edfas.org ELECTRONIC DEVICE FAILURE ANALYSIS | VOLUME 26 NO. 3 50 GUEST COLUMN EDFAS’ ROLE AND RECENT PROGRESS IN CULTIVATING FUTURE LEADERS Lun Chan, University of Virginia EDFAS Student Board Member hc4ry@virginia.edu In 2022, the microelectronics industry came into the spotlight again, fueled by the enactment of the U.S. CHIPS Act, driving growth from semiconductor R&D and manufacturing to the failure analysis sectors. This is great news for job-seeking students and young professionals (SYP). Despite the opportunities, many in our EDFAS community, from members and volunteers to leaders, have noticed that the SYP demographic in general, lacks awareness of the electronic device failure analysis community. Multiple “root causes” for this have been identified (which will not be discussed here), but a predominant theme is the absence of a systematic, structured program designed to: (i) educate, (ii) recruit, and (iii) maintain talent as early as K-12, through college. The emerging talent gap is a major concern for EDFAS leadership. In response, we have initiated several pilot programs and activities aligned with the International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis (ISTFA) conference to lay a foundation to understand, highlight, and address these issues. Student and Young Professional (SYP) Committee. In November 2023, the EDFAS SYP Committee was established, consisting of 15 passionate volunteers under the age of 30, from various locations around the world. The committee’s objective is to provide ideas and insights in shaping the EDFAS SYP outreach and education strategy. This diverse group of leaders meets bimonthly with the EDFAS Student Board Member and provides help in managing SYP-related activities at ISTFA. The SYP committee recruits new members each Fall. For early career professionals, this is an incredible opportunity to strengthen their network and essential soft skills. Piloting Mentorship Programs. The EDFAS Mentorship Program is designed to incentivize engagement with SYP volunteers and attract volunteers to this incredible community. An effort currently led by semiconductor industry consultant, Phil Kaszuba, the mentorship program will initially connect seasoned professionals with early career SYP volunteers. Many of these young volunteers lack exposure to the EDFAS community and do not have a mentor to help guide their career paths. Over time, expansion of this initiative is planned to encompass the broader student community. ISTFA 2024 Student Poster Session. The ISTFA 2024 conference will be held at the San Diego Convention Center from October 28 to November 1. The proximity of many high schools and universities in the Southern California region provides us with opportunities to educate, connect, and recruit them into our SYP network. The student poster contest has been revived from previous years and is open to participants from around the world, regardless of educational level. Any topics related to microelectronics are welcomed for submission. The student poster contest is scheduled to take place at ISTFA on Wednesday, October 30. K-12 and Student Chapter Engagements. The difficulty in engaging with student chapters has been a longstanding issue from local to regional to national levels. A common pattern is the significant increase in activities under a very proactive student leader, which often declines rapidly when leadership changes. To overcome this uncertainty, the SYP committee is seeking to: (i) develop strategic connections with advisors from high school clubs and university engineering student chapters, e.g., Material Advantage and IEEE, and (ii) establish “legacy-activities,” e.g., hands-on demos, CHIPS Act education, and networking events, which can be sustainably maintained. This effort seeks to develop channels to connect students to the EDFA community. EDFAS Student Board Member Program. Last but not least, the EDFAS student board member program must be recognized. The Student Board of Trustees program, originating from ASM International in the mid-2000s to amplify student voices, has since expanded to all other ASM Chan
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