When women are given equal opportunities, they don’t just participate in deep tech—they lead innovation

As International Women’s Day approaches, Semiconductor For You celebrates women shaping the future of technology. In this special interaction, Vaishali Umredkar, Editor of Semiconductor For You speaks with Dr. Priyanshi, Principal Integration Engineer at GlobalFoundries, about her journey from academic semiconductor research to advanced fab integration, her role in enabling AI and next-generation chips, and her message to young women aspiring to build careers in semiconductor technology.

You transitioned from academic semiconductor research to real-world fab integration at GlobalFoundries. What were the most significant learnings in moving from theory to manufacturing-scale semiconductor processes?

Moving from academia to manufacturing was both exciting and eye-opening. Academia gave me a strong foundation in device physics, however, in the fab, I got exposure to the real conditions and process interactions. I also learned the importance of variability, tool dependencies and tight process control.

A major shift was understanding consistency at scale — manufacturing is not about achieving performance once but delivering it reliably across wafers and lots. I learned the depth of process integration, where every step interacts with others. This transition helped me evolve from a device-focused researcher into a manufacturability-driven integration engineer.

As a Principal Integration Engineer supporting advanced fabrication technologies, how does your work contribute to enabling AI, HPC, and next-generation communication chips globally?

In my role as a Principal Integration Engineer in the New Product Introduction team at GlobalFoundries, I work on bringing advanced fabrication technologies from development into production. Our focus is on engineering high-performance chips across RF, power, and logic platforms that ultimately enable applications like AI, High Performance Computing, and next-generation communications.

My work involves optimizing key trade-offs between performance, power, area, and cost. We perform deep data-driven engineering using extensive electrical test (ET) to ET, ET-to-inline, and inline-to-inline correlations to understand process sensitivities and drive improvements.

By continuously refining process integration and reducing variability, we help improve device efficiency, scalability, and reliability. These improvements directly translate into better-performing chips that power global technologies such as AI computing, high-performance data centers, and advanced communication systems

GlobalFoundries operates fabs overseas while engineers like you contribute remotely from India. How critical is this distributed engineering model to modern semiconductor manufacturing?

Distributed engineering is a strategic enabler of modern semiconductor manufacturing. At GlobalFoundries, innovation happens at both fab locations and non-fab sites, driven by globally connected teams.

From India, we have real-time access to fab data including lot tracking, process flows and tool-level insights. This allows us to make informed engineering decisions and contribute meaningfully. This model brings together global talent, enables round-the-clock innovation and accelerates problem-solving. It reflects how the semiconductor industry is evolving into a truly distributed, high-collaboration ecosystem while maintaining manufacturing excellence.

You mention the importance of inclusive culture and equal opportunity. From your experience, what workplace factors most strongly enable women engineers to thrive in deep-tech semiconductor roles?

For women to thrive in deep-tech semiconductor roles, the biggest enabler is an inclusive and supportive culture. When workplaces value merit and create equal opportunities, women gain the confidence to lead and innovate.  Another key enabler is flexibility which includes hybrid work and supportive policies. This also makes demanding careers more sustainable.

At GlobalFoundries, I’ve experienced how right culture unlocks potential. Here, career growth depends on performance and fitment, but it also comes with mentoring and a supportive culture that elevates all employees.  We also have strong women-focused Employee Resource Groups that enable women to network, access mentoring and find opportunities to gain experience and grow.

Having come from a small town to advanced semiconductor R&D, what message would you share with young women in India aspiring to careers in chip technology and fabrication?

To every young woman in India dreaming of a career in chip technology, I would like to say that your background does not define your destination. Coming from a small town should never limit your ambition. If you have curiosity and determination, this field is absolutely within your reach.

Semiconductor technology may seem complex, but it rewards persistence and passion. Keep learning, stay consistent, work with purpose and trust your journey. The world of chips and innovation is waiting for you and it needs more women shaping its future.