Collaborative Research: Beginnings: Experiential-learning-based Undergraduate Semiconductor Workforce Exploration

University Of South Alabama, Mobile AL

Investigators

Abstract

This project will contribute to development of a diverse, globally and locally (central area of the Gulf Coast) competitive semiconductor workforce, including women and other underrepresented minorities. In particular, the project will (1) increase strong partnerships and collaborations (both domestic and international) between academia, industry, and others; (2) improve and impact education and training of the advanced semiconductor workforce of the future; (3) align and incorporate industrial, professional, and technical standards in teaching and learning, thereby enabling participating students to have clear and smooth career pathways; (4) integrate systematic approaches to advance inclusive and equitable semiconductor education practices; (5) build capacity for the University to respond rapidly to changes in the workforce needed by the semiconductor industry; and (6) investigate student success in academia and in the semiconductor industry and associated fields. In addition, this project will practice and apply experiential learning pedagogy in emerging technology workforce exploration and demonstrate the effectiveness of the experiential learning theory in promoting and enhancing semiconductor workforce development. The Experiential-learning-based Undergraduate Semiconductor Workforce Exploration (E-USem) team will leverage strong industry-academic partnerships to advance and support the development of a skilled semiconductor workforce. Fundamental contributions and innovations to be developed by the team include: (1) Use of Kolb’s experiential learning theory to strengthen the workforce exploration and implement evidence-based instructional and inclusive practices. (2) Conducting seven unique experiential learning activities through collaboration between industry and academia. The E-USem team will first undertake core work such as development of the semiconductor course package; based on the course package, the team will create and develop a new Semiconductor Engineering concentration and Certificate program, a curriculum-sharing program, a summer program, and a Bridge Program. An Electronic Design Automation tool will be developed as well. (3) Systematically embedding diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the proposed E-USem activities from student recruitment, educational program design, to course design. This project aligns with the NSF ExLENT Program, as it seeks to support experiential learning opportunities for individuals from diverse professional and educational backgrounds to increase their interest in, and their access to, career pathways in emerging technology fields. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.