The University of Catania and STMicroelectronics Sign Agreement to Collaborate on Power Electronics Training and Research

The University of Catania (Italy) and STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, today announced the signing of a framework agreement on education and research activities in power electronics. The collaboration aims to foster academic and professional training of students and nurture research for technological innovation.

Key to a sustainable energy future, power electronics manage the flow of electric energy inside all systems and applications by supplying the appropriate voltages and currents to power the electronics we use in all end products. Addressing the challenge to improve efficiency, reduce loss, and optimize costs, ST and the University of Catania have agreed to collaborate in the development and teaching of multi-disciplinary courses, as well as the coordination of research projects, graduation theses and post-graduate internships in Power Electronics.

The joint activities are set to investigate new application topologies and the development of new power devices using innovative methodologies on both currently used materials and new ones. Moreover, it will also look at reliability analysis and advanced modelling of power modules, and manufacturing-process simulation and characterization.

“The collaboration between ST and the University of Catania has roots in the past and has produced excellent results in many sectors, while making significant contributions to growth in the Etna Valley. Today, this new framework agreement marks a turning point in relations with ST and a further qualitative leap towards a strategic alliance in one of the crucial sectors for the trends expected in the coming years: Power Electronics. Focusing on innovative research in Power Electronics, this agreement extends the long-term, successful collaboration between ST and the University of Catania while building opportunities for our students in valuable technological disciplines and sharing results with ST,” said Francesco Priolo, Rector of University of Catania. “Working side-by-side, this cooperation will contribute to significantly raise the University’s national and international profile in research areas such as power-based electronics and innovative materials.”
“Power electronics is at the heart of sustainable technology and products across all the applications of our personal and professional lives: they enable smart mobility, industrial systems, consumer electronics and communication infrastructure,” said Marco Monti, President, Automotive and Discrete Group, STMicroelectronics. “This agreement with the University of Catania is an important step forward in promoting STEM curricula and encouraging young talents to pursue the exciting path of research and development of new power-electronics applications and devices that will help address the challenges of a more sustainable energy future.”

About STMicroelectronics
At ST, we are 46,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. An independent device manufacturer, we work with more than 100,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale deployment of the Internet of Things and 5G technology. Further information can be found at www.st.com.

About University of Catania
With an average enrolment of 40,000 students, the University of Catania has been around for hundreds of years since 1434 and is the oldest one in Sicily. The educational system is run and overseen by 17 departments. The Medical School for starters, and by two other educational units respectively located in the city of Ragusa as far as Modern Languages are concerned, and in Syracuse for the School of Architecture. Another special unit is the Scuola Superiore di Catania, a higher education centre based on excellence that was founded in 1998 for the selection and the recognition of the brightest young minds, offering a variety of studies including analysis, research and experimentation.

 For Press Information Contact:

Laura Sipala
Director, Media and Public Relations
STMicroelectronics
Tel: +39 039 603 5113
Email: STMicroelectronics.ufficiostampa@st.com

Mariano Campo
Head of Press Office and Internal Communication
Università di Catania
Tel: +39 095 478 8015
Email: stampa@unict.it