This weekend, engineering students flocked to Mizzou to explore microelectronics. These tiny chips are a core technology that power modern devices and have become vital to technological advancement.

Sazia Afreen Eliza, assistant teaching professor, and Syed Kamrul Islam, department chair of electrical engineering and computer science, designed this boot camp in order to educate students about semiconductor materials, which play a crucial role in the manufacturing of microelectronics. With this knowledge, students will possess skills to advance their career in electrical engineering. The training is funded by a National Science Foundation Supplemental Grant.

Students became immersed in hands-on training in Associate Teaching Professor Fang Wang’s virtual reality lab. Using VR headsets and joysticks, attendees participated in a virtual lab simulation, similar to what they would experience in real life. In this environment, they could carry out tasks in a lab setting without the high stakes or needing access to highly specialized fabrication equipment.

To accompany the VR lab training, students visited the CAVE, a facility that places participants into a mixed-reality space. The CAVE allows for larger-scale, 3D visualizations while wearing special glasses.

Engineering students see the value in learning more about microelectronics as well. Senior Amelia Truong is one of the several who attended the boot camp this weekend.

“I’ve done one microelectronics class this semester, and it was the most interesting electrical engineering class I’ve taken in all my time at Mizzou,” Truong said. “I immediately thought, ‘I need to learn more about this.’”

The spring Microelectronics Training Boot Camp will occur April 9 through April 10, 2025 at Mizzou Engineering in Lafferre Hall. Learn more here.

Choose a university that creates opportunities for students to learn about technological advancement. Choose Mizzou Engineering!