2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Advancements in generative artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and data centers require significant investment in semiconductor manufacturing and developing the workforce to support the semiconductor industry. However, most technical semiconductor classes are offered primarily to upper-division undergraduate engineering students, and more work needs to be done to expose a wide range of first-year undergraduates to the semiconductor field, its technical roots, and its wide-ranging impacts. Here, we develop a first-year introductory laboratory course in semiconductor manufacturing to address this need and implement it in Winter 2025 at a mid-size private university near Silicon Valley on the west coast United States. We present the course structure, learning objectives, and rationale behind the course design as well as student and instructor reflections on the course after it concluded. Our course design presents a path for other engineering departments to consider potential ways to incorporate nanotechnology laboratory experiences into first-year undergraduate curricula as well as foster a pipeline to prepare undergraduate students to enter the semiconductor industry workforce. By prioritizing students’ engagement with real-world cleanroom facilities and semiconductor process engineers, we create impactful in-roads for students to connect with nanotechnology beyond the classroom.