Sharjah, Sunday, July 17, 2011-- American University of Sharjah (AUS) and the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC) recently commenced their Microelectronic Program, as part of the ATIC 2011 Summer of Semiconductors program. Eighty distinguished Emirati students from various high schools across the country are participating in the three-week program which runs from July 10 to 28 at The Glenelg School of Abu Dhabi.

AUS Chancellor Dr. Peter Heath said, "It is an honor to be in partnership with ATIC knowing that together we are playing an integral part in the development of the generation that will be responsible for Abu Dhabi's future technological progression and the overall development of the UAE. The AUS College of Engineering faculty, participating in this program, who will contribute through their state-of-art know how to support this knowledge-based exercise. I hope that the UAE may one day be at forefront of technological advancement in the world negating the need to bring in expertise from other countries."

The Microelectronic Program offers the exploration of semiconductors and their practical applications and provides a platform to further develop future Emirati leaders and experts in the semiconductors sector. Whilst AUS played an integral part in providing the instructors and expertise, ATIC conducted interviews to shortlist candidates.

Dr. Yousef Al-Assaf, the Dean of College of Engineering at AUS said "The event will provide an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between AUS and other reputable national UAE institutions and puts AUS in a prime position to develop a skill-set for future generations of the UAE. It will add value in terms of investment, research, and design in microelectronics and semiconductors."

The summer program is created though a partnership between AUS, ATIC, Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), Creative Kids Academy, The Glenelg School and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), one of the world's largest global suppliers of microchip technology.

"This program is incredibly valuable in allowing us to engage with the UAE's next generation of technology leaders," said Khalid Al Shamlan, Project Manager in the Human Capital Development Team at ATIC. "In addition to introducing the nation's youth to an advanced industry that stands as a major pillar in our development - we are providing hands-on experience that will foster success for those students here who move into the semiconductor industry," he added.

Dr. Lutfi Albasha, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at AUS said "In this year's program, we added a new dimension where we will dedicate an entire week to the fabrication and manufacturing process of integrated circuits. This is geared in such a way that can be technically understood as well as enjoyed by the students. This new idea was developed with the ATIC team."

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© Press Release 2011