IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
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IPC COMMUNITY 54 SPRING 2024 of Nebraska-Lincoln with a dual major in mechanical engineering and French horn per- formance. That extra time as an undergrad gave me the opportunity to complete a master's in science in three semesters. I had no plans to be a professor, but my mas- ter's work led to earning a PhD in ultra-low power analog chip design. That was my first contact with IPC standards as I made hard- ware prototypes to test my chips. As a teaching assistant, I realized that teaching technical topics and working with students was a skill and a passion. What is the value of joining an IPC Student Chapter? When students make contact with peers in their chapter, they get real experience in how to work with others. The ability to reach out and develop contacts is key to how much work gets done in industry, and much of life in general. These inter- actions are hard to emulate without a network. What is most challenging for students as they learn about electronics manufacturing? Much of a degree's coursework involves examining the underlying theory and prin- ciples. This means there are few opportu- nities to build electronic devices, espe- cially as a larger system. Without build- ing larger projects—dealing with physical dimensions, soldering processes, heat management, or other manufacturing processes—students never actually see what happens between finishing a PCB design and an assembled product. What would help them overcome this obstacle? Our IPC chapter will be making some site visits to member facilities in our area. Seeing the industry from behind the scenes goes a long way toward students being able to see themselves in those roles. It is ulti- mately about creating physical things that are truly hands-on. What has been personally rewarding for you as a professor? Most significant to me is when former students contact me after graduation with significant news in their lives and they tell me how some aspect of our relationship was key to that. Stu- dent success can be a cliché, but as mentors and teachers, those are the times we work for.