Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1355791
REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2021 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE I I-CONNECT007 33 me to explore more opportunities within the organization. I also took up the leadership role as the sec- retary of communications for IPC, SMTA and iMaps student chapters at the University of Maryland during the academic year 2020–21. I was asked to share some insights for the new engineers looking to make their way into the electronics industry. rough this interview, I received a lot of engagement from the Linke- dIn community, and it helped in building professional relations with experts in similar fields. During my second semester, I took one course that introduced me to the semiconduc- tor fabrication processes and the packaging industry. e course was slightly overwhelm- ing, yet I was intrigued by the depth of infor- mation I was given. During the course, I got involved in the teardown and cross-sectional analysis of different chips used in the iPhone 6. One of these was a front-end power amplifier module by Qorvo, a manufacturer of RF chips and modules. e project helped me gain a lot of insight about the technology being used in the industry. Later in summer 2020, amidst the pandemic, I was given the opportunity through an intern- ship to contribute my skills at Qorvo's facil- ity in Greensboro, North Carolina. I started working onsite with their advanced packaging team on the latest technology RF solutions for future applications. I was assigned the task of developing a tool that can predict the standoff height of BGA solder balls in a DSMBGA (dou- ble side molded ball grid array type package) that connects the module onto the customer's main PCB. Using the tool, the organization was able to significantly cut down the time and expenses which were otherwise required in manufacturing physical builds and for testing them. It was a real challenge to develop some- thing from scratch with limited resources, but I was really happy with the results. I received a lot of appreciation both from my manager and the director of packaging at Qorvo. Aer the internship, I was looking for moti- vation to overcome the challenges of the final semester as well as the hassle of finding a full-time job. I realized that IPC's scholarship application and the Emerging Engineer pro- gram applications were open. I applied and was selected again! I am probably one of a very few applicants who received the IPC Educa- tion Foundation Scholarship consecutively for two academic years, 2019–20 and 2020–21. is helped build my confidence to pursue the career path that I was interested in. I knew this is what I wanted to do. rough this mentorship program I was assigned to my mentor, Gen3 President Gra- ham Naisbitt. I have been reaching out to Mr. Naisbitt for his support and suggestions regard- ing the job search, benefits of networking, and many other day-to-day accomplishments. He has been really kind and an approachable per- son. I still recall a conversation we had about whether I plan on being a small cog in a big wheel or a big cog in a small wheel. I realized that I am still in the very early stage of my career and there are many things I have to learn. To accomplish this, I have to start from being a big cog in a small wheel then build my way to be a valuable member in a bigger organization. Once I complete my job search, I am looking forward to learning more from Mr. Naisbitt and his experiences in the electronics industry. I graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in December 2020 with a master's degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in electronics packaging. At the moment, I am actively seeking an entry-level full-time opportunity for the roles of packaging engi- neer, reliability engineer in the semiconduc- tor/electronic industry where I can contribute my skills and knowledge towards building the future. If any of you are looking for a potential can- didate for your organization, feel free to reach out to me via rboyana@umd.edu and I would be happy to share more information about my background and experiences with you. S&T