Planning Grant for a National ATE Center in Micro-and Nanoscale Manufacturing

在过去的十年中，微加工已经与纳米加工相结合，据估计，美国在未来10年将需要80万到100万新的纳米加工工人。有几个行业正在推动这种劳动力需求。首先是传统上使用微型和纳米技术的成熟行业，如微电子、信息存储、光电子等。第二种是由这项技术创造的新产业，如MEMS、nem、纳米生物技术和纳米电子初创企业。第三个驱动部门是由现有的主要行业组成的，这些行业以前从未使用过微纳米技术，但现在正在积极接受它。其中包括制药和化学工业等巨头，以及粘土和玻璃等更传统的行业。各级都需要具有微纳米制造技能的员工。在更高级的级别（工程师及以上），工人需要具有专业技能。然而，在技术人员层面，大多数新的纳米制造工作都需要一套通用的技能。对于使用微型和纳米技术的公司来说，技术人员所需的技能是相同的，无论他们生产的是电子、机电、生物、化学还是任何其他类型的系统。随着微纳米技术的发展和新机遇的出现，这种单一技能组合的方法为学生提供了一个背景，使他们能够在不同的行业部门之间来回移动。通过教育学生广泛的纳米制造应用，我们培养了一支更多才多艺的劳动力，更不容易受到特定行业商业周期的影响。针对技术级微纳米制造工人所需的通用技能的课程已经开发出来，并且正在由现有的NSF纳米制造教育区域中心不断改进。这个实践课程利用了宾夕法尼亚州立大学的NSF NNUN网站来支持全国第一个在宾夕法尼亚社区学院和其他机构提供的纳米制造副学士学位课程，以及为教育工作者和工业人员提供的专业发展研讨会，以及为中学生提供的夏季芯片夏令营。本规划项目的目的是探索利用现有的NSF纳米制造教育区域中心和其他计划和资源，建立一个国家微纳米制造持续时间ATE中心的可行性。该项目正在确定并吸引对这种国家努力感兴趣的行业合作伙伴、教育机构和资源，以及微纳米制造用户设施，确定纳米制造技术人员教育的集中设施方法的最佳实践替代方案，并评估一个统一的国家中心解决微纳米制造技能的可行性。

Over the past decade, microfabrication has been combined with nanofabrication, and it is estimated that the United States will need between 800,000 and 1 million new nanofabrication workers in the next 10 years. Several industry sectors are driving this workforce need. First are the established industries that traditionally use micro- and nanotechnology, such as microelectronics, information storage, optoelectronics, and others. Second are industries that have been newly created by this technology, such the MEMS, NEMs, nanobiotechnology, and nanoelectronics start-ups. A third driving sector is composed of existing major industries that previously have never used micro- and nanotechnology but are now actively embracing it. Among these are giants such as the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, and even more traditional industries like clay and glass. Employees with skills in micro- and nanofabrication are needed at all levels. At the more advanced levels (engineers and above), workers are needed with specialized skills. At the technician level, however, where the majority of new nanofabrication jobs will be, a generic skill set is needed. The skill set needed at the technician level is identical for companies using micro- and nanotechnology whether they are producing electronic, electromechanical, biological, chemical, or any other kind of system. With this single skill set approach, students are given a background that allows them to move back and forth across industry sectors, as micro- and nanotechnology evolves and new opportunities arise. By educating students across the broad spectrum of nanofabrication applications, we develop a workforce that is more versatile and less vulnerable to the business cycles of specific industries. Curriculum addressing the generic skill set needed for technician-level micro- and nanofabrication workers has already been developed and is being continuously improved by the existing NSF Regional Center for Manufacturing Education in Nanofabrication. This hands-on curriculum leverages the Penn State site of the NSF NNUN to support the nation's first associate degree programs in nanofabrication offered at community colleges and other institutions across Pennsylvania, as well as professional development workshops for educators and industry personnel, and summer chip camps for secondary schools students.The purpose of this planning project is to explore the feasibility of leveraging the existing NSF Regional Center for Manufacturing Education in Nanofabrication and other programs and resources to establish a national ATE center for micro-and nanofabrication duration. The project is identifying and engaging industry partners, educational institutions and resources, and micro- and nanofabrication user facilities interested in such a national effort, identifying best practice alternatives to the centralized facility approach to nanofabrication technician education, and assessing the feasibility of one, unifying national center addressing micro- and nanofabrication skills.