As a partner in the U.S.-Japan University Partnership for Workforce Advancement and Research & Development in Semiconductors (UPWARDS) for the Future Network, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is building international collaborations in the microelectronics arena. As part of this effort, RPI sent three engineering undergraduate students to Japan to participate in semiconductor-focused summer.
The students selected to attend these programs were awarded slots through a competitive process that considered their academic achievement, interest in semiconductors, and relevant experience. The programs accepted students from the six US partner universities (RPI, Rochester Institute of Technology, Purdue University, Boise State University, University of Washington, and Virginia Tech). Students were housed in campus dormitories and had the opportunity to interact with both the US students in the program as well as Japanese students at the universities.
Miles Fortuno (Electrical Engineering) and Christian Yamada (Mechanical Engineering) were selected to attend the Kyushu University Summer Internship Program. This program, located on the most southerly of Japan’s four main islands, took place from July 28th through August 7th. The students were placed in a lab where they worked with a Kyushu faculty member and graduate students on focused projects. Outside of the lab, they also participated in field trips to industry sites and cultural activities.
“My time at the UPWARDS Summer Internship program can be summarized by the word “excellence.” From Kyushu University’s elite graduate research departments, the dedicated UPWARDS staff members who planned the experience, the top-notch students from America chosen for this program, and finally, Japan as a country, everything contributed to a remarkable experience.” – Miles Fortuno
Joyce Ke (Mechanical Engineering) attended the Nagoya University Summer Intensive Program. This program took place from July 28th through August 8th in Nagoya, a city in the central Honshu. Ke had the opportunity to participate in experiential learning in a number of research laboratories. The program also included visits to industry sites, cultural experiences, and research presentations by Kyushu faculty.
As the program progresses, there will be more opportunities for faculty and students from RPI to engage with our US and Japanese partners.
The UPWARDS for the Future Network is funded by Micron, Tokyo Electro, and the National Science Foundation to advance semiconductor workforce development and research. Through UPWARDS, RPI seeks to deepen ties with partners in the U.S. and Japan through research collaborations, faculty and student exchanges, and joint curriculum development.