The importance of chemistry to students

06/01/1997

The importance of chemistry to students

I teach electronics and math at DeVRY Institute of Technology in Irving, TX. Our Electronic Technician associate degree graduates are often hired by semiconductor manufacturing companies. The need for this type of work force will increase when Intel soon opens a plant in north Fort Worth, TX.

Here in Irving, Hitachi makes these new employees responsible for their entire range of work, which includes the chemicals in the sputtering process. Thus, one major concern is the lack of chemical knowledge by these new employees.

Although chemistry traditionally has been included in the curriculum for college-bound high school students, counselors and parents may be missing a strategic opportunity by not encouraging more students to pursue chemistry in their junior or senior years of high school. It`s difficult to pick up an extra heavy-duty college chemistry course later on.

Marcus Rasco, professor

DeVRY Institute of Technology,

Irving, TX