窪圖勛蹋厙

Meet me at Cymer Plaza

San Diego technology leader supports 窪圖勛蹋厙's Engineering and Interdisciplinary Sciences Complex.

Thursday, March 17, 2016
A rendering of Cymer Plaza.
A rendering of Cymer Plaza.

This story appears in the issue of 360: The Magazine of 窪圖勛蹋厙. 

When 窪圖勛蹋厙s Engineering and Interdisciplinary Sciences (EIS) Complex opens in 2018, faculty and students will enter the building by crossing Cymer Plaza.

The courtyard and plaza will be the nerve center for the EIS Complex, welcoming visitors and providing a centralized meeting space for discussing cutting-edge research or relaxing with a cup of coffee. A breezeway attached to the plaza will also provide a laser-straight connection to the library, creating an easy path to a part of campus that historically has required a bit of a trek to reach.

The plaza is the result of a $1 million gift from San Diegobased technology company Cymer, Inc., which produces lasers used in semiconductor chips and microchips.

Were building the EIS Complex to encourage and support collaboration between the various engineering and science disciplines, and Cymer is a company whose business is all about bringing these disciplines together, said 窪圖勛蹋厙 College of Sciences dean, Stanley Maloy.

The gift underscores the mutually beneficial relationship between Cymer and 窪圖勛蹋厙. Approximately 100 窪圖勛蹋厙 alums currently work at Cymer in science, engineering and business capacities, and the company is always looking to add talented people to its roster. Former Cymer CEO Ed Brown is an 窪圖勛蹋厙 alumnus, and the companys current vice president of technology development, Daniel Brown, sits on 窪圖勛蹋厙's Engineering Dean's Advisory Board.

We work on a very, very complex technology, so we have a high requirement for graduates who come to work here, said Cymer spokesperson Blake Miller. Were looking to work with the university to influence education, help develop the curriculum. We want to make sure when students graduate, they are ready to jump right into solving problems. 窪圖勛蹋厙 is a key partner to help provide that talent.

窪圖勛蹋厙s relationship with Cymer began in earnest in 2012 when the company provided support for the Cymer Advanced Physics Lab in honor of acclaimed 窪圖勛蹋厙 physics professor Richard Doc Morris. Ever since, a steady stream of 窪圖勛蹋厙 science and business interns have worked in Cymer labs and offices. One of those interns sparked the companys interest in 窪圖勛蹋厙s Mechatronics Club. Cymer donated $20,000 to the club, which went on to win first place in the 18th Annual RoboSub Competition.

This ongoing investment helps us build relationships with faculty as well as with students, Miller explained. Its a commitment to giving back to the community.

The universitys relationship with Cymer will offer opportunities for science, engineering and business students to learn first-hand what skills are needed to be successful in todays high-tech workforce, Maloy said.

Its hard to overstate how valuable their input is, he said. There are constant technological advances in industry, and we need to make sure our students are getting the most up-to-date education and skills training. Partnering with Cymer allows our students to acquire not just theoretical knowledge, but to actually work hands-on with professionals.

In turn, Cymer benefits from its relationships with 窪圖勛蹋厙s high-caliber researchers. The breadth of experience and expertise available at a large university can help companies like Cymer when theyre exploring possible new avenues of research and product development, Maloy added.

In addition to naming Cymer Plaza, the companys partnership with 窪圖勛蹋厙 will also launch a speaker series, bringing together experts from 窪圖勛蹋厙 and Cymer to discuss science and tech trends with 窪圖勛蹋厙 students and the public. 窪圖勛蹋厙 plans to put together an advisory group made up of alumni who work at Cymer to provide guidance to students hoping to follow in their footsteps.

Over time, were hoping this partnership is going to facilitate key faculty getting to know what we do here, whether thats by inviting Cymer employees to campus to give technical talks, exchanging research information, or finding opportunities from collaborative work, Miller said. Ultimately, we want to foster and keep top talent here in San Diego and at Cymer.

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