In this episode of Micro Journeys, host Daniel Marrujo sits down with Tsu-Jae King Liu, President of the National Academy of Engineering and trailblazer in semiconductor research. From her unexpected career pivot away from medicine to her pivotal role in shaping the future of microelectronics, Liu shares a remarkable journey filled with breakthroughs that continue to influence how we live, work, and communicate.

The conversation dives into her groundbreaking contributions to FinFET technology, the transistor innovation that powers today’s AI revolution, smartphones, and supercomputers. Liu also unpacks the challenges of bridging the gap between academic research and industry, the looming energy demands of AI, and how the Microelectronics Commons Program aims to secure U.S. technological competitiveness. At the core of her insights is the urgent call for a strong engineering workforce and smarter innovation pipelines.

Ultimately, Liu highlights how collaboration, disruptive innovation, and an educated workforce can ensure that the U.S. not only keeps pace with global competitors but leads the way in defining the future of technology.

What You’ll Discover in This Episode

• [01:16] Why an anatomy lab visit turned Liu away from medicine and toward engineering.
• [08:28] How collaboration at UC Berkeley led to the first demonstrations of the FinFET.
• [09:57] The staggering fact: more FinFETs have been produced than grains of sand on Earth.
• [23:58] Why data centers may require nuclear plants to keep AI running.
• [28:25] How neuromorphic computing and new architectures could reduce AI’s energy use by 1,000x.
• [34:41] Liu’s role at the National Academy of Engineering and why a strong U.S. engineering workforce is critical.

Let’s Connect:

• Daniel Marrujo
• Tsu-Jae King Liu
• TSS Website

Learn more about TSS: https://tss.llc/micro-journeys-podcast/

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