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The Semi-Summer programme once again offered students summer jobs and research opportunities

The programme, funded by companies in the semiconductor industry, aims to strengthen students' skills in this rapidly growing field
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Photo: Aalto University / Susanna Jaarmo.

The strong growth of the semiconductor industry and significant investments in Finland have increased the need for a new, skilled workforce. In response, a group of semiconductor companies has supported Aalto University for several years through donations to provide students with summer jobs in research groups in the field.

The Semi-Summer programme has offered bachelor’s and master’s students a direct path to developing the expertise needed in semiconductor technology and exploring the wide range of career opportunities in the field.

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Opiskelijat yritysvierailulla Okmeticilla. Kuva: Aalto-yliopisto / Susanna Jaarmo.

Getting to know the industry and research

The programme involved Aalto University’s School of Electrical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, and School of Science. The key industry partners and funders were Okmetic, Murata, Applied Materials, Canatu, Bosch Sensortec, and SiTime. 

In addition to research work, the Semi-Summer programme included two events at Aalto University and three excursion days, during which students had the opportunity to visit the participating companies.

Gaining diverse experience and problem-solving skills

Over the summer, students worked on diverse and technically demanding research projects across various semiconductor-related research groups at Aalto. In these research groups, students had the opportunity to work on topics such as the following:

  • Martti Taipalinen worked in Assistant Professor Caterina Soldano’s research group on organic electronics. The project combined an organic F8BT polymer with ZnO nanowires to fabricate organic light-emitting transistors. Over the summer, Taipalinen gained experience in transistor physics, fabrication methods, and the use of analytical tools. Taipalinen was particularly grateful for the working community and the opportunity to work in Micronova’s cleanrooms in Otanano.
  • Jonna Järvelin used her summer job to prepare part of her master's thesis, which focuses on the synthesis and characterization of a cobalt ALD precursor as well as cobalt ALD depositions. Järvelin learned practical synthesis methods, problem-solving, and that in research work, even failures provide valuable information. Company visits gave her a more comprehensive picture of employment opportunities in the field and reinforced her choice of career path. Järvelin worked as part of Assistant Professor Ville Miikkulainen's group.
  • Jiayu Hu worked in Assistant Professor Kwantae Kim’s research group on electronic circuit design. She designed a digital interface for a flexible analog circuit and built a digital implementation flow from scratch. According to Hu, the Semi-Summer programme provided an excellent window into the industry, and working within the group was the highlight of her summer.

According to Markku Sopanen, Professor in the School of Electrical Engineering, the Semi-Summer programme has exceptionally well increased the visibility of the semiconductor industry among students. 

'Semiconductor-related educational offerings at Aalto have grown in recent years, and student numbers have risen sharply,' Sopanen says. 

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Dipoli julkisivu Käpy-teos Kuva: Markus Sommers / Aalto-yliopisto

Read more about the Semi-Summer programme

Group of people standing in a room with shelves and boxes, many wearing red lanyards and black or striped tops.

Discovering the semiconductor industry through summer jobs

The growth and investment in the semiconductor industry in Finland is increasing the demand for skilled workers. With the support of six semiconductor companies, Aalto University has offered students the opportunity to undertake summer jobs in research groups related to the field.

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The researchers utilized the exceptional facilities of Micronova Nanofabrication Cleanroom. Photo: Aalto University / Mikko Raskinen

Semi-Summer jobs introduce the semiconductor industry to students

Semiconductors play a crucial role in many parts of modern technology. So-called "Semi-Summer jobs" at Aalto University serve as a concrete example of a research and education partnership between the Aalto schools of technology and businesses in the semiconductor industry.

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Emma Kemppainen at Aalto campus

Emma Kemppinen: Semiconductor industry offers a lot of opportunities both in industry and academia

Emma got her summer job in a research group thanks to donations from companies in the semiconductor industry. The summer job confirmed her interest in the field.

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