Youngstown State University Upgrades EE Teaching and Research Labs

Organization

• Youngstown State University

Challenges

• Lack of curriculum to produce nextgeneration workforce in microelectronics

• Balancing lab equipment needs with budget constraints

Solutions

• Ten new lab stations equipped with Keysight oscilloscopes, digital multimeters (DMMs), power supplies, and network analyzers

Results

• University provides students with industry-relevant hands-on experience

• Lab equipment is scalable for in-person or remote learning

Modern Test Equipment Elevates Microelectronics Education and Training

Youngstown State University (YSU) is the first and only college in Ohio dedicated to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The university’s STEM Professional Services programs have successfully placed students in internships to give them hands-on experience with the possibility of multiple job opportunities before graduation.

YSU’s Electrical Engineering Technology program is instrumental in providing an industryready workforce to various industries in the United States. The faculty is actively involved in research related to very-large-scale integration (VLSI) applications to create integrated circuits, microelectronics, computer hardware, additive manufacturing, flexible electronics, microelectronic chip design, and hardware security. Microelectronics is a subdivision of the field of electronics that covers very small and microscopic elements to manufacture electronic components. The technology is rapidly evolving the ever-increasing demand for inexpensive and lightweight products.

This case study discusses how YSU invested in new lab technology to elevate their students’ learning experience.

Challenges

To stay competitive, universities must develop industry collaborations while balancing capital expense investments in their labs to meet student and research needs.

As competition for technology jobs increases, students need to consider how employable they will be with a degree from the universities they are considering for their education.

When YSU faculty made the decision to upgrade their EE labs, they evaluated three potential solutions and compared the benefits and costs of each. Equipping a new lab can be costly, and the YSU team wanted to be sure their investment would provide:

• Accurate and reliable test results for existing and emerging technologies — students are industry-ready when entering the workforce.

• Remote functionality to expand the lab’s reach so more students would have lab access.

• Convenient access to technology and measurement experts for students and professors for equipment setup and application assistance.

• Seamless design, build and troubleshoot experience in microelectronics, which would encourage students towards a thriving career path as digital design engineers.

Professor and Director Frank X. Li, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor Vamsi Borra, Ph.D., evaluated proposals from Keysight and two other leading test equipment manufacturers. They selected a Keysight solution, citing Keysight as a market-leading test and measurement manufacturer with the ability to meet all their outlined criteria. Dr. Borra stated, “We couldn’t just buy the least expensive equipment; we didn’t want to compromise on the student’s learning experience.”