University of California-Irvine said today that Aliso Viejo-based chipmaker Microsemi Corp. donated $1.5 million to the university. Those funds will be combined with $500,000 in matching funds from the UC Office of the President to establish the Microsemi Presidential Chair in Electrical Engineering.
The $2 million total endowment will support efforts including research, teaching, equipment and graduate fellowships.
More than 50% of UCI students in the engineering school are in the department of electrical engineering & computer science. With close ties to industry, the department develops and refines its curricula to meet real-world demands and accommodate rapid changes in technology, according to the university.
Last August, Microsemi bought the naming rights of the Los Angeles Rams practice facility at UCI in a one-year deal.
