{"674491":{"#nid":"674491","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology Builds the Future Microelectronics Workforce","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/amy-bonecutter-leonard-bb1a691b\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAmy Bonecutter-Leonard\u003C\/a\u003E was a second-semester undergraduate at the Georgia Institute of Technology, she applied for a work-study job in the cleanroom at the Microelectronics Research Center (MiRC). There, she learned process techniques for making the same type of electronic chips used in cellphones.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith this new knowledge, she could train and help other students with their research. At the time, Bonecutter-Leonard was a chemical engineering major with no plans to go into microelectronics. Working in the cleanroom changed that.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI fell in love with microelectronics through exposure to the research and development work performed in the cleanroom,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat started as a student job led to her taking microelectronics classes \u2014 and eventually to a career in the field. \u201cMy work-study prepared me with hands-on technical skills I would have never learned from just being in a classroom,\u201d she said. Now, Bonecutter-Leonard works as a microelectronics business chief engineer at defense contractor L3Harris Technologies.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHer story is one of many from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/nano\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EInstitute for Electronics and Nanotechnology\u003C\/a\u003E (IEN, the successor to MiRC), which has been training students from kindergarten to graduate school to be leaders in the microelectronics and nanotechnology space. The goal of IEN\u2019s outreach is to make nanotechnology and microelectronics \u2014 such as computer chips and sensors \u2014 as accessible as any other science. Ultimately, these efforts will build up the U.S. workforce in the field, ensuring the country remains at the forefront of the technology that powers Americans\u2019 everyday lives.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003EBuilding the Workforce\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBolstering the number of workers in the microelectronics industry is imperative to keep the U.S. globally competitive. Right now, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.semiconductors.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/SIA-Impact_May2021-FINAL-May-19-2021_2.pdf\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E40% of the industry\u0027s labor force\u003C\/a\u003E is older than 50, with practitioners aging out of their careers at a pace new talent cannot match. Additionally, heavy educational barriers to entry, including required degrees and specialized training, prevent more people from pursuing careers in the field. Without dedicated efforts, the entire sector \u2014 and the nation \u2014 will fall behind.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIEN is working to solve this pipeline problem.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWith the national semiconductor workforce aging, it is important now more than ever that we educate the next generation to move into these jobs,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/michael-filler\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMichael Filler\u003C\/a\u003E, IEN\u2019s interim executive director. \u201cIEN is proud to support the semiconductor industry by providing students with the interdisciplinary skills and hands-on technical training essential for success in this fast-paced, global field.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech is uniquely positioned to lead this charge with its 28,500 square feet of academic cleanroom space, the largest in the Southeast and among the largest in the U.S. From micro-electro-mechanical systems to electronics fabrication, workers have 100 bays in which to conduct leading-edge research. These cleanrooms are also key teaching and training facilities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIEN invites anyone from around the world, whether affiliated with the Institute or not, to become \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/nano\/become-core-user\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ea core user of the cleanroom facilities\u003C\/a\u003E. The center also regularly hosts \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/nano\/short-course\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eshort courses for external partners\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 academic, industry, and government \u2014 in microfabrication and soft lithography for microfluidics. Over the past three years, more than 700 people went through new-user orientation, and 193 enrolled in the short courses.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003ETeaching the Next Generation\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMaking nanotechnology \u2014 of which microelectronics is an example \u2014 educationally accessible begins before college. Each semester, more than 800 K-12 students participate in IEN\u2019s Introduction to Nanotechnology virtual lesson. Associate Director for Education and Outreach \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/mikkel-thomas\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMikkel Thomas\u003C\/a\u003E begins his presentations by asking a simple question: What do you know about nanotechnology?\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u201cAbout 99% of the time, they say that\u2019s what makes Ironman\u2019s suit work,\u201d said Thomas. \u201cThat means they\u2019ve learned the wrong lesson \u2014 that nanotechnology is a futuristic tech and that you have to be as smart as Tony Stark to work in the field. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u201cBut most people interact with nanotechnology multiple times throughout their day, and they have no idea they\u0027re doing it.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThomas also emphasizes there is a career path for everyone, even if they don\u2019t plan to get a traditional four-year degree. Part of IEN\u2019s workforce development initiative is to build up the entire pipeline from industry and research lab technicians at the certificate level to postdoctoral researchers.