Laser Lithography to Advance STEM Education across the Inland Empire
Abstract
To safeguard the security of our Nation there is a critical need to develop a strong, diverse domestic work force in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Unfortunately, there is currently a shortage of U.S. citizen workers in STEM positions, and the projected growth of the deficit is troubling, particularly for the defense industry that relies heavily on citizen workers. If current education and labor trends continue, the STEM worker shortage is predicted to reach 1 million citizen workers in just 8 years (2024). A recent study by the Rand National Defense Research Institute indicates that the increasing Hispanic demographic of the United States, coupled with very-low Hispanic participation in the STEM work force (~5%), has been exacerbating this issue. STEM educational outreach targeted specifically at Hispanic communities is critically needed to increase Hispanic participation rates in the STEM labor force. Here we propose to use this grant opportunity to bring new equipment to the University of California, Riverside that will allow us to strengthen existing Department of Defense (DoD) research, develop new DoD research capabilities and increase educational outreach at all levels: K-12, undergraduate and graduate, with emphasis on the Hispanic communities of Southern CaliforniaÕs Inland Empire region. Our location in the Inland Empire and close ties to the surrounding Hispanic communities and school districts in Riverside and San Bernardino counties puts us is in a very strong position geographically to accomplish our goals in STEM minority educational outreach. To accomplish our goals, we request funding for the acquisition of a maskless laser lithography machine that will be incorporated into a program that targets advancing STEM education and research in the area of advanced micro-electronics engineering. Electronics processing overlaps with several relevant DoD related areas of interest, such as semiconductors, superconductors, metamaterials, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and photonics. At the K-12 level, we will work with existing well-established outreach programs to provide demonstrations and hands-on learning opportunities at local science fairs and campus-sponsored events. From an educational point-of-view, the construction process of circuits is a simple message to articulate; it is straightforward to develop programs that are conducive for all education levels and learning styles, e.g., visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. At the undergraduate level, students from the California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) program will participate directly in DoD research programs and get hands-on training in preparation for graduate study. For graduate and post-doctoral education, this equipment will provide our campus with new cutting-edge lithography capabilities not currently available in Southern California and provide our students with unique coveted skills and experiences that will help them in their future careers. Furthermore, acquisition of this equipment and the new capabilities that it brings will promote and support many ongoing DoD research projects, and it will provide UCR with the ability to launch new ones.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 20, 2018
- Source ID
- W911NF1710504
Entities
People
- Shane A Cybart
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Office of the Secretary of Defense
- University of California, Riverside