Semiconductor Exposure, Exploration, and Development Collaborative to Broadening Participation in STEM Education

This project aims to serve the national interest by expanding semiconductor and microelectronics workforce pathways through community college curriculum innovation, faculty development, and industry partnerships. This Track 2 IUSE: Innovation in Two-Year College STEM Education (ITYC) project plans to strengthen programs at Lawson State Community College, Drake State Community and Technical College, and Trenholm State Community College to prepare a larger and more diverse pool of students for high-demand technical careers. The project’s significance and importance lie in addressing critical national workforce needs in semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors while broadening participation in STEM among students attending minority-serving institutions. The project plans to build on existing programs in advanced manufacturing, mechatronics, and industrial electronics by creating semiconductor-focused learning opportunities, strengthening connections with industry, and establishing clearer pathways from education to employment and further study. Key innovative features include cross-institutional faculty collaboration, structured engagement with industry and research environments, and the development of stackable credentials aligned with workforce needs. Expected outcomes include increased faculty expertise, enhanced student learning and success, and expanded participation in semiconductor-related careers. The goals and scope of the project are to investigate how advanced manufacturing programs at minority-serving two-year colleges can be adapted to meet semiconductor workforce demands while strengthening institutional capacity and improving student outcomes. The project plans to conduct curriculum gap analyses; develop and validate semiconductor-focused instructional modules and stackable micro-credentials aligned with industry needs; implement faculty professional development through structured industry and research experiences; and establish coordinated pathways that support student recruitment, retention, credential attainment, transfer, and employment. An external evaluation team will assess implementation and outcomes using student performance measures, faculty surveys, and analyses of enrollment, completion, transfer, and employment data. The project plans to advance understanding of the conditions under which industry-aligned curricula and cross-institutional faculty collaboration improve student learning and workforce readiness in semiconductor-related pathways. Findings and resources will be disseminated through conferences, publications, professional networks, and a replication to support adoption at other two-year colleges The NSF IUSE: Innovation in Two-Year College STEM Education (ITYC) Program seeks to accelerate and advance knowledge about the impact of emerging and evidence-based practices in undergraduate STEM education at two-year colleges. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.