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Arihanna, Sangeet, and Leo researched the Snapdragon 8 Elite and its recycling process and potential improvements in the rate of recycling. Our infographic explores promoting a new recycling process and its benefits.
Meet the Team
Our RAMP Project
Learn about the technology our team explored and the engineering challenge that shaped our work.
What We Investigated
We investigated the full cradle-to-grave lifecycle of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon System on Chip (SoC). The Snapdragon is an integrated circuit that powers millions of modern smartphones and devices by housing the CPU, GPU, modem, and AI processors all on a single piece of silicon. It is important because it balances high-performance mobile computing with extreme power efficiency, driving the portable technology we rely on daily. Due to its highly needed specs combined into one, if one spec gives out first, the whole chip is unable to be used, and the device would need to be replaced. This situation in particular is not sustainable and wastes precious materials as well as add to the e-waste landfills. So, we investigated recycling methods and call to arms to encourage more recycling and reusing for smartphone chips.
What Made It Complicated?
While exploring the Qualcomm Snapdragon engineers questioned: How can manufacturers and technology companies implement and invest in recycling programs for chips? Snapdragon SoCs are designed for high performance and energy efficiency, but recovering valuable materials from these chips can be difficult and costly. Successfully promoting recycling requires balancing both sustainability goals and practical concerns.
Our Work
Engineering Lifecycle Infographic
Our team investigated part of our product's engineering lifecycle and communicated what we learned through a visual infographic.
CHO's FINAL MISSION: ATTAINING REBIRTH
Our infographic illustrates the lifecycle of mobile semiconductors through the story of Cho, a Snapdragon chip who faces thermal degradation and retires, only to discover sustainable reincarnation alongside an Apple A18 chip named Ping. Visitors should note the critical trade-off between standard landfill disposal—which results in a $72 to $91 billion global loss of raw resources—and circular recovery. We highlight hydrometallurgy as an advanced recycling process that reclaims 95–99% of valuable metals without the harmful emissions of traditional smelting.
Meet the Engineers
Team Members
Each student brought a different engineering perspective to the team's work during RAMP.
Leonardo Khuong
Hi, I’m entering my freshman year of UMASS Lowell, and even though I’m anxious still, RAMP adjusted me well to the switch from high school to college life. Some interests I have are thrifting, working out, and reading manhwa. Despite being the RQE of the team, there was no specific job, my team and I did, we just contributed to all the parts we could. This experience taught me a lot and although I did get FOMO from friends going out all summer while I was stuck in school, I realized the opportunities I was provided and the lessons like staying on top of materials and putting in work when everyone else were very important.
Arihanna Pena
Hello, I am an incoming first-year student at UMass Lowell. I am passionate about music, animals, nature, and trying new things. One of my favorite aspects of engineering is creating and