Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Sunnyvale, California, United States, that develops computer processors and related technologies for business and consumer markets. While initially it manufactured its own processors, the company became fabless after GlobalFoundries was spun off in 2009. AMD’s main products include microprocessors, motherboardchipsets, embedded processors and graphics processors for servers, workstations and personal computers, and embedded systems applications.
AMD is the second-largest global supplier of microprocessors based on the x86 architecture and also one of the largest suppliers of graphics processing units. It also owns 8.6% of Spansion, a supplier of non-volatile flash memory.
AMD is the only significant rival to Intel in the central processor (CPU) market for (x86 based) personal computers. Since acquiring ATI in 2006, AMD and its competitor Nvidia have dominated the discrete graphics processor unit (GPU) market.
AMD Changing the Game, an initiative of the AMD Foundation, is AMD’s global signature education program designed to take gaming beyond entertainment, and inspire youth to learn. The program teaches kids how to create their own video games on subjects such as energy and the environment and other important social issues. By creating games, students learn science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills as well as problem solving, critical thinking, language skills and teamwork. They are so engaged in the process they don’t realize how much they are learning.
According to the 2009 High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE)1, a full two-thirds of American high school students report being bored in class every day. Yet, those same students who are tuning out in school are turning on to video games outside of school. By leveraging kids’ interest in video games, AMD Changing the Game can play an important role in helping students become excited about school. It can also help them discover a new passion or future. AMD Donates for Nonprofit Organizations.
Diane Stapley
AMD Austin
2012 AMD Volunteer of the Year Award Winner
2012 Global Volunteer Excellence Award Winner
Diane leverages her leadership abilities outside the office to motivate other volunteers. She shows exceptional dedication to getting the work done (even getting dirty!) and brings real-world, meaningful experiences to students in her community. Diane devoted her time this year to mentoring students in East Austin Prep’s Globaloria program, which teaches valuable STEM skills to students in grade 6-8 by including computer game programming courses in their required curriculum. She also works with the neo-natal “bottle baby” kitten program at AustinPetsAlive.
“Volunteering with a diverse set of people, including various age ranges, abilities, technical aptitudes and backgrounds, outside of the office has really influenced how I approach situations at the office. I’m currently mentoring two AMD individuals as well and having these volunteer experiences outside of an engineering company is providing me real-life examples that I can draw on to offer them advice as well as consider new ways to lead the teams I’m part of at AMD.”
Elizabeth Conrad
AMD Sunnyvale
2012 AMD Volunteer of the Year Finalist
2012 Global Volunteer Excellence Award Winner
Elizabeth is dedicated to making a great impact on the lives of students as they explore their future careers. She works with the Boys and Girls Club of Silicon Valley, which provides programs for 150 kids daily and offers innovative and effective after-school and summer youth development programs for low income, high-risk Santa Clara County youth. Elizabeth has devoted her time to a plethora of activities and events, including youth tours of AMD and EA Games, career day events and STEM events.
“It was very refreshing to me to see how ‘cool’ AMD was through the eyes of the groups that toured Sunnyvale. My activities with the club help with my confidence, being calm under pressure and my perspective of what is truly important.”
