Patrick Wellenius is the Director of Engineering for CLAWS (Commercial Leap Ahead for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors), a Microelectronics Commons regional innovation hub led by North Carolina State University that accelerates lab to fab transitions for wide bandgap semiconductor technologies. Within CLAWS, he leads the team responsible for establishing comprehensive capabilities at the hub’s research foundry that integrate materials, wafer fabrication, packaging, test, and design. The CLAWS hub leverages those capabilities in support of innovative foundry programs that transition semiconductor technologies from concept to real-world defense and dual-use applications.
With over 20 years of experience across industry and academia, Patrick has established expertise in process integration, materials synthesis, and the transition of semiconductor technologies from development to production. Prior to CLAWS, he held roles at HZO, Protochips, and Phononic. Patrick earned his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from North Carolina State University. His graduate research focused on electronic and optoelectronic devices incorporating wide bandgap semiconductor materials, leading to more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and one granted patent.