Microsystems Certification Project

培养熟练的技术劳动力，以满足区域劳动力需求，支持国家的竞争力。微技术和纳米技术需要广泛的产品和工业。该项目的主要目的是扩大工程技术人员的教育，使技术人员能够在微系统工业中工作。本项目旨在为工程技术或电气工程技术专业的学生设计和实施微机电系统（微系统）证书，并为他们准备LabVIEW认证（实验室虚拟仪器工程工作台，用于数据采集，仪器控制和工业自动化）。微系统和LabVIEW证书是工程技术副学士学位的补充和补充，为技术人员创造了更广泛的就业机会，并为微系统行业准备了一支合格的劳动力队伍。为这个项目创建的微系统证书和LabVIEW准备可以很容易地通过常青藤技术系统和其他州的社区大学在该州其他地区的工程技术项目中复制。学院将继续与SCME合作，为他们的资源增加社区学院的重点。这一持续的伙伴关系确保了所产生的资源能够通过该机制的国家教育和信息传播渠道提供。项目拓展活动包括那些特别设计的，以吸引和留住已经占大学学生很大比例的少数族裔、女性和退伍军人。该项目建立在NSF ATE（1205138）对西南微系统教育中心（SCME）的资助基础上。因此，SCME制作的11个实践教育课程模块和工具包被整合到学院的工程技术课程中。在这个项目中，学院和中小企业共同开发了三个额外的课程模块和工具包，重点是构建微系统，以补充中小企业开发的学习模块。该学院还将LabVIEW认证测试的准备工作整合到新的微系统课程中，为技术人员提供毕业时除了获得副学士学位外还获得两个认证的机会，这使他们更有市场。这些新课程提高了社区学院为各种微纳米技术相关行业培养技术人员的能力。目前正在高中开设一门双学分的微系统入门课程，向高中学生介绍微系统的概念和职业。学生们每学期通过实地考察到北丹大学或密歇根大学获得实际的无尘室体验，这两所大学都位于距离大学两个半小时的车程内。微纳米技术广泛应用于该州主要雇主生产的产品中，包括Advanced Surface Microscopy、Bangs Laboratories、Delphi Corporation、Eli Lilly and Co、Guidant Corp、Exelis、J&amp；S Resource Management、M4 Sciences、Makuta Technics、MicroTechNano、MonoSo、Prosolla、QuadraSpec、Semafore Pharmaceuticals和Sensor Advanced Development。尽管集成电路（IC）行业在2012年整体下降了2%，但Yole Development的研究表明，微系统行业增长了10%，成为110亿美元的业务。分析师预计，到2018年，复合年增长率为12- 13%，将创造225亿美元的微系统市场。微系统和集成电路的使用对新产品的设计和开发至关重要。常见的例子包括加速度计，压力传感器，惯性传感器，微流体泵和流量传感器。通过提出的课程模块和工具包以及SCME已经开发的微系统技术的介绍，为学生提供了一个独特的机会，以易于看到的方式学习工程概念，同时使他们接触到目前在许多微系统行业中使用的设计和制造技术。

Preparing a skilled technical workforce to meet regional workforce needs supports the Nation's competitiveness. Microtechnologies and nanotechnologies are needed in a broad range of products and industries. The primary purpose of the project is to broaden engineering technician education to prepare technicians to work in the microsystems industry. This project is designing and implementing a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (Microsystems) Certificate for students enrolled in engineering technology or electrical engineering technology associate degree programs, as well as preparing them for LabVIEW certification (Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench, for data acquisition, instrument control, and industrial automation). Microsystems and LabVIEW certificates are supplementing and complementing associate degrees in engineering technology, creating broader employment opportunities for technicians and preparing a competent workforce for the microsystems industry. The Microsystems certificate and LabVIEW preparation created for this project are easily replicable in engineering technology programs in each of other regions in the state through the Ivy Tech System and in community colleges in other states. The college is continuing its partnership with SCME, adding a community college focus to their resources. This continuing partnership is assuring that the resources produced are being made available through the SCME national education and information dissemination channels. Project outreach activities include those specially designed to attract and retain to the program under-represented minorities, females, and veterans who already make-up a significant percentage of students at the college.This project builds on an NSF ATE grant (1205138) to the Southwest Center for Microsystems Education (SCME). As a result, eleven hands-on educational course modules and kits produced by SCME are being integrated into engineering technology courses at the college. In this project the college and SME are co-developing three additional course modules and kits focused on building microsystems, which complement the learning modules developed by SCME. The college is also integrating preparation for the LabVIEW certification test into the new microsystems courses, providing technicians with the opportunity to graduate with two certifications in addition to an associate degree, which makes them more marketable. The new courses are increasing the capacity of community colleges to produce technicians for a wide variety of micro- and nano-technology related industries. An introductory microsystems course is being offered for dual credit in high schools to introduce high school students to microsystems concepts and careers. Students receive actual clean room experience each semester through field trips to either Norte Dame University or the University of Michigan, both located within a two and a half hour drive from the college.Micro and nano-technologies are found in a wide range of products made by major employers in the state including Advanced Surface Microscopy, Bangs Laboratories, Delphi Corporation, Eli Lilly and Co, Guidant Corp, Exelis, J&S Resource Management, M4 Sciences, Makuta Technics, MicroTechNano, MonoSo, Prosolla, QuadraSpec, Semafore Pharmaceuticals, and Sensor Advanced Development. Although the integrated circuits (IC) industry saw a two percent decline overall in 2012, the research by Yole Development showed that the microsystems sector grew by 10 percent to become an $11B business. Analysts expect a 12-13 percent compound annual growth rate through 2018 to create a $22.5B microsystems market. The use of microsystems and integrated circuits is crucial to the design and development of new products. Common examples include accelerometers, pressure transducers, inertial sensors, micro fluidic pumps and flow sensors. The introduction of microsystems technology via the proposed course modules and kits, and those already developed by SCME, provides a unique opportunity for students to learn engineering concepts in an easy to see fashion while exposing them to design and fabrication techniques which are currently being used in many microsystems industries.