The Knight Campus Graduate Internship Program (KCGIP) has wrapped up its Micron-funded semiconductor training activities for 2025. The support made it possible to offer hands-on workshops and exploratory experiences that help students and educators better understand pathways into semiconductor-related careers.

Micron-supported activities — which leveraged a $2 million Oregon state investment in fabrication equipment — included:

Semiconductor Launch (February): KCGIP hosted a Launch weekend focused on recruiting students into its semiconductor track and increasing interest in the semiconductor industry. Read more about Semiconductor Launch.

OPIRC Internfest (November):  Oregon Pathways to Industry Research Careers (OPIRC) is an National Science Foundation (NSF)- and Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC)-funded program that provides financial and mentorship support for low-income students as they progress from Oregon community colleges to UO for their bachelor’s degrees in physics, chemistry and biochemistry, and their master’s degrees through the Knight Campus Graduate Internship Program (KCGIP).  

On Saturday November 15th, the KCGIP hosted 64 participants for the fourth annual Internfest, an event that supports community college and undergraduate student success. Throughout the day, participants built community with one another, took part in a Lego-based lithography workshop to learn about semiconductor microfabrication (led by chemistry professor Mark Lonergan), received mentorship on navigating the next stages of their academic journeys, and toured the KCGIP instructional labs. 

The following day, 15 participants took part in a daylong semiconductor microfabrication workshop led by Knight Campus faculty and instructors Tori Sorg, Maryam Jahangiri and Felix Deku. Participants developed hands-on skills in both the Knight Campus Cleanroom and CAMCOR labs. The event — co-funded by the NSF, Micron and HECC — was a success, with participants sharing feedback such as, “I learned so much at the microfabrication workshop! My interest in the [KCGIP] semiconductor track has peaked significantly,” and “Getting to see a tour and live demonstration really helped put into perspective how achievable it is to learn and become an expert. It made everything feel more real.” 

As one community college faculty member shared, “I was impressed with the sophistication of the equipment and facilities and how hands-on the semiconductor track is for students.”