By Missouri School of Journalism students Lydia Donaldson and Hollan Linder

COLUMBIA, Mo. – On April 9-10, University of Missouri hosted a hands-on microelectronics training program designed to expand professionals’ knowledge and improve skills in semiconductor technology and microelectronics.

The program blended immersive virtual reality experiences, lab tours and lectures to provide a comprehensive look at how microchips are made and used.

Several industry leaders traveled to Columbia to lecture on their areas of specialization. Shantanu Chakrabartty, the vice dean for research and graduate education at Washington University in St. Louis, spoke about his semiconductor work regarding advanced sensing technology and front-end processing.

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Photo album: NSF Microelectronics (Flickr)

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“Semiconductors are everywhere,” Chakrabartty said. “It’s the new oil. It’s in every infrastructure that we work with.”

Alexander Usenko from the University of Missouri-Kansas City talked about silicon processing and new opportunities in the microelectronics industry, and Omiya Hassan, assistant professor at Boise State University, discussed low-power integrated circuit design.

A highlight of the program was the use of virtual reality headsets to teach students about the process of microchip fabrication. Through VR simulations, participants could explore the intricate world of semiconductor manufacturing, from the handling of circuit boards to the construction of microchips.

The VR modules provided an interactive, 3D understanding of complex topics like creating silicon wafers, etching them with electronic components and finalizing them through deposition and metalization, which are all essential steps in the creation of microchips.

“We actually have multiple disciplines working together,” said Fang Wang, director of Mizzou Engineering’s Collaborative Research Environments for Extended Reality (CREXR) Lab. “We have the education (department) adding their input into how people actually learn effectively in the virtual environment.”

This immersive experience allowed participants to visualize processes that are typically too small to observe in a traditional classroom or too expensive to be simulated en masse, making it easier to grasp difficult concepts and see how various steps connect to create a functional chip.

Participants also toured Mizzou’s state-of-the-art engineering labs dedicated to microelectronics research and manufacturing. The tour included a visit to the university’s cleanrooms and fabrication labs, where visitors saw demonstrations of tools and equipment for making microchips.

Attendees saw equipment such as mask aligners, deposition chambers, plasma etchers and inspection microscopes up close. Faculty and professionals guided participants through demonstrations, explaining how each tool contributes to the fabrication process and emphasizing the precision and cleanliness required when working at such small scales.

Throughout the program, could engage in hands-on activities that reinforced what they learned from invited guests, the VR training and the lab tour. They practiced designing basic circuit layouts and learned about the challenges engineers face in making smaller, faster, more energy-efficient chips. The program included discussions about the future of microelectronics and opportunities in the industry, as well as experiences in the new “Industry 4.0” lab where participants learned about industrial automation and smart manufacturing.

“Right now, there is a shortage of expertise,” Chakrabartty said. “(We) try to make sure that folks, starting from high school, undergrad, all the way to grad school, get an exposure of O.K., this is an area that you can get into. There’s a coolness factor associated.”

The MU Microelectronics Training Program was funded by the National Science Foundation and organized by Mizzou Engineering, MU Institute for Data Science and Informatics, Missouri School of Journalism, MU School of Information Science and Learning Technologies and MU Extension Career Accelerator.