Through NORDTECH support, RPI offers students hands-on workforce development experiences that connect classroom learning with real-world applications in semiconductors, chip design, microelectronics, and related technologies. Across programs ranging from chip design and cleanroom education to immersive AR/VR and interdisciplinary STEM experiences, students have opportunities to build technical skills, work on real projects, collaborate in teams, and develop the communication and problem-solving skills needed to pursue careers in the semiconductor industry.
Learn more about the programs.
For NORDTECH funded education and WFD programs, contact: Darrilyn Di Nardo, dinard@rpi.edu, NORDTECH WFD Coordinator
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) have teamed up to create a new workforce development program funded by the CHIPS and Science Act.
The new program is called the RPI-HVCC Semiconductor Scholars. It is one of many efforts to prepare more students to enter the semiconductor industry. The inaugural class of Scholars has six first-year students in the Engineering Science AAS degree at HVCC. The Scholars will explore future careers in the semiconductor industry while working with RPI faculty mentors in RPI’s state-of-the-art labs and facilities.
For RPI-HVCC Semiconductor Scholar Program, contact: Muhsin Celik, celiks@rpi.edu, Professor of Practice, ECSE
The Chip Ambassadors, a subgroup of RPI Engineering Ambassadors, introduce pre-college students to semiconductors, microelectronics, and related career opportunities. Guided by School of Engineering faculty, they create hands-on activities that inspire future engineers and scientists. Their outreach helps young students see themselves in the field, bridging classroom learning with real-world semiconductor applications.
Contact: Michelle Skomsky, skomsm@rpi.edu, Program Manager
The growing semiconductor and electronic devices industries – as well as pharmaceutical, medical, optical, solar, and aerospace industries – depend on cleanroom technologies where contamination is controlled. To help meet the increasing demand for engineers and scientists with focused training in cleanroom operations, the Micro and Nanofabrication Cleanroom (MNCR) at the Center for Materials, Devices, and Integrated Systems offers an enrichment program for undergraduate students to start building a foundation. This program introduces microfabrication and analysis concepts in four modules with each module running over a four-week period.
Contact: Sarah An, anx@rpi.edu, MNCR Process Engineer
The Undergraduate Research Program is an opportunity for students to integrate research into their education. Students work directly with faculty members on real-world, hands-on projects for academic credit or as paid research assistants. While they gain valuable experience in laboratories and in various computational research groups, they also work closely with world-class researchers and graduate students. The program culminates with presentations at the Undergraduate Research Symposium.
The new and expanded Douglas A. Mercer ’77 Innovation and Exploration Laboratory (The Mercer XLab) focuses on developing, launching, and disseminating nuanced, personalized learning tools embedded within innovative learning approaches while supporting student-led innovations. In addition, the laboratory creates an environment to cross-pollinate ideas and multiply impacts through the expansion of the Mercer Distinguished Seminar Series and dedicated spaces for resource sharing and collaborative discussions.
The RPI Engineering Ambassadors (EAs) are a group of RPI engineering students devoted to inspiring younger students with what they learn in their respective majors while educating them on the latest technological breakthroughs and real-world challenges. The RPI EAs visit public and private K – 12th-grade classrooms and support after-school and Saturday morning science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) clubs. During these demonstrations, the EAs share presentations and incorporate engaging hands-on activities that show the real-world applications of STEM.
Contact: Michelle Skomsky, skomsm@rpi.edu, Program Manager
The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE) provides guidance, mentoring, and coaching to student-based startup businesses, connecting those who are starting businesses to resources and networks within and beyond the Rensselaer community. Through entrepreneurship courses, business competitions, and a variety of programs, aspiring entrepreneurs gain access to important funding opportunities, educational resources, and support systems.