As a partner in the U.S.-Japan University Partnership for Workforce Advancement and Research & Development in Semiconductors (UPWARDS) for the Future Network, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is deepening research collaborations with Japan.

Associate Professor Trevor Rhone, Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy, traveled to Tohoku University in Japan on June 22-26, 2025. The purpose of Professor Rhone’s visit was to engage in collaborative research on quantum materials with Takafumi Sato, a Professor in the Materials Physics Group at Tohoku. Professor Rhone also presented a seminar on Materials Discovery to students and faculty at Tohoku.

The UPWARDS for the Future Network is funded by Micron, Tokyo Electro, and the National Science Foundation to advance semiconductor workforce development and research. Through UPWARDS, RPI seeks to deepen ties with partners in the U.S. and Japan through research collaborations, faculty and student exchanges, and joint curriculum development.