Nanotechnology Master’s Graduate Student Fellows (GSF) Program
Nanotechnology Masters students may apply to enter the Graduate Student Fellow (GSF) Program. Being a GSF allows students access to a unique experience to assist the professional staff at the Quattrone Nanofabrication Facility (QNF) at the Singh Center for Nanotechnology, thereby receiving practical experimental experience in the Center’s facilities in addition to the Nanotechnology Masters Degree curriculum.
Program Goals
Through this Program, students obtain valuable insight into process development, cleanroom hygiene, fabrication best practices, and teamwork principles. GSFs are encouraged to be independent problem solvers and to leverage each others’ experiences and strengths to acquire new skill sets on the available tools in our unique facilities here at the University of Pennsylvania. Previous GSF fellows have found this hands-on experience extremely valuable as they move on to either industry or further study in experimental nanotechnology. Students have the opportunity to publish their work through Scholarly Commons, the University of Pennsylvania’s open access institutional repository.
Project Focus and Examples
Sample projects typically fall into one of the following three categories:
- Device Fabrication: protocols for device fabrication in various fields such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), 2D graphene devices, blood cell/microfluidic filters, integrated passive elements, directed self-assembly, and quantum dot synthesis and device fabrication
- Advanced Process Engineering: developing advanced process techniques in lithography (e-beam, UV, nanoimprint, 3D printing), thin film etch and deposition, soft lithography, and laser micromachining
- Teaching and Training Assistant: Teaching opportunities to engage the next generation of Nanotechnology Masters Students, including laboratory courses and providing the tool training for Singh Center users
Compensation
GSF positions are compensated commensurate with Penn’s student assistant hourly pay scales. Typical engagement on a project such as the ones described above might require up to 7 hours per week, leaving students sufficient time for their other coursework. Some engagements, such as being a Teaching Assistant for a rostered Penn course, may provide the opportunity for additional hours. A GSF position does not carry a tuition waiver.
More Information
For more information on the Nanotechnology Masters Graduate Student Fellows (GSF) program, please also see the GSF page on the Singh Center website and contact Gyuseok Kim at kimgyu@seas.upenn.edu.