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s important for us to reach kids who don\u2019t know what career options are available in nanotechnology,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cWe want them to know that whatever they\u0027re interested in, there is a pathway for them.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSixth- through eighth-grade \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/08\/24\/ien-opens-its-doors-chip-camp\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Estudents sparked by this conversation can attend Chip Camp\u003C\/a\u003E, a three-day STEM summer camp sponsored by Micron. They begin with a day at IEN to learn about thin films, magic sands, ferrofluids, and measuring their height in nanometers. The rest of the camp features hands-on visits to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mcf.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMaterials Characterization Facility\u003C\/a\u003E (MCF) and the IEN cleanroom, where they can try on the white \u201cbunny suits\u201d technicians wear in the lab.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nTo further their reach, IEN\u2019s workforce development team collaborates with teachers to bring nanotechnology into classrooms. During the summer, IEN offers the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/senic.gatech.edu\/research-experience-for-teachers\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EResearch Experience for Teachers\u003C\/a\u003E, a training program for public school and community college teachers to conduct nanotechnology research and learn how to incorporate it into their lessons. Middle school teachers have similar opportunities through the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nnci.net\/opportunities-educators\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENanoscience Summer Institute for Middle School Teachers\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003ETraining the Workforce\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen these students get to a university like Georgia Tech, IEN hires them for work-study jobs like the one Bonecutter-Leonard had. The hands-on cleanroom training is also vital to graduate students pursuing advanced degrees.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nKatie Young earned her Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Georgia Tech. Learning her way around the IEN cleanroom was essential for her graduate studies.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u201cMy dissertation research involved synthesizing two-dimensional materials \u2014 only a single atom thick \u2014 for permeation barriers,\u201d she explained. \u201cI often used the cleanroom\u2019s vacuum systems to synthesize and process 2D materials.\u201d Now a research scientist at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/a\u003E, Young still works in the cleanroom on semiconductor device fabrication, building prototype quantum and biological sensors.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nIEN opportunities are not limited to graduate research. Annually, about \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/nano\/graduate-undergraduate-labs\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E150 Georgia Tech undergraduate students take microelectronics packaging and devices classes\u003C\/a\u003E, with labs taught by IEN staff in the teaching cleanroom. These courses include \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/courses\/ece4452\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EIntegrated Circuit Fabrication\u003C\/a\u003E (ECE 4452), in which students learn to fabricate circuit elements, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/catalog.gatech.edu\/coursesaz\/chbe\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EScience and Engineering of Microelectronic Fabrication\u003C\/a\u003E (ChBE 4050\/6050, open to graduate students as well), for students interested in semiconductor materials and fabrication.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStudents don\u2019t need to enroll at Georgia Tech to benefit from training, courses, and other opportunities. IEN\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/nano\/tech-college-internship\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Einternship program provides technical college students\u003C\/a\u003E with training to become microelectronics technicians, either through work in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sums.gatech.edu\/articles\/aboutus2\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBiocleanroom\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;or in the MCF.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003EEmpowering Future Innovators\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIEN also participates in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/crssprgm\/reu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENational Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates\u003C\/a\u003E (REU), which provides opportunities for students from underrepresented groups or who attend schools without similar facilities. While enrolled at another university, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/john-mark-page-0113b1197?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAC4nlc0BaGLTSVU5ywESVsWVCabGIOKM-ZQ\u0026amp;lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3B%2F31%2BYaIASbCmV6z4uhMjMA%3D%3D\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJohn Mark Page\u003C\/a\u003E was introduced to Georgia Tech\u2019s cleanroom through an REU. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u201cThat was my first exposure to any facility of this kind, and it felt like I was looking at the future. Being in a facility that can fabricate devices at or near the atomic level \u2014 it was hard to fathom,\u201d Page said. \u201cI had never thought that participating in microelectronics and nanotechnology as a student, especially as an undergraduate, was something I could do.