Leading Microelectronic Engineering Education to New Horizons

微电子工程系的这一系级改革项目建议进行重大改革：(1)为非微电子科学和工程专业提供半导体加工辅修课程，以促进其他专业的学生获得最先进的半导体制造设施；(2)开发纳米技术和MEMS专业的专业课程；(3)在现有的微电子课程中，通过消除遗留材料和课程整合，制定五门课程的选修顺序；(4)建立外展课程，目标是更多和多样化的参与，特别是女性和代表不足的少数族裔学生，为国家未来的高科技产业准备劳动力；以及(5)通过合作就业和包含服务学习组件的多学科项目来促进学生的学习。令人难以置信的缩小晶体管彻底改变了小型化的科学技术，使其不仅在电子领域，而且在机械、光子学、生物、磁学和化学领域也得到了应用。这个项目将为学生提供将他们的知识应用于新领域所需的基础和视野。RIT项目的实践性质，加上其强大的实验室组成部分和综合的产业合作经验，在美国大学中脱颖而出。RIT的微电子工程系拥有良好的记录，在近四分之一个世纪的时间里一直保持着独特的计划，同时与最新的技术进步保持同步。提议团队由多学科的学术人员组成，他们在课程开发和研究与教育相结合方面具有丰富的经验。该项目的COOP项目协调员在行业合作安置、职业咨询和建议、培训交付和人员招聘方面拥有20多年的进步经验。传统微电子学正在向包括MEMS、纳米技术和柔性电子学在内的新领域延伸。未来所需劳动力的发展将要求学生在他们的学科之外学习各种课程。拟议的实施补助金将使非微电子专业的学生在他们的学科之外学习五门课程，从而扩大他们的职业机会，并为工业界提供具有当前和相关技能的工程师。该计划的实施还将为新领域的研究生研究培养合格的学生，这对保持我国的创新优势至关重要。拟议中的半导体加工辅修课程有一个重要的实验室部分，这将允许学生更多地接触到该系在过去23年中开发的最先进的制造设施中的实验室。该提案中提出的倡议将以更多妇女和少数群体的参与为目标。

This department level reform project in a department of Microelectronic Engineering proposes to institute major reform to: (1) offer a semiconductor processing minor for non-microelectronic science and engineering programs promoting access to state-of-the art semiconductor fabrication facilities to students from other programs; (2) develop a concentration program in nanotechnology and MEMS; (3) craft a five course elective sequence within the existing microelectronic curriculum by eliminating legacy material and course consolidation (4) build outreach programs for targeting larger and diverse participation, particularly from women and underrepresented minority students, in preparing the workforce for the nation's future high tech industry; and (5) enhance student learning through co-op employment and multidisciplinary projects that include service learning component.Intellectual Merit. The incredible shrinking transistor has revolutionized the science and technology of miniaturization and enabled applications not only in electronics but also in mechanics, photonics, biology, magnetics and chemistry. This project will provide students with the foundation and vision needed to apply their knowledge to new frontiers. The hands-on nature of the RIT program, with its strong laboratory component and integrated industrial cooperative experience, stands out among U.S. universities. RIT's department of Microelectronic Engineering has a proven track record and has sustained a unique program over nearly a quarter-century, all the while keeping current with the latest technological advancements. The proposing team consists of multidisciplinary academic faculty with strong prior experience in curriculum development and integrating research with education. The coop program coordinators with this program have over twenty years of progressive experience in industrial co-op placement, career counseling and advisement, training delivery, and personnel recruitment.Broader Impact. Conventional microelectronics is extending into new frontiers that include MEMS, nanotechnology and flexible electronics. The development of the necessary workforce for the future will require students to access various courses outside their discipline. The proposed implementation grant will result in non-microelectronic students taking five courses outside their discipline, thereby expanding their career opportunities and providing industry with engineers having current and relevant skills. The implementation will also produce well-qualified students for graduate research in new frontiers that will be critical to maintaining our nation's innovation edge. The courses in the proposed semiconductor processing minor have a significant laboratory component that will allow greater student access to labs in the state-of-the-art fabrication facility that the department has developed over the last 23 years. The initiatives proposed in this proposal will target larger participation of women and minorities.