Fourteen Vanderbilt University students represented the School of Engineering at the inaugural SCALE-Con, held February 2-3 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. The national gathering brought together students, faculty, federal employees and representatives from more than 30 universities to highlight research and workforce development efforts in microelectronics and national security.
The Washington location provided Vanderbilt students with a unique opportunity to engage directly with leaders from academia, industry and government in the nation’s capital, underscoring the real-world relevance of their research and training. More than 20 industry partners were in attendance, including Honeywell, Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin Space, Northrop Grumman, ARM, Nucleon, and Reliable MicroSystems.
- Students worked across five technical verticals that included:
- Radiation hardening
- Compound semiconductors
- System-on-chip
- Heterogeneous integration/advanced packaging
- Trusted artificial intelligence (AI)
Each vertical showcased research advancements and outcomes made possible through SCALE support, giving students a national platform to demonstrate the impact of their work.
“This first-of-its-kind conference gave students a fantastic opportunity to show off their own work, and to hear from their peers and industry leaders working in areas of microelectronics related to national security,” said Michael Alles, Associate Director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Space Defense Electronics (ISDE) and research professor of electrical and computer engineering.
Alles oversees participation from 23 universities nationwide, representing 330 active SCALE students. Vanderbilt accounts for 50 of those students, one of the largest contingents in the program.
At the conference, Vanderbilt and Arizona State University jointly presented their cross-university collaboration within the Radiation Hardening vertical. The institutions highlighted the Lab RaTTS project, a hands-on radiation testing simulator designed to provide students with practical experience typically reserved for graduate study or early-career professionals.
Lab RaTTS now operates two simulators—one at Vanderbilt and one at Arizona State—allowing students to gain early exposure to radiation testing processes in a controlled environment. The training platform helps reduce testing costs, minimize errors when transitioning to real equipment and prepare graduates with broader technical expertise to meet workforce needs.
Students also heard from several keynote speakers, including Paul Lyons, system security engineering director for the U.S. Air Force. Lyons emphasized the strong return on investment of the SCALE program, noting that every dollar invested has generated a $4.98 return. Students highlighted the value on the importance of their work, seeing what other students are working on, gaining a sense of community, networking with industry, and hearing from SCALE alumni during panel discussions. Among those speaking was Evelyn Marx, a 2025 graduate of the School of Engineering who had participated in SCALE as a student.
Lyons underscored that the students’ work extends beyond academic achievement, contributing directly to national security and mission readiness. He encouraged participants to continue pursuing research that strengthens the nation’s microelectronics capabilities.
Since its launch in February 2020, the SCALE program has continued to expand its national footprint and measurable impact, preparing students for critical roles in the microelectronics workforce and strengthening the nation’s technological leadership.To date, it has supported 1,664 students nationwide. More than 80% of undergraduate participants continue into graduate programs, and more than 60% secure microelectronics-related positions after graduation.