For the past six years at ASU, Professor John Robertson has been building the ASU Polytechnic microelectronics program in close collaboration with a strong network of local industry leaders. The program has adopted many innovative approaches to allow the teaching environment to stay abreast of the massive capital projects that characterize the rapid and continuous evolution of semiconductor technology. Flexible web-class hybrid courses have been developed to attract working students and better prepare them for new business and job opportunities. Research is based on a 15,000 sq ft clean room facility and is directed towards improvements in process characterization and control. His external interests include contributions to a Chief Engineer Certificate through the JACMET industry-academic training consortium that is based on the campus. He is a member of the College P & T Committee and a past member of the Senate and chair of PCAPC.
Before joining ASU, Robertson was an executive at Motorola with responsibilities for new product design and external sponsored research. Before that, he held the Lothian Chair at Edinburgh University in the UK where he was Director of a national research center for semiconductor technology. He was a science and technology advisor to PM Thatcher and was closely involved with the build-up of collaborative European research programs.