Make mine binary...

O.K., I know this is a blog on semiconductor manufacturing, but I recently had a great personal experience with the king of manufacturing - Intel - namely, it's museum in Santa Clara, California. Because of this, I figured it is related enough to share.

Last Saturday, I took my six-year-old son to the Intel Museum for a very basic (and free) class on binary code. With the other 12 students, my son learned what binary code is, a few basics on how it is used, and then made a keychain with his initial in binary. Kudos to the instructor who was able ability to keep the attention of wiggly grade-schoolers and explain chips at a fundamental level.

It was really fun to watch all the kids get excited about learning this building block of computer technology, knowing full well that most of their parents are probably somehow involved in the industry in some way. Even more exciting is knowing this class could be just the beginning of a lifetime interest in technology. Getting kids interested early-on in very practical, hands on ways is one of the keys to getting them interested in pursuing a higher education in the field. This is going to be the key to the U.S. maintaining its technology leadership in the world.

I hear all the time that it is harder and harder to get kids interested and we have to get more and more creative about enticing them. How about showing them first-hand how things are made? Sometimes the most direct way is the best.

After the binary code class, my son and I spent a good half-hour in the museum, wandering through the exhibits that go through the history of the semiconductor industry with great examples, along with a mock clean room, complete with a real silicon ingot. We punched in 0s and 1s on a huge binary code display and tested different materials for conductivity, topped off by an electronic browse through Gordon Moore's early journal.
The overall experience was so positive, I am working on setting up a field trip for my son's class to visit the museum together, and am looking at other (free) classes for my son to attend during the summer months.

Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think. Comments always encouraged.

–Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor