Indiana University leads the way in semiconductor education

Rethinking STEM education: Excellent and achievable

IU’s efforts to improve semiconductor education are largely housed in the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, which was founded in 2000 as the nation’s first school of informatics and spans IU’s Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses. The school’s newest department, intelligent systems engineering, opened in 2016.

Because the Luddy School is so new, “we have an opportunity to really think about engineering and engineering disciplines differently,” Dean Joanna Millunchick said. “Rather than trying to recreate what other universities have already done, we want to think about engineering from a different perspective.”

That means taking new approaches, such as intentionally focusing on areas such as semiconductors, microelectronics and nanotechnology that power modern devices and artificial intelligence. It also means building a unique culture. Traditional STEM programs have historically erected barriers rather than develop promising talent. That has led to scientific and technical sectors that are largely homogeneous and difficult for outsiders to enter.

“The word ‘rigor’ you see in so much engineering education literally means ‘stiff and unyielding’,” Millunchick said. “Instead, we want to offer an education that’s technically excellent and yet perfectly achievable by anyone who is interested.

“We want a new way of approaching STEM education by centering the student experience and designing our learning activities to be relevant and hands-on,” she added. “We’re hoping to tap into students who normally wouldn’t be thinking about engineering.”

Leading the way in expanding STEM talent

Two top IU leaders are members of The EDGE Consortium, a group of presidents and engineering deans of six top U.S. universities who want to make semiconductor education more accessible and aligned with the needs of chip manufacturers. IU President Pamela Whitten is among the consortium’s founders. Whitten co-chairs The EDGE Consortium with Dartmouth College President Sian Beilock.

Noting that the nation’s universities will have to triple their number of graduates with semiconductor training to meet projected job growth in the semiconductor industry, the consortium is calling on higher education, private industry and the federal government to act swiftly to address this critical workforce need. Consortium leaders also note it will be impossible to meet industry employment targets without building a more heterogeneous workforce that includes more women and more people from historically marginalized groups.

“People have been trying to get a wider group of students interested in STEM for decades, and it isn’t working. We need to take a different approach,” Millunchick said. “Instead of having a sense of elitism around science and technology, we want to democratize the field.”

To boost its own efforts, IU announced in October a new $111 million investment to boost the nation’s microelectronics sector. IU will hire additional faculty in microelectronics, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, machine learning and cybersecurity; build new research laboratories and other facilities; and create new graduate and undergraduate degrees in microelectronics and nanofabrication.

This investment will further strengthen IU’s partnership with Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division to support the electronics and engineering needs of the U.S. Navy and other military branches. NSWC Crane is based at Naval Support Activity Crane, the world’s third-largest naval installation that happens to be located about 40 miles southwest of IU’s flagship campus in Bloomington.

“If we’re investing in engineering, it just makes sense to be investing with a local partner,” Millunchick said. “The federal government is an excellent partner to work with on engineering projects.”

This collaboration puts IU at the forefront of devising innovative solutions to pressing national security challenges. IU’s investment also will open up more opportunities not just for its faculty but for students and graduates interested in cutting-edge technology and national defense.

In addition, this partnership gives the emerging Luddy School a foundation for teaching and research efforts.

“We need to focus on a couple of areas, become excellent in them, and then build from there,” Millunchick said. “We’re trying to be strategic.”

IU CREATE

As part of IU’s major announcement last fall, the university said it would invest $10 million to launch IU CREATE — the Center for Reliable and Trusted Electronics.

Led by Daniel Loveless, an associate professor of intelligent systems engineering, IU CREATE will design new radiation-hardened technologies to help build and test microelectronic devices that can withstand extreme environments such as outer space. This new center is based on ongoing work at the Luddy School that’s supported by a $5 million grant from NSWC Crane.

Loveless’ lab is a nexus of innovation. He and assistant professor Andrew Lukefahr are modeling and simulating the effects of radiation on these radiation-hardened technologies. Because these tests require special facilities, the two professors are training graduate and undergraduate students to conduct tests and perform other lab duties — all the better to expose them to the knowledge and technology that can launch STEM careers.

Loveless said students working in his lab and enrolled in his classes are in constant contact with representatives from the defense sector and commercial space companies. His students are getting hands-on learning as well. In April during the solar eclipse, Loveless plans to launch a sub-orbital balloon to see if circuits and systems designed by students can withstand high-altitude conditions.

“The academic programming is lining up with the research needs,” Loveless said. “We’re building a consortium of people that matches our educational objectives. That’s where our unique curricular activities will pop out of this.”

Millunchick envisions IU CREATE as a catalyst for further growth of the Luddy School and its efforts to extend and widen workforce talent pipelines.

“Radiation-hardened microelectronics is a fairly niche area, and the Luddy School already has some experience in their design,” she said. “It’s something we think we can make progress in, so we’re doubling down. This will be a strategic area for us — and it will give our students access to a staggering number of opportunities in the field.”