Dr. Suraj Rengarajan

Dr. Suraj Rengarajan heads the Semiconductor Products Groups for Applied Materials India and is based in Bangalore. In this role he focuses on SPG strategic objectives in India, planning and growing a customer focused organization, growing local leadership talent, enabling collaboration across the India & Asia region,and strengthening university and ecosystem partnerships.

Suraj started his career in Applied Materials, Santa Clara in 1997, where he held different roles ranging from process engineering, technology, program management, and product marketing for thin film deposition and metallization for interconnects silicides and novel memories.

He moved to India in 2007 to head the SunFab group for Applied Materials in India. Later he headed the engineering group for dielectric deposition. As the India CTO, he worked on materials engineering driven inflections to develop and commercialize new technologies.

Suraj holds a B.Tech from IIT Madras in Metallurgical Engg and earned his M.S and Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in Materials Science. He has over 15 US patents and holds more than 20 publications.

Presentation Title

Collaborative Workforce Development to address India’s Semiconductor Manufacturing Requirements

Abstract

The semiconductor industry is experiencing remarkable growth driven by the rise of IoT and AI, with projections of reaching a global market value of $1 trillion in the next few years. One of the foundational areas is the semiconductor equipment manufacturing sector, estimated to reach $150 billion by 2028, which demands specialized expertise in system design, materials engineering, and advanced knowledge of physics, chemistry, and materials science.

Investing in workforce development and fostering collaborations between industry and academia are paramount for building a skilled workforce. By aligning education with industry requirements and forging partnerships with leading academic institutions, Applied Materials India and the semiconductor industry can nurture talent, drive innovation, and contribute to ecosystem growth. Applied Materials India has established strong academic partnerships with prestigious institutions across India. These collaborations span a wide range of areas, including skilling, hand-on training, and advanced R&D on materials, chemistry, & device technologies.