Klamath Falls, Oregon – A small rover, a soldering iron and a nine-centimeter-high button gave two Oregon Tech students a close-up look at where modern engineering is heading.
Mechanical Engineering students Grayson Moore and Kanon Kintner were among just 30 students from Oregon universities selected for a two-week Semiconductor Training Camp at Analog Devices in Beaverton. Coordinated by Oregon State University, the program combined hands-on projects with support and mentorship from engineers at Analog Devices and Intel.
The first week placed students in teams to build and configure model rovers. Participants handled soldering, mechanical assembly and coding before sending their machines through an obstacle course. They also proposed design changes that could help the rovers address practical problems.
“I was able to solder wires, assemble the rover, and help configure the C++ code needed to run the rover,” said Moore, who is also minoring in Information Technology.
Moore said the project strengthened both his technical abilities and his understanding of effective teamwork. When difficulties emerged, students had to communicate clearly and solve them together.
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Kintner faced an unusual collaboration challenge. Only one team member could view the building instructions, and that person was not allowed to touch the rover. The instructions had to be carefully relayed to everyone else.
The final obstacle required each rover to press a button positioned nine centimeters above the ground. Every team created a different 3D-printed attachment to complete the task, showing how multiple designs can solve the same engineering problem.
During the second week, the focus shifted to semiconductor manufacturing. Students used virtual reality training, attended industry presentations and visited Intel facilities. They learned about cleanrooms, chip design, production stages, testing and the growing use of automation and artificial intelligence.
“It really opened my eyes to how vast the industry is, as well as how many opportunities there are,” Moore said.
Kintner entered the camp with limited semiconductor knowledge but said organizers presented the material in a way that allowed students with different backgrounds to participate fully.
The experience may also influence both students’ academic paths. Moore is considering adding Oregon Tech’s new Artificial Intelligence major alongside Mechanical Engineering, while Kintner gained a stronger understanding of how AI tools can support research and learning.
Assistant Professor Praveen Guraja said the camp reflected the increasing overlap among engineering, robotics, information technology, AI and advanced manufacturing—and the kind of interdisciplinary preparation employers are likely to value.
More details and photos are available on Oregon Tech here.
