Developing the Next Generation of Semiconductor Engineers and Scientists
ABOUT
The Chip Ambassadors, a sub-group of RPI Engineering Ambassadors (EAs), teach a pre-college audience the importance and relevance of semiconductors and microelectronics chips and the exciting career opportunities the field offers.
Working under the technical guidance of the School of Engineering faculty, Chip Ambassadors develop and deliver engaging hands-on learning activities that empower the next generation of future semiconductor engineers and scientists. The connection of the Chip Ambassadors to a pre-college audience provides young students an opportunity to see themselves in the semiconductor industry and provides young students the confidence and motivation to make an impact as engineers and scientists.
The topics align with the audience’s grade-level science, mathematics, and technology coursework and build a connection between their classroom learning and real-world applications in semiconductor technologies.
WHO WE ARE
RPI Engineering Ambassadors (EAs) are a student-led professional organization of devoted engineering undergraduates who believe that Science and Engineering can play a key role in solving the grand challenges facing humanity. Since its inception in 2011, the RPI EAs have engaged over 60,000 students (grades K-12) in the Capital Region of upstate New York and beyond. The RPI EA educational outreach program employs an award-winning assertion-evidence presentation style coupled with engaging and age-appropriate hands-on engineering design challenges to motivate younger audiences to consider higher education in general, and career paths in the STEM fields in particular.
PROGRAMS
Description:
Students will learn about the importance of chips, how chips work, and a brief but comprehensive lesson on integrated circuit design. This presentation will discuss logic, logic circuits, and basic computing.
Hands-On Activity:
Following this presentation, students will have the opportunity to understand computing in a more hands-on manner. Students will use fluidic logic gates to build their own “computers” capable of performing math. This water-based logic circuit will help students visualize how signals are passed through a chip. This hands-on activity requires water.
Description:
Students will learn about the importance of chips, how chips work, current manufacturing techniques for chips, and future manufacturing techniques. This presentation discusses light, lithography, cleanrooms, and innovation regarding chips.
Hands-On Activity:
Following the presentation, students will have the opportunity to do lithography themselves by using photomasks and “photoresist” (UV curable resin/nail polish) to create a fun picture.
CONNECT WITH US
If your school or organization would like to collaborate with the Chip Ambassadors of RPI, please email Michelle Skomsky (skomsm@rpi.edu)
School Address
Chips Ambassadors
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
School of Engineering
Jonsson Engineering Center, Room 5012
110 8th Street, Troy, NY 12180