Micron Technology, Inc., and the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology (MOST) celebrated the ribbon-cutting of a new permanent exhibit last night with local educators, elected officials and community stakeholders. “DECONSTRUCTED: Semiconductors and Other Secrets Inside Everyday Technology” will offer Central New York’s K-8 students, along with their teachers and families, hands-on exposure to semiconductors through an interactive exhibit sponsored by Micron.
In October 2022, Micron announced the Community Investment Framework, shortly after disclosing the selection of Clay, New York, as the site of the company’s planned investment of up to $100 billion over the next 20-plus years to construct a new megafab. This agreement, made between the company and New York State, details a suite of commitments to the community that will help Micron, together with state and local partners, equip Central New York’s workforce with the skills needed to sustain leading-edge domestic semiconductor manufacturing.
As part of Micron’s long-standing commitment to investing in and enriching the communities where its team members live and work through philanthropy and volunteerism, the company announced a $500,000 sponsorship of the MOST under the Community Investment Framework. The sponsorship includes the funding of a STEM education series and design challenges to provide continuous learning opportunities; MOST science camps held during midwinter and spring breaks, made available to students at no cost; and “DECONSTRUCTED: Semiconductors and Other Secrets Inside Everyday Technology,” an exhibit using hands-on experiences to inspire students and their families to learn about semiconductors.
The MOST and Micron took an intentional approach to ensure that the exhibit would serve as a relevant and accessible community resource. The MOST / Micron Exhibit Advisory Group —composed of representatives from the MOST, Micron, local school districts and leading community organizations — met for the first time in December 2022. The group met regularly over the following months to make sure the exhibit was designed inclusively and collaboratively to reflect and meet the needs of the Central New York community.
“It’s wonderful to see the innovations we develop at Micron on display at the MOST, where young learners and their families are demystifying advanced technology and getting interactive answers to questions about our industry, our company — and their futures,” said April Arnzen, senior vice president and chief people officer at Micron and president of the Micron Foundation. “As we continue our efforts to build the workforce of the future, it’s critical to remember that it’s never too early to start building a passion for STEM. I’m grateful to the diverse group of gifted educators, museum experts and community leaders who so generously shared their time and expertise on the Exhibit Advisory Group as we worked together to develop a community resource that reflects Central New York.”
The 1,200-square-foot exhibit is made up of four sections, each designed with universal design principles for museums to ensure accessibility for visitors and promoting the hands-on STEM learning that powers the MOST.
- Museum visitors can learn about types of memory and components of storage in Inside a Chip, which features interactive games.
- DECONSTRUCTED explores the history, application and production of memory chips. Recognizable products and the chips that power them are displayed in this section.
- The Skill Bar features video interviews with Micron employees — from fab engineers to safety managers, equipment technicians and more — conducted by WCNY’s Reading Buddies. The locally beloved puppets help Micron employees tell museum visitors about the skills they use at work and introduce a range of possible careers in the semiconductor field.
- Finally, museum visitors can go to the Meet Micron section to check out a range of the most innovative products — from servers to SSDs — made by Micron and its consumer brand, Crucial. Highlighting the community effort that went into developing the exhibit, this section features a rotating showcase of projects developed by students in Micron’s flagship STEM education program, Chip Camp, and a chip-manufacturing model produced by students from the East Syracuse Minoa School District. Visitors can also explore the same 3D model of the planned megafab in Clay that President Joe Biden saw in Syracuse in October 2022.
“It’s been a pleasure working with Micron to develop this exciting new exhibit,” said Lauren Kochian, president of the MOST. “We expect about 120,000 visitors to the MOST in 2023, and we’re thrilled that so many learners, educators and families will get hands-on experience with our new community partner, Micron. We’d love to see community members here later this week, experiencing the informal science learning experiences we’ve shared with the community for more than 30 years.”
“DECONSTRUCTED: Semiconductors and Other Secrets Inside Everyday Technology” will open for member families and educators on Wednesday, Aug. 2. The exhibit’s grand opening follows on Thursday, Aug. 3, and Micron’s sponsorship will facilitate free entry for all that day.