TSMC Partners With IISME to Promote Engineering Education; TSMC Initia

    Business Editors/Education Editors/High-Tech Editors

    SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 26, 2005--Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) (NYSE:TSM)(TSE:2330), the world's largest dedicated semiconductor foundry, today announced that it has partnered with Industry Initiatives for Science and Math Education (IISME) to promote science and engineering education among Silicon Valley K-12 students.
    In a key component of this relationship, TSMC will take part in IISME's Summer Fellowship Program, which provides Silicon Valley teachers with hands-on experience working in the technology industry for eight weeks, in this case at the TSMC North America headquarters in San Jose.
    Additionally, TSMC and space pioneer Michael Melvill, who today presents the keynote address at TSMC's annual Technology Symposium, will donate a set of exciting photographs from the SpaceShip One project. The contribution is the first to a brand-new IISME Resource Library that will provide teachers with tools they can use to invigorate interest in science and engineering among Silicon Valley students. Among the photos is a shot of earth's horizon taken by Melvill on his first flight into space.
    TSMC views the mission of IISME as very well aligned with our goal to encourage students to pursue careers in science and engineering. As an IC industry leader with facilities in Taiwan, Singapore, China and the US, and over 20,000 employees with children of their own, TSMC views early science and engineering education as a requirement for future success, both for the children and for the industries that will eventually employ them.
    "TSMC is proud to partner with IISME and support the mission of this key educational program that gives teachers real world skills to better prepare students for today's world," said Rick Cassidy, President, TSMC North America. "TSMC is committed to innovation and programs like IISME help inspire the next generation to push the boundaries of technology."
    The IISME Summer Fellowship Program places Bay Area K-12 teachers of all subjects into primarily high-technology work sites for the summer. Teachers complete challenging projects at sponsor companies, all the while devising ways to transfer their experience back to their students and colleagues. In the past 20 years, IISME has offered 1,824 Summer Fellowships to 1,059 individual teachers.
    "We are glad to have TSMC join the program as it allows educators to acquire workplace skills that will positively impact their curriculum and work with students," said Jennifer Bruckner, Executive Director, IISME. "Companies like TSMC that step up to the challenge and welcome teachers into their organization are helping provide a better future for students in the Bay Area through their efforts."

    About IISME

    Industry Initiatives for Science and Math Education (IISME) was founded in 1985 by a consortium of San Francisco Bay Area companies in partnership with the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California at Berkeley. IISME seeks to transform teaching and learning through industry-education partnerships. IISME provide teachers with the experiences and tools they need to adapt their practices and change their schools so that all students are prepared to be lifelong learners, responsible citizens and productive employees.

    About TSMC

    TSMC is the world's largest dedicated semiconductor foundry, providing the industry's leading process technology and the foundry industry's largest portfolio of process-proven library, IP, design tools and reference flows. The company operates two advanced 300mm wafer fabs, five eight-inch fabs and one six-inch wafer fab. TSMC also has substantial capacity commitments at its wholly-owned subsidiary, WaferTech and TSMC (Shanghai), and its joint venture fab, SSMC. In early 2001, TSMC became the first IC manufacturer to announce a 90nm technology alignment program with its customers. TSMC's corporate headquarters are in Hsinchu, Taiwan. For more information about TSMC please see http://www.tsmc.com.

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CONTACT: TSMC North America Dan Holden, 408-382-7921 or 408-910-1141 (cell) Dholden@tsmc.com

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA TAIWAN INTERNATIONAL ASIA PACIFIC INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS EDUCATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE MARKETING AGREEMENTS SOURCE: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company

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