WIP: Microelectronic Integration in First Year Engineering Education Curriculum for SCALE

This work-in-progress research paper presents research that describes the impact of integrating microelectronic curriculum into first-year engineering courses. This study is a component of the larger SCALE (Scalable Asymmetric Lifestyle Engagement) project, aimed at developing a robust microelectronics workforce. The Semiconductor Industry Association predicts that by 2030, the United States (US) will face a shortfall of 67,000 semiconductor professionals, 80% in technical roles. This growing demand for microelectronics professionals in the US is both driven and supported by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which provides significant funding to enhance domestic semiconductor production. Therefore, addressing the critical gap in the workforce has become imperative, setting the stage for targeted educational initiatives. This study examines the effectiveness of two interventions that incorporated microelectronic activities into engineering curricula, measuring their impact on student motivation, interest, and perceived transformational experiences towards microelectronic industries using a retrospective pre-test survey. We aim to answer the question: How have students' motivation, interest, awareness, and transformative experiences towards microelectronics shifted from before to after the intervention? Our preliminary findings suggest that the interventions significantly enhance students' interest, motivation, and awareness in microelectronics, while also fostering a positive transformation in their perceptions. This shift underscores the value of educational interventions in microelectronics, highlighting their potential to contribute to the development of a skilled microelectronics workforce. Furthermore, by providing empirical evidence on the benefits of practical, hands-on training, this study extends the existing body of literature, emphasizing the importance of integrating microelectronics into the early stages of engineering education.