FAST Names Robert Stone Interim CEO and Principal Investigator

Dr. Stone steps in to lead coalition unifying Oregon’s semiconductor industry

CORVALLIS, Ore. (September 10, 2025) – Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology (FAST), a consortium of AI and semiconductor-focused companies, workforce development providers, community-based organizations, and state and local agencies, announced that Dr. Robert Stone has been named Interim CEO and Principal Investigator.

As a Senior Advisor to the Provost for Strategic Initiatives at Oregon State University (OSU), he also leads the Impact Studio—an initiative hub within the Office of the Provost designed to develop and launch transformative projects aligned with OSU’s strategic priorities. Additionally, he is a Professor in the School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering (MIME) and a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

“I am honored to join FAST as CEO. The organization’s mission to unify and align Oregon’s AI and semiconductor industries resonates deeply with me, and I look forward to working alongside this diverse coalition to build on its successes and pursue new opportunities for impact,” said Dr. Stone.

From 2018 to 2022, Dr. Stone served as the Division Director of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation at the National Science Foundation (NSF), overseeing critical federal investments in research and innovation.

“Dr. Stone is a dynamic leader whose background in academia, government, and applied research makes him uniquely suited to lead FAST as they compete for NSF Funding,” said Jayathi Murthy, president of Oregon State University. “We are confident his vision and experience will guide FAST and Oregon’s AI and semiconductor industries toward continued growth and innovation.” 

Dr. Stone takes over for Dr. Tom Weller, who has been appointed Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno. Dr. Weller will continue to serve as a strategic advisor to FAST.

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The Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology (FAST) consortium includes over 95 organizations from multiple economic sectors, throughout the Willamette Valley and into central Oregon. FAST is revolutionizing integrated circuit manufacturing in Oregon and will develop an interconnected semiconductor ecosystem to benefit the Oregon economy, support the U.S. semiconductor industry, and boost other industry sectors reliant on integrated circuits.