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs a result of his REU, Page transferred to Georgia Tech \u2014 he will graduate this summer with a bachelor\u2019s degree in electrical engineering. He also completed a second REU at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, worked as a student assistant in the IEN cleanroom, and participated in a Vertically Integrated Project (VIP), \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.vip.gatech.edu\/teams\/vvg\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EChip Scale Power and Energy\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u201cI was interested in the VIP because it allowed me to spend more time in the cleanroom, familiarizing myself with semiconductor fabrication methods and training on new fabrication equipment,\u201d Page explained. His experiences inspired him to consider a future career in the semiconductor industry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt wasn\u2019t only the 10-week experience of the REU that made a lasting impact on me,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was also the relationships formed with the people of IEN. The staff there are exceptional representatives of Georgia Tech, and they make IEN a tremendous asset to the future of microelectronics and nanotechnology in the U.S.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/biya-haile-22595b142?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAACKrLH0BFwQ7XTHIYco3v-M1izGl6PrMZMg\u0026amp;lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3BJUbc9qVsQ9ysDmbFWMlI5Q%3D%3D\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBiya Haile\u003C\/a\u003E, an ECE Ph.D. student, had a similarly meaningful REU experience. Haile, whose research focuses on creating micro-electro-mechanical systems-based sensors (MEMS), described the REU as \u201cimmersive.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe REU project enabled me to study chemical micro-sensor technologies, as well as state-of-the-art additive nano-manufacturing techniques, which has contributed to my research,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel lucky that my academic journey has entailed developing new technologies that use nanoscience to solve big problems.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile Haile is currently focused more on designing and testing rapid processes for fabricating MEMS-based devices, he still occasionally works in the cleanroom on fabrication. He plans to go into the microelectronics industry after graduating.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003EThe Path Ahead\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAll of IEN\u2019s training and educational offerings align with IEN\u2019s mission to bolster and diversify the microelectronics workforce, according to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/george-white\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge White\u003C\/a\u003E, senior director of strategic partnerships for the Georgia Tech research enterprise. \u201cIEN has been at the forefront of the CHIPS infrastructure buildout, particularly in the area of education and workforce development,\u201d he noted.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIEN\u2019s efforts impact not just Atlanta but the entire country. Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in microelectronics research trains the innovators and practitioners of the future everywhere and ensures that America stays at the forefront of leading-edge technology. As demand increases for microelectronics, IEN is moving to meet it.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEffective July 1, 2024, the Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology and the Institute for Materials will evolve into the Institute for Matter and Systems (IMS). This strategic union aims to foster convergent research at Georgia Tech, focusing on the science, technology, and societal underpinnings of cutting-edge materials and devices. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/vogel-lead-institute-matter-and-systems\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEric Vogel\u003C\/a\u003E will be the director of IMS, and Michael Filler will be the deputy director.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The center offers educational experiences for students of all ages, as well as teachers and external partners, which will help the U.S. meet the demand for the technology that infuses our daily lives. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe center offers educational experiences for students of all ages, as well as teachers and external partners, which will help the U.S. meet the demand for the technology that infuses our daily lives.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The center offers educational experiences for students of all ages, as well as teachers and external partners, which will help the U.S. meet the demand for the technology that infuses our daily lives. "}],"uid":"35272","created_gmt":"2024-05-02 18:00:26","changed_gmt":"2024-05-02 19:32:38","author":"aneumeister3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673928":{"id":"673928","type":"image","title":"Summer_Teachers_Program.png","body":null,"created":"1714672836","gmt_created":"2024-05-02 18:00:36","changed":"1714672836","gmt_changed":"2024-05-02 18:00:36","alt":"Mikkel Thomas speakers with K-12 Educators during a summer training","file":{"fid":"257384","name":"Summer_Teachers_Program.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/Summer_Teachers_Program.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/Summer_Teachers_Program.png","mime":"image\/png","size":693730,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/02\/Summer_Teachers_Program.png?itok=tXOT7fzL"}},"673929":{"id":"673929","type":"image","title":"Chips_camp.jpg","body":null,"created":"1714672908","gmt_created":"2024-05-02 18:01:48","changed":"1714672908","gmt_changed":"2024-05-02 18:01:48","alt":"Students pose in bunny suits during Chips Camp.","file":{"fid":"257385","name":"Chips_camp.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/Chips_camp.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/Chips_camp.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1152537,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/02\/Chips_camp.jpg?itok=tJubqmTw"}}},"media_ids":["673928","673929"],"groups":[{"id":"217141","name":"Georgia Tech Materials Institute"},{"id":"197261","name":"Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187433","name":"go-ien"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMedia Contact: Tess Malone, Senior Research Writer\/Editor \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:tess.malone@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Etess.malone@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}