University of Iowa College of Engineering students are gaining national exposure to semiconductor research and manufacturing through participation in the EDGE (Expanding Dynamic Growth in Engineering) Scholars Program, a competitive initiative aimed at strengthening the future semiconductor workforce.
Alec Melendez, a double major in electrical engineering and applied physics, completed a weeklong engineering short course in Washington, DC, hosted in collaboration with the NobleReach Foundation. An undergraduate researcher in the lab of Fatima Toor, Lowell G. Battershell Chair in Laser Engineering, Melendez worked with peers from collaborating universities to explore the complexities of semiconductor manufacturing.
Lane Neshiem, a first-year mechanical engineering student, participated in an immersive EDGE Consortium site visit to Burlington, Vermont.
The experience included tours of GlobalFoundries, Marvell Technology, and semiconductor research laboratories at the University of Vermont, providing firsthand insight into the semiconductor pipeline, from academic research to large-scale manufacturing.
Kethia Mulonda, a second-year civil engineering student from Des Moines, visited the University of Washington.
The students toured clean energy testbeds, a nanofabrication facility, and a molecular analysis facility where they observed live demonstrations of scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction, which are tools commonly used in semiconductor and materials science research.
Semiconductors are fundamental to modern technology, powering everything from cars and smartphones to medical equipment and artificial intelligence.
Through EDGE program of hands-on learning and direct engagement with industry, government, and academic leaders, this cohort of emerging engineers is being prepared to contribute to this critical sector.
