Student Development

Student support funding was started in 1992 with the Universal Instruments Ultra Fine Pitch (UFP) Consortium.

More than $13M has been spent on student research support with various universities since that time.

Since 1992 we have graduated approximately 210 students (mostly from Binghamton University, but also Cornell University, Columbia University, Clarkson University, Virginia Tech and Rochester Institute of Technology).

Departments funded include:

· Mechanical Engineering

· Materials Science and Engineering

· System Science and Industrial Engineering

· Physics

· Electrical Engineering

· Manufacturing Technology

Students graduate with practical experience and advanced degrees in engineering that can be leveraged for job placement and advancement.

They receive training in:

– Automated assembly equipment

– Materials evaluation and reliability testing

– Surface mount manufacturing

– Soldering, adhesives, rework

– Failure analysis techniques (analytical tools and physical examination)

Look below to see if there are candidates for open positions within your organization!

Featured Graduating Students

Faramarz Hadian

Binghamton University Graduate Research Associate

Graduate Department: Physics

Faculty Adviser: Prof. Eric Cotts

Universal Instruments Corporation Engineer Mentor: Dr. Jim Wilcox

Faramarz Hadian is a Ph.D. candidate in the department of Physics at Binghamton University. His research revolves mostly around the processing, properties, and reliability of lead-free solder alloys. Currently he is studying the materials science of high melt-low melt solder interconnect structures for low temperature SMT applications. Through this research, he aims to interrogate electromigration of low temperature solder materials in solder joints and also solder line strips. Parallel to that he is interested in the microstructure and reliability of mixed assembly BGA structures. He also worked on reliability of lead free solder alloys for high temperature applications. He mostly focused on how different metallization impact thermo-mechanical reliability of lead-free solder joints built with alloys such as Eutectic, Innolot, and Bi-Ag-X.

Our Current Students

Arvind Srinivasan Karthikeyan

Auburn University Graduate Research Associate

Graduate Department: Industrial and Systems Engineering

Faculty Advisor: Prof. Sa’d Hamasha

Universal Instruments Corporation Engineer Mentor: Michael Meilunas

Arvind earned his Bachelor’s degree in Production Engineering from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, India in May 2013. He is a Ph.D student at Auburn University and his current research is focused on investigating the influence of solder alloys on the fatigue life of solder interconnections between Ball Grid Array and PCA under vibration testing for harsh environment applications. He has been working as a student research assistant in the Advanced Process Lab since May 2017. His previous research works involved evaluating the reliability of a System-in-Package test vehicle and studying the effect of Vacuum Reflow process on solder joint voiding.

Recently Graduated Students

Xuanyi Ding

Cornell University M.Eng Student

Graduate Department: Materials Science and Engineering

Faculty Adviser: Alexander Deyhim

Universal Instruments Corporation Engineer Mentor: Dr. Luke Wentlent

Xuanyi, originally from Beijing, China, earned the Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). He is currently pursuing a Master of Engineering degree in Materials Science and Engineering at Cornell University. At Cornell he collaborated with Indium Corporation on a pressure-less silver sintering project. Xuanyi is now working at Universal Instruments on low temperature mixed solder assemblies and high reliability solder alloys, more specifically in mechanical properties and microstructure evolution under thermal fatigue.

Yujia Wang

Cornell University Graduate Research Associate

Graduate Department: Materials Science and Engineering

Faculty Adviser: Alexander Deyhim

Universal Instruments Corporation Engineer Mentor: Peter McClure

Yujia, from Guangzhou, P.R. China, earned the B.S degree in Chemistry with minor in Applied Mathematics from the University of Washington, Seattle, in 2017. After graduating, she worked as a research assistant in Dr.Alex K-Y.Jen's lab at UW to continue her undergraduate research on the cathode materials of Li-S batteries. In January 2018, Yujia went back to China and worked in a securities company (GF Securities) as research analyst intern. In August 2018, she joined Cornell University to pursue a Master of Engineering degree in Materials Science and Engineering. In January 2019, Yujia joined the Advanced Process Laboratory as a research intern and is working on several projects including self-assembly solder paste, copper sintering, and thermal interface materials.

Thaer Alghoul

Binghamton University Graduate Research Associate

Graduate Department: Systems Science and Industrial Engineering

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Peter Borgesen

Universal Instruments Corporation Engineer Mentor: Dr. Pericles Kondos

Thaer Alghoul joined the APL as a graduate research associate in 2016. His work included process development, reliability characterization, and failure mode and analysis of microelectronics. Thaer earned his B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the Applied Science University in Jordan, M.S. and Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Binghamton University. Thaer has also been working in the Borgesen Research Group focusing on the reliability and deformation mechanisms of solder joints.