USM PENANG, 8 December 2024 – The School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in collaboration with ams OSRAM and Silterra has successfully launched the 4th ‘Industry in the Classroom’ Programme on 27 November 2024.

This programme aims to empower postgraduate students in the fields of Applied Physics and Engineering Physics through a series of structured lectures conducted by industry partners.

Through this programme, a total of eight (8) technical lectures were delivered by engineers from ams OSRAM and Silterra, whereby the lectures were aligned with the Master of Solid State Physics syllabus.

Contents of the lecture covered topics such as Solid State Physics, Semiconductor Physics, Complementary Materials Physics, X-ray Structural Analysis, and Thermal Management in Electronics.

In addition, the programme has also been expanded to include topics such as Silicon Photonics and Back-end Device Processes, as well as opening up participation to other academic schools within USM.

The ‘Industry in the Classroom’ initiative highlights collaborative efforts between the School of Physics and its semiconductor industry partners, in strengthening the future talent ecosystem and promoting academic excellence within the current postgraduate programmes.

From the industry side, this programme is led by Dr. David Lacey, President of the Semiconductor Fabrication Association of Malaysia and also the Director of R&D at ams OSRAM. He is also a member of the USM Industry/Community Advisory Panel (ICAP) and an honorary doctorate recipient from USM.

In his speech, David emphasised the importance of forging a sustainable collaboration with USM through this initiative.

"This programme is part of our long-term efforts at USM to encourage more students to pursue careers in semiconductor technology," he said.

"Our focus is to strengthen the ecosystem of scientists and engineers in Universities, Research Institutes, and companies to support the R&D needs of the semiconductor industry.

“Through this programme, we introduce the application of Physics, Materials Science, and Engineering to real-world semiconductor products," David added.

Meanwhile, the head of the ‘Industry in the Classroom’ programme, Ts. Dr. Wan Maryam Wan Ahmad Kamil said that, apart from improving the skills of postgraduate students in the semiconductor field, this programme also supports Malaysia’s National Semiconductor Strategy through strategic collaborations with key players in the semiconductor industry.

Overall some 106 postgraduates have benefited from this programme since it was first launched in 2023.

Source: Ts. Dr. Wan Maryam Wan Ahmad Kamil, head of ‘Industry in the Classroom’ programme/Editing: Tan Ewe Hoe