taiwan, calling it the center of a semiconductor industry that has reshaped the global economy. He added that AI and high-performance computing are testing the limits of how fast and efficiently data can move, and that addressing this will require merging semiconductor and photonics technologies — with SPARK positioning researchers, students and industry from both regions to help drive that progress.
The new center builds on a broader six-party agreement signed in March between the two universities and civic leaders from Tucson, Pima County, the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) and the City of Kaohsiung, intended to strengthen economic and technological cooperation across the Pacific.
Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the ACA, said Arizona and Kaohsiung share a partnership built on common strengths in semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and research and innovation, and that SPARK would speed up innovation, broaden pathways to commercialization and deepen Arizona’s ties with Kaohsiung.
Local officials also weighed in. Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, director of Pima County Economic Development, said the effort to build a strong talent pipeline gives Southern Arizona companies the resources to grow while creating room for new suppliers, startups and investment, strengthening the region’s role in the global semiconductor industry.
On the technical side, SPARK will work to improve how data moves between computing components using optical systems, which can transmit information at high bandwidths with less energy loss than electrical connections. That includes advanced packaging that brings chips closer together for better data transfer, as well as co-packaged optics — placing optical components next to computer chips to shorten electrical connections and cut power use, heat and lag. The stakes are rising as AI workloads grow: the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory projects data centers could consume 11.8% of all U.S. electricity by 2030.
Education is a core piece of the initiative as well. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said SPARK strengthens the innovation corridor between Southern Arizona and Taiwan by linking Tucson’s expertise in optics and photonics with Kaohsiung’s strength in semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, preparing workers and researchers in both regions for careers in industries shaping the global economy, while supporting energy-efficient computing and progress toward carbon neutrality. The center plans to offer jointly developed courses, online learning for industry professionals, and academic programs letting students earn degrees through stackable smaller credentials.
Companies involved in SPARK will also help steer its research priorities. Industry partners will identify and select projects that match their needs, work directly with university researchers, and gain early access to research findings and students trained in engineering, optical sciences, information science and physics — while the center helps translate research into future products and intellectual property.
The announcement comes amid a broader regional push: the university recently expanded its semiconductor fabrication facility with ACA support, part of what officials describe as a growing effort to build up Southern Arizona’s chip-industry capabilities.
