High School Students Dive into Semiconductors at "Chips and Wafers" Summer Camp
Jeremy Neal
Forty high school students attended the inaugural Chips and Wafers semiconductor summer camp in Chandler, Arizona - a collaboration by the University of Arizona Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing (CSM) and Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) to introduce students to career paths in the booming semiconductor sector. The camp ran from June 10-14, 2024.
The camp kicked off with a visit to Microchip Technology, Inc., where the students donned cleanroom suits (also known as “bunny suits”) to tour the chip manufacturing line. The valuable introductory experience was followed by tours at NXP Semiconductors and Cirrus Logic, to learn about the different types of technology in which each of the companies specializes. Intel hosted the students for a discussion of different career paths. Around the visits to companies, the students engaged in hands-on experiences related to semiconductor physics, materials science, AR/VR, and AI in semiconductor manufacturing.
CSM Fellow Weigang Wang, PhD, led demonstrations and participated in the camp, along with his students John O’Brien, Scott Eckel, and Kudzai Musarandega. CSM Fellows and affiliated faculty members supported their students leading activities at camp: Richard Holloway, Howard Yawit, and Muhammed Yusufoglu (working with CSM Fellow Zafer Mutlu); Ping Chang (working with CSM Fellow Janet Roveda); Garett Reichenbach (working with CSM Fellow John Schaibley); Jaeden Carpenter, Sujan Ghimire (working with CSM Affiliated Faculty member Soheil Salehi); and Yu-Zheng Lin (working with Pratik Satam).
"We’re introducing the students to what semiconductors do and how they are part of our daily lives, and then encouraging them to consider careers in this sector," said CSM Director Liesl Folks.
CSM and CUSD are currently developing curriculum for a high school Career and Technical Education Program in Semiconductor Manufacturing (CTE-SM) set to launch in Fall 2025. The University of Arizona and CUSD Career and Technical Education Coordinator Janet Hartkopf previously partnered to create the CTE Cybersecurity Program at Basha High School.
Students who attended the Chips and Wafers camp could be among the first cohort in the nation to participate in the CTE-SM.
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