Three students from Columbus State Community College joined the team at Nanotech West Laboratory at The Ohio State University this semester through an internship program run by the Institute for Materials and Manufacturing Research (IMR).
IMR’s internship program creates multiple avenues to experiential learning opportunities for students, including research experience for undergraduate students, graduate research associateships, and externships.
Each paid position engages students enrolled and external to Ohio State with hands-on experience and education related to their fields of study or career goals. Undergraduate student interns at Nanotech West Lab, located on West Campus, generally come from a range of studies spanning engineering to business and the arts.
As interns, Columbus State Electro-mechanical Engineering majors Zachary Reese and Christopher Staudt are spending their Spring 2023 semester supporting laboratory operations related to semiconductor device fabrication in Nanotech West’s Nanofabrication Lab.
Under the direction of Aimee Price, the facility’s manager of nanofabrication, the two students are learning through hands-on experiences in process development for semiconductor and microelectronic device fabrication, equipment process qualifications, and basic equipment and facility maintenance — all while working shoulder to shoulder with experienced engineers in a 6,000-square-foot, class 100 cleanroom.
But the experiential learning opportunities at Nanotech West don’t end in the labs. IMR also offers business- and administrative-focused experience in the fast-paced offices that keep the largest nanotechnology user facility in the state running smoothly.
In one such office, Columbus State student Alison Falcon Reyes, a Business Administration major, sits front and center. As IMR’s new front desk administrative intern, Reyes is responsible for customer service, purchasing and financial requests, and data entry.
IMR’s most recent search for talented Columbus State students interested in these real-world, learning-by-doing opportunities at Ohio State kicked off late last year with information sessions and tours of Nanotech West Lab.
More than 40 Columbus State students, including the three soon-to-be hired interns, registered to visit Nanotech West Lab, met experienced business professionals and engineering experts, and toured facilities focusing on materials synthesis and semiconductor device fabrication, medical-related modeling and manufacturing, and energy storage and conversion research.
IMR program assistant Laurie Coyne managed the student info sessions, as well as the onboarding process for those joining the team.
“Some of the most innovative ideas come from our student interns; they offer a fresh perspective and enthusiasm,” Coyne said. “As a Columbus State alumna, I’m aware of the great instructional programs the college offers, and it has been a pleasure collaborating with them to provide opportunities for students through experiential learning and the IMR internship program.”
Story by Mike Huson, IMR communications coordinator.
Contact: huson.4@osu.edu
Follow: @OhioStateIMR