Pivots: Reshaping Education in Nanofabrication for the Northern Virginia Ecosystem and Workforce

Award ID: 2526020

This ExLENT Pivots track project aims to serve the national interest by expanding experiential learning pathways in emerging hardware technologies that are driven by nanofabrication. It focuses on increasing workforce opportunities in Northern Virginia, a region positioned for growth in emerging technology sectors. As this dynamic area continues to demand more advanced skill sets, developing a skilled workforce becomes a critical priority, one that calls for innovative and responsive training models. George Mason University (GMU) is well positioned to lead these efforts through its Innovation District initiative centered at the university's SciTech campus. Importantly, the project offers a three-phase curriculum that combines virtual instruction, hands-on training at the university, and paid apprenticeships in high-tech industry settings. This approach is designed to serve a wide range of learners, including non-STEM professionals and adults seeking to reskill or upskill. The project draws on a new nanofabrication facility at the SciTech campus and fosters cross-sector partnerships among academia, industry, and government. Through this high-impact effort, the project aims to deepen understanding of how to design experiential learning models that support career transitions into technology fields where nanofabrication expertise is in high demand. The project pursues three interconnected goals: 1) to develop and iteratively refine an innovative, community-engaged experiential learning and training model that prepares participants to pivot into emerging technology areas, 2) create a nanofabrication-specific hands-on training curriculum for the benefit of communities around the Northern Virginia and the greater Washington DC metropolitan area, and 3) enhance GMUs capacity for innovative research and workforce development programs in STEM. To achieve these goals, the initiative integrates a three-phase experience designed to immerse participants in a multi-component, nanofabrication-centered learning pathway that aligns with workforce needs in areas such as AI, quantum, energy storage, and cybersecurity. Participants begin with foundational theories of nanofabrication and explore real-world examples of its role in technological innovation. They then engage in hands-on training at GMUs research labs and nanofabrication facilities. The final phase connects participants with on-site industry apprenticeships that support career transitions into high-demand fields. Evaluation efforts include a longitudinal study that captures both formative feedback and summative outcomes, enabling continuous refinement of the training model and its long-term impact. Findings and materials are dissemination through regional and national workforce development networks, and academic workshops and conferences. Through this integrated approach, the project contributes new insights into how discipline-specific, experiential learning models can support career mobility and expand access to emerging technology sectors. The NSF ExLENT Program, supported by the NSF TIP and EDU Directorates, seeks to support experiential learning opportunities for individuals to increase their interest in and their access to career pathways in emerging technology fields. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Karen Crosby