High Tech U Shoots for the Sun
High Tech U is an international industry-driven math- and science-based career exploration program. "It’s never too early to make our students aware of the exciting possibilities created by the next big technology boom," said SEMI Foundation Vice President Lisa Anderson.
Gary Summers, Contributing Editor, SEMI, San Jose -- Semiconductor International, 7/15/2008 7:26:00 PM
Over the past decade, the worldwide photovoltaic (PV) market has experienced explosive growth, and is forecast to continue robustly growing for years to come — from $11.2B in 2005 to an estimated $51.1B by 2015. Not surprisingly, a growing number of SEMI member companies are beginning to innovate and adapt their technologies to capitalize on this growing market opportunity. Some companies are even partnering with higher learning institutions to help prepare college and university students for jobs in the booming solar manufacturing industry.
Recently, the SEMI Foundation decided to reach further into the education system by exposing high school students to solar technology. The Foundation added a solar energy/PV-focused module to SEMI High Tech U, its international industry-driven math- and science-based career exploration program. "It’s never too early to make our students aware of the exciting possibilities created by the next big technology boom," said SEMI Foundation Vice President Lisa Anderson.
According to Anderson, High Tech U’s new solar module reflects the Foundation’s commitment to ensuring that high school students will be part of tomorrow’s high-tech workforce by energizing and exciting them about math, science and high-tech careers.
"The solar industry is poised for unprecedented growth over the next two decades, and the semiconductor manufacturing industry is uniquely positioned to play a major role in that growth," Anderson continued. "Because of this, it is important to expand the existing High Tech U curriculum to incorporate this exciting technology and provide students with a better-rounded perspective, giving them the foundation to make more informed decisions about their future educational and career goals."
In addition to solar, Anderson noted that High Tech U has introduced students to a number of other cutting-edge technologies, including the DNA micro-array manufacturing process, MEMS and nanotechnology.
Getting the ‘big picture’
During a three-day High Tech U program, in addition to learning about the science of making semiconductors, students are introduced to the "big picture" on the emerging solar energy industry while they learn about the design and physics of solar cells. They see the processes that create solar cells on silicon wafers (similar to the semiconductor process); use digital instrumentation to measure solar voltage and record the measurements in a computer software program; and learn how solar-array circuitry collects the voltage.
As part of High Tech U programs held in Silicon Valley, students have toured Applied Materials’ manufacturing facility, which houses some of the industry’s most advanced thin-film solar manufacturing tools. In Tolleson, Ariz., program participants toured the PV system of Salt River Project, the nation’s third-largest public power utility.
Applying solar to real-life challenges
Earlier this year, the Foundation launched another solar-focused program at a reunion of High Tech U graduates in San Jose. The session introduced students to ways solar technology may help solve real-life problems, such as using solar to sterilize drinking water in the Republic of Vanuatu, replacing wood burning in Rawanda villages, and developing XO laptops for persons displaced in emergencies.
According to Michael Lesiecki, executive director of the Maricopa Advanced Technology Education Center (MATEC), who led the solar session, the semiconductor industry’s approach to solar modules holds the promise of significantly reducing the overall costs of generating solar energy, while also opening the door for innovative uses of PV technology. "At the end of our session, students understand the process of making solar cells and how to incorporate those cells as a part of innovative solutions to problems and challenges facing our world," he said.
International reach
High Tech U has helped educate thousands of students and hundreds of teachers about career opportunities in the semiconductor manufacturing and related industries over the past seven years. Launched in 2001, High Tech U is presented in Austria, France, Japan, Singapore and the United States. Future expansion of the program to South Korea is planned for 2009.
For more information, or to become a sponsor of SEMI High Tech U programs, visit www.semi.org/foundation.
