RCN:SC: MSN Force: A Midwest Semiconductor Collaborative Network for Work Force Training

半导体产业对美国的国家安全、经济和社会有着重要的影响。半导体芯片的持续短缺已经影响到全国各地的不同行业，对国内半导体产业和依赖这些芯片的下游行业造成了重大后果。为了解决这一问题，并推进和维持美国在半导体行业的领导地位，联邦、州和行业层面已经采取了各种举措，以支持和促进国内芯片制造能力的扩大。值得注意的是，这些努力在中西部地区获得了动力，半导体产业对地区生产总值做出了重大贡献，最近已经进行了投资，以建立区域半导体技术生态系统。鉴于半导体芯片持续短缺，建议建立中西部半导体劳动力培训合作网络，由来自各种高等教育机构（包括r - 15，四年制大学和地区社区大学），行业领导者，协会和研究中心合作伙伴的成员组成。MSN Force计划建立一个协作网络，以满足中西部地区半导体行业对高技能工人日益增长的需求。我们的最终目标是创建一个可复制的模式，可以在全国范围内实施，满足日益增长的国家需求，并确保美国在这一关键领域的持续领导地位。MSN Force旨在解决中西部地区对熟练半导体专业人员和研究人员日益增长的需求。MSN Force的显著特点在于其协作方式，将6所高等教育机构（IHEs）和5个非学术合作伙伴聚集在一起。在计划在短期内扩大中西部其他知名高等教育机构的参与的同时，该联盟将协同合作，开发和执行强调体验式学习和强大的行业参与的课程。通过汇集资源和专业知识，MSN Force力求确保学生公平获得劳动力培训资源。在为期5年的项目中，MSN Force将举办两年一次的研讨会、指导委员会会议和试点培训项目。该项目计划培训多达100名学生，同时提供虚拟培训机会，以促进更广泛的参与。MSN Force旨在开发一个基于体验式学习原则的全面和尖端的劳动力培训计划。这些原则将被整合到培训模块侧重于半导体生产周期的连续阶段，从器件模拟到芯片设计，封装，组装和测试。该计划的设计优先考虑公平的劳动力目标，并将作为半导体劳动力培训网络和体验式学习计划的蓝图。拟议的劳动力培训计划将遵循持续改进的模式，并纳入来自各种利益相关者的反馈，包括学生、教育工作者、行业专家、非营利组织和高等教育机构。通过定期更新和协调培训活动，MSN Force旨在对应用于his和半导体行业的现有劳动力培训策略产生可衡量的影响。总体而言，MSN Force的协作和体验式学习方法旨在满足半导体行业的劳动力需求，同时促进中西部地区及其他地区的包容性和可持续性。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The semiconductor industry has significant ramifications for the national security, economy, and society of the United States. The ongoing shortage of semiconductor chips has been impacting different sectors throughout the country, resulting in significant consequences for both the domestic semiconductor industry and the downstream sectors that rely on these chips. To address this issue and to advance and sustain U.S. leadership in the semiconductor industry, various initiatives have been undertaken at the federal, state, and industry levels to support and facilitate the expansion of domestic chip manufacturing capacity. Notably, these efforts have gained momentum in the Midwest, where the semiconductor industry substantially contributes to the gross regional product, and recent investments have been made to establish a regional semiconductor technology ecosystem. In light of the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage, creation of a Midwest Semiconductor Collaborative Network for Workforce Training is proposed, comprising members from various institutions of higher education (including R-1s, 4-year colleges, and regional community colleges), industry leaders, associations, and research center partners. MSN Force intends to establish a collaborative network that addresses the increasing need for highly skilled workers in the semiconductor industry within the Midwest. Our ultimate goal is to create a replicable model that can be implemented nationwide, meeting the growing national demand and ensuring continued U.S. leadership in this critical field.MSN Force aims to address the growing demand for skilled semiconductor professionals and research in the Midwest region. The distinguishing feature of MSN Force lies in its collaborative approach, bringing together six institutes of higher education (IHEs) and five non-academic partners. While planning to scale up with the involvement of other notable Midwest IHEs in the short term, this consortium will work in synergy to develop and execute a curriculum that emphasizes experiential learning and strong industry engagement. By pooling resources and expertise, MSN Force seeks to ensure equitable access to workforce training resources for its students. Over the course of a 5-year program, MSN Force will conduct bi-annual workshops, steering committee meetings, and pilot training programs. The project intends to physically train up to 100 students while providing virtual training opportunities to promote broader participation. MSN Force seeks to develop a comprehensive and cutting-edge workforce training program that builds on the principles of experiential learning. These principles will be integrated into the training modules focusing on consecutive stages of the semiconductor production cycle, from device simulation to chip design, packaging, assembly, and testing. The program's design prioritizes an equitable workforce target and will serve as a blueprint for semiconductor workforce training networks and experiential learning initiatives. The proposed workforce training programs will follow a continuous improvement model, incorporating feedback from various stakeholders, including students, educators, industry experts, non-profits, and IHEs. By regularly updating and coordinating training activities, MSN Force aims to have a measurable impact on existing workforce training strategies applied in IHEs and the semiconductor industry. Overall, MSN Force's collaborative and experiential learning approach is set to meet the workforce demands of the semiconductor industry while promoting inclusivity and sustainability in the Midwest region and beyond.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.