Have you ever heard of semiconductors? These specialized materials, also known as microchips, are the basis of practically all modern electronics, like smartphones and computers, rendering them invaluable in our everyday lives.
Recently, Intel Corporation, one of the largest semiconductor chip manufacturers in the world, began construction of a chip manufacturing facility mega-site in Ohio, paving the way for a large boost in demand for workers in the semiconductor industry in the region. Nationally, US Funding bodies, such as the National Science Foundation, are creating funding opportunities designed to spur semiconductor development and manufacturing in the United States as part of the 2022 Chips and Science Act.
An NSF Future of Semiconductors (FuSe) grant led by UC Applied Science Assistant Professor Sarah Watzman and in collaboration with four other academic institutions, aims to contribute. UC Center for Public Engagement with Science (PEWS) is playing a central role in the grant’s workforce development plan, which has a central theme of technology communication. As a co-PI on the grant, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and PEWS Assistant Director Melissa Jacquart will lead efforts that seek to educate and develop faculty, students, and the future workforce to be leaders in the semiconductor industry.
Through annual workshops, the project PIs and their grad students will be equipped with science and technology communication and outreach best practices. Additionally, graduate students working with each PI institution will test-drive a new technology communication micro-course led by Dr. Jacquart on how to communicate their research to the public and identify transferable skills to make themselves marketable to industry employers. This course will serve as a blueprint for the launch of a micro-credential in technology communication with integrated Industry-recognized credentials that seeks to educate and develop faculty, students, and the future workforce to be leaders in the semiconductor industry.
Assisting Jacquart with the PI workshops and micro-credential development are three NSF FuSe PEWS Graduate Student Fellows: This spring, Nitin Gopinath, a master’s student in Materials Science and Engineering, is assisting Jacquart in researching existing semiconductor outreach and micro-credential efforts. Oluwaseun Adekoya, a PhD Candidate in the Mechanical Engineering department, and Vincent del Prado a doctoral candidate in Philosophy will join the team in May, with all three fellows assisting with the inaugural PI workshop training. Over the summer, Adekoya and del Prado will continue to support the program with preparations for future steps.
Ultimately, the project aims to have PIs and graduate students work together to create an undergraduate outreach activity and a K-12 outreach activity, with the goal of raising interest in and awareness of jobs in the semiconductor industry. These activities will be designed to work in conjunction with other workforce development activities and include industry partnerships that will help bolster the growing regional demand for leadership and skilled workers in the semiconductor industry.
This grant was also featured in the Cincinnati Business Courier here.
