Janaki is a technician at Analog Devices S04-E02 Talking Technicians

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Janaki works at Analog Devices, contributing to the design and production of cutting-edge electronic components. She discusses her technical training, the challenges of working in a high-tech environment, and how her role supports innovations in consumer and industrial electronics.

Show Notes

Janaki is a Equipment Engineering Technician at Analog Devices in Beaverton, OR outside Portland. Janaki had a career in small business, but needed to make a change. Hear how Janaki transitioned to working in the semiconductor industry by enrolling in Portland Community College’s Microelectronics Program.

The Talking Technicians podcast is produced by MNT-EC, the Micro Nano Technology Education Center, through financial support from the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education grant program.

Opinions expressed on this podcast do not necessarily represent those of the National Science Foundation.

Join the conversation. If you are a working technician or know someone who is, reach out to us at info@talkingtechnicians.org.

Links from the show:

Episode Web Page: https://micronanoeducation.org/students-parents/talking-technicians-podcast/

Portland Community College Microelectronics Program:

https://www.pcc.edu/programs/microelectronics/

Analog Devices: https://www.analog.com/en/about-adi/careers.html

This Podcast was originally published at:
https://talkingtechnicians.buzzsprout.com/1538071/13921715-s04-e02-janaki-is-a-technician-at-analog-devices

If you prefer to listen via YouTube:

 

MNT-EC Student Wins Award at SACNAS

Cal Poly student and Pasadena City College alum, Tan Nguyen, recently garnered the Best Poster Presentation Award in the General Chemistry Category at the 2023  Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) National Diversity in STEM Conference held in Portland, Oregon. 

MNT-CURN Chemistry Pasadena City College Alum Tan Nguyen Wins SACNAS Award with Research on Gold Nanoparticles

As a MNT-EC student, Nguyen’s award-winning presentation delved into the intricate world of gold conjugate nanoparticles, showcasing the innovative strides being made in the field.

View some photos of the conference day below. At the end of this post, you will find the full PDF poster (and a link to download it) and the text abstract. 

MNT_EC_CHEMISTRY_NANO_PASADENA_TAN_AWARD
Tan Nguyễn Chemistry
Tan Nguyen wins the best chemistry poster award at SACNAS
SACNAS_Poster2023_MNT_ECDownload

Understanding Electronic Properties of Gold Nanoparticles and Antibody-Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles For Use in Photothermal Cancer Medicine Abstract:

“Gold (Au) nanoparticles have been known as excellent nanomaterial candidates in multiple biomedical applications and cancer treatments including drug delivery, biomedical imaging and photothermal therapy due to their unique properties and non-cytotoxic effects on human bodies. Streptavidin is a protein isolated from the bacterium Streptomyces Avidinii that can covalently bind to the surface of Au nanoparticles to facilitate the delivery of Au nanoparticles to cancer cells for treatment. However, the electronic properties of the Streptavidin-conjugated Au nanoparticles on a molecular level are not well understood. In this study, we examine how the conjugation with Streptavidin antibody alters the electron energy profile of the Au nanoparticles through electron excitation in order to shed light on the molecular and chemical characteristics of Streptavidin-conjugated Au nanoparticles. We synthesized Au nanoparticles at Yin lab at UC Riverside and measured the absorbance values of Au nanoparticles and Streptavidin-conjugated Au nanoparticles from 400 to 650nm. We then conducted the Ultrafast Femtosecond Laser technique to capture the electron kinetics of Au and Streptavidin-conjugated Au nanoparticles after 1,2,3,4, and 5 picosecond of excitation. We found that there was a little discrepancy between the peaks of Au and Streptavidin-conjugated Au nanoparticles in terms of absorbance, and electrons in the Streptavidin-conjugated Au nanoparticles were excited and returned to the ground state faster than the non-conjugated Au nanoparticles. These results suggested that the conjugation with Streptavidin proteins affects the electronic properties of Au nanoparticles, which can allow scientists to further optimize these conjugated molecules to support photothermal medicine for cancer treatments.”

About SACNAS:

The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) awarded over one hundred graduate and undergraduate students from historically excluded communities for their research and presentation skills at their premier event, the National Diversity in STEM Conference held in Portland from October 26 through October 28, 2023. Student research presentations help equip young researchers with the skills and mentoring they need to be successful on their STEM journey. This experience helps them refine presentation skills, receive one-on-one mentoring and feedback on research, and connect with a supportive community of peers, mentors, and role models. 

You can read about all of the presentations and posters in the SACNAS Abstract Book. 

The Nanoscale World of Matt Feyerheisen and the Power of SEM Technology

Note: MNT-EC recently teamed up with Wingspans, an exciting new career platform, to connect with more community college technician programs. Links and more info below. 

Embark on a microscopic journey with Matt Feyerheisen, a Field Engineer at Nanoscience Instruments, where the unseen becomes seen through the lens of Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEMs). 

With a background spanning from visual communication to microelectronics, Matt’s role is pivotal in examining the elemental composition of materials down to the electron level. SEMs, capable of magnifying objects a million times, are instrumental in industries from pharmaceuticals to aerospace, ensuring the integrity of products that shape our daily lives.

Matt highlights the diversity of applications: “You can’t really see the details of what I do because they’re so small… a human hair is 70 microns wide… One micron is a millionth of a meter.” His work ensures that the gap between contacts in computers is sufficient to prevent short circuits, a critical aspect of our digital world.

The job isn’t just about magnification; it’s about precision and problem-solving. Matt shares an anecdote: “There was one client where we had to take their machine in because there was a problem… it looked like a piano wire was wound around some type of pedestal.” It’s this meticulous attention to detail that ensures the reliability of equipment used in critical research and development across various sectors.

For potential students and enthusiasts, Matt’s journey is a testament to the ever-evolving field of nanotechnology, where learning never ceases, and every tiny detail can lead to a giant leap in innovation. His story is a compelling invitation to explore a world where the smallest elements make the biggest impact.

Matt earned a certificate through Rio Salado, an MNT-EC Partner, and his full profile is highlighted on the Wingspans website for any of our community to read or listen to the audio MP3 file on site (click through just below Matt’s photo “Listen to Profile” on the Wingspans site). 

Read the full post: Wingspans: Matt Feyerheisen

More on Wingspans from their website: 

“Wingspans takes an immersive approach to career discovery just short of experiencing the job yourself. It’s an archive of authentic and heartfelt career stories—nothing scripted or sugar-coated. If you can see it, you can be it.“

–Wingspans website

The site has 700+ in-depth career stories, including 40+ mini-documentaries, that are integrated into over 10,000 pages on our site.

This is an early look at one of the community college posts via our brief summary, but we hope you go visit the public Wingspans page for the full and energizing story about Matt Feyerheisen here.