Sankha Banerjee, Ph.D. (Email: sankhab@csufresno.edu)

Dr. Sankha Banerjee is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at California State University, Fresno, where he founded and directs the Energy Devices and Plasma Applications Laboratory (EdPL) and the Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis research facilities. He earned his Ph.D. from Rutgers University and completed postdoctoral research at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. His research focuses on plasma engineering, materials processing, and semiconductor manufacturing applications, and he has secured research funding from agencies like DoD, NIST, USDA, NSF, and companies like Qualcom. As Principal Investigator of the PLASMA initiative, Dr. Banerjee leads a multi-institutional partnership developing the semiconductor manufacturing workforce and creating experiential learning opportunities and career pathways in emerging technology fields.

Edgar Perez-Lopez, Ph.D. (Email: Edgar.Perez-Lopez@muegge-gerling.com)

Dr. Edgar Perez Lopez is an industry expert with extensive experience in semiconductor process engineering and a senior leader at Gerling Applied Engineering (Muegge). As a key partner in the PLASMA initiative, he brings deep industry expertise to workforce development, leading hands-on technical training in semiconductor manufacturing processes, equipment operation, and safety protocols. Dr. Perez Lopez oversees the certification process for all undergraduate participants and provides career mentoring, ensuring that training aligns with current industry standards and prepares students for successful careers in the semiconductor .

Jose Millan Higuera, Ph.D. (Email: jahiguera@cpp.edu)

Dr. Jose A. Millan Higuera is an Assistant Professor of Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona, specializing in plasma processes and computational methods. His research focuses on advancing somaFOAM, an OpenFOAM-based plasma simulation platform, and he actively collaborates with industry partners on real-world semiconductor applications. Dr. Millan Higuera leads Cal Poly Pomona's contributions to computational modeling, AI-driven applications, and hands-on learning programs, integrating emerging technologies into research and teaching to advance plasma and semiconductor engineering while providing mentorship and workforce development opportunities for students.