Semiconductors and Society: A First-year Seminar

John A. Nestor

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Conference: 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access
Location: Virtual On line
Publication Date: June 22, 2020
Start Date: June 22, 2020
End Date: June 26, 2021
Conference Session: Sociotechnical Integration
Tagged Division: Liberal Education/Engineering & Society
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 21
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--35186
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/35186
Download Count: 737

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John A. Nestor Lafayette College

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John Nestor is a Professor of Electrical Engineering at Lafayette College. His research interests include digital design, field-programmable logic, hardware description languages, VLSI, , and engineering education. He received the Ph. D. and MSEE degrees from Carnegie Mellon and the BEE degree from Georgia Tech.

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Abstract

Since the invention of the transistor 73 years ago, semiconductor technology has improved at an exponential rate following the self-fulfilling prophecy of Moore’s Law. Improvements in semiconductor technology have in turn enabled remarkable improvements in communication and information technology, leading to major changes in the way people communicate, compute, acquire and use information, and seek entertainment.

This paper describes a First-Year Seminar taught in 2017 and 2019 in which students from a range of different majors explore the history and societal impact of semiconductor and related technologies throughout the semiconductor era. The goals of the seminar are to provide students with a qualitative understanding of how semiconductors are designed and manufactured, an appreciation for how the technology has evolved and enabled news products and services, an awareness of the physical and economic factors that suggest an end to exponential improvement, and a perspective on how the end of exponential improvement might further impact society. Students can the use this perspective to make informed decisions about semiconductor and related technologies and to participate in the broader conversation about the technological choices faced by society.

The course is structured as a historical survey that begins with precursor technologies that motivated the development of semiconductors, followed by the invention of the transistor and the integrated circuit, and the ongoing symbiotic relationship between semiconductors and communication and information technology that led to a “virtuous cycle” of exponential improvement. Students engage in reading and discussion along with short lectures describing the design and manufacture of semiconductors. Hands-on experiences involving coding and integrated circuit design are used to strengthen student understanding of basic concepts. Student writing assignments include reflections about their personal history experiencing technological improvements, reactions to the hands-on experiences, and a book report in which they explore one particular aspect of semiconductor technology and its societal impacts.

Assessment of student writing assignments showed that students gained a qualitative understanding of semiconductor design and manufacturing and an appreciation for the changes brought about by advances in semiconductor technology and its applications. Future refinements to the course will include broadening coverage of impacts of semiconductors in the present day including environmental concerns, privacy/surveillance issues, and job losses due to automation

Citation
Format

Nestor, J. A. (2020, June), Semiconductors and Society: A First-year Seminar Paper presented at 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual On line . 10.18260/1-2--35186

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Since the invention of the transistor 73 years ago, semiconductor technology has improved at an exponential rate following the self-fulfilling prophecy of Moore’s Law.  Improvements in semiconductor technology have in turn enabled remarkable improvements in communication and information technology, leading to major changes in the way people communicate, compute, acquire and use information, and seek entertainment. 

This paper describes a First-Year Seminar taught in 2017 and 2019 in which students from a range of different majors explore the history and societal impact of semiconductor and related technologies throughout the semiconductor era.  The goals of the seminar are to provide students with a qualitative understanding of how semiconductors are designed and manufactured, an appreciation for how the technology has evolved and enabled news products and services, an awareness of the physical and economic factors that suggest an end to exponential improvement, and a perspective on how the end of exponential improvement might further impact society.  Students can the use this perspective to make informed decisions about semiconductor and related technologies and to participate in the broader conversation about the technological choices faced by society.

The course is structured as a historical survey that begins with precursor technologies that motivated the development of semiconductors, followed by the invention of the transistor and the integrated circuit, and the ongoing symbiotic relationship between semiconductors and communication and information technology that led to a “virtuous cycle” of exponential improvement.  Students engage in reading and discussion along with short lectures describing the design and manufacture of semiconductors.  Hands-on experiences involving coding and integrated circuit design are used to strengthen student understanding of basic concepts.  Student writing assignments include reflections about their personal history experiencing technological improvements, reactions to the hands-on experiences, and a book report in which they explore one particular aspect of semiconductor technology and its societal impacts.

Assessment of student writing assignments showed that students gained a qualitative understanding of semiconductor design and manufacturing and an appreciation for the changes brought about by advances in semiconductor technology and its applications.  Future refinements to the course will include broadening coverage of impacts of semiconductors in the present day including environmental concerns, privacy/surveillance issues, and job losses due to automation

AU  - John A. Nestor
CY  - Virtual On line 
DA  - 2020/06/22
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Semiconductors and Society: A First-year Seminar
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/35186
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--35186
ER  -