Several types of solar cells are made from semiconductor wafers.

The University of Oregon’s photovoltaic graduate internship program trains chemists, physicists, and engineers in photovoltaic processing. Together with sister programs in other industries, the UO Graduate Internship Program has placed over 200 scientists and engineers in high-tech industry – the vast majority in Oregon.

Goals of the program:

• Students receive intensive training in photovoltaics and related semiconductor devices in the program’s specialized course work.
• Students rely on the soft skills demanded by industry, including leadership, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication.
• Students earn master’s degrees and transition into industrial internships in as little as three months.

Photovoltaic graduate internships:

• Graduate Internship Programs
• Curriculum covers fundamental concepts of photovoltaic and related semiconductor devices along with the processes used in their fabrication.
• Students gain an appreciation of the strengths and limitations of semiconductor technologies.
• Students unveil the chemistry and processes behind the “recipes” used in device fabrication, and learn to meet the challenges faced in an industrial setting.