Wright State, Central State collaborating to host Intel Summer Internship Program for underrepresented populations

Wright State is one of 11 research institutions in the Midwest Regional Network to address national needs in semiconductors and microelectronics, which was formed in response to plans by Intel Corporation to build two chip factories near Columbus.

Wright State University, in partnership with Central State University, will host a paid Intel Summer Internship Program for women and other underrepresented populations from June 5 to July 28 as part of the Intel Semiconductor Education and Research Program for Ohio funding.

To apply for the program, visit the application website.

The program is part of a collaboration between Wright State and Central State to help build a semiconductor educational program and microelectronics lab and provide experiential learning opportunities for students.

“The courses are very relevant to the region’s needs in semiconductor and assured microelectronics. We are excited to have the opportunity to train women and underrepresented minorities and get them interested in STEM,” said Subhashini Ganapathy, Ph.D., professor and chair of Wright State’s Department of Biomedical, Industrial and Human Factors Engineering.

Wright State is a key participant in two of six awards to Ohio colleges and universities by the Intel Corporation, which is building two chip factories near Columbus. This includes a $17.7 million, three-year investment awarded to Central State from Intel in 2022.

“This camp offers a unique opportunity for semiconductor curriculum development and training for diverse, minority and K-12 students in Ohio,” said Fathi Amsaad, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer science at Wright State. “We aim to provide unique experiential learning opportunities for underrepresented and K-12 students as a step forward to bridge the gap and respond to the urgent need from Intel cooperation, AFRL and other semiconductor industry.”

Amsaad said participating students will master the theory and hands-on experience related to semiconductor technology.

“This experience will specifically enable students to master the basics of microelectronics cleanroom fabrication, chip design, semiconductor integrated circuits (IC) security and trust, and IC additive manufacturing,” he said.

Mohammadreza Hadizadeh, Ph.D., is the lead principal investigator for the Intel Semiconductor Education Program at Central State University. He said the program will provide comprehensive hands-on training in microelectronics design, fabrication and security. He added that students don’t need prior experience or knowledge in microelectronics, making it accessible to all.

“We are deeply grateful to Intel for their support and to our colleagues at Wright State University for creating such an exceptional program, featuring five courses taught by experts in the semiconductor field,” said Hadizadeh.