The doors Wednesday to its cleanroom, a computer chip manufacturing facility, to media representatives, University personnel and guests.
The presentation aimed to show off and help promote UNM's cleanroom, a multi-million dollar semiconductor facility, at the Manufacturing Training and Technology Center.
The school has begun upgrading the cleanroom, which is primarily used in the production of microelectronic circuits.
"The project serves a variety of purposes for the community," said John Wood, UNM mechanical engineering professor and director of the manufacturing program. "It provides hands-on training for engineers and technicians, giving them greater expertise in their field, and provides private use by small local businesses to enhance their knowledge in the field of electromechanics."
The upgrade is being supported by more than $1.5 million generated by the Sandia Small Business Assistance Program and Sandia National Laboratories.
Wood said the cleanroom, once completed, puts UNM in the position to be competitive for federal grants in a variety of fields requiring microsystems engineering facilities.
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The cleanroom, in addition to training UNM and TVI science and technology students, also will aid local businesses in manufacturing technology and assist start-up companies with prototype development before beginning large-scale production.
Officials attending the presentation said the state-of-the-art facility could have a positive impact on the state's economic development plans.
"Such a facility provides a collaborative, friendly environment for large businesses, and has the necessary components for small businesses' prototype development, allowing the state to see its economic hopes for the future to fruition," said Brian Foster, provost of Academic Affairs.
Community representatives also expressed a vested interest in the success of the facility.
"It is a mutually beneficial relationship," said Peg Feibig, engineering department manager at Intel. "We provide them with necessary equipment for the cleanroom and in turn we get highly-trained, experienced employees."
Although work done at the cleanroom will be primarily research-oriented, profits that will be generated by the facility and its projects will be used for further upgrades.
"It's not just about providing education," State Rep. Danice Picraux said. "It's about having educated children far into the future with good jobs waiting for them inside the state and the knowledge to obtain them."
Some of the primary work at the cleanroom involves the use of silicon wafers, the building blocks of computer chips, to operate photolithography processes.
"We are building essential components that serve to enhance the quality of life for not only us, but for generations to come," State Sen. Cisco McSorley said. "This is an essential step in the rejuvenation of New Mexico's economy through advanced technology."
Although federal funds, state-bond money and UNM contributions provided a portion of the money to begin the upgrading process, local companies CVI Laser, L&M Technologies, Meditrend, MEMX, Mesosystems, Qynergy, Radiant Technologies and Zia Laser made monetary contributions to the project.
"This is the beginning of something very important," Foster said. "The cleanroom provides crucial training for both undergraduate and graduate students, and hopefully their success will be a sign of things to come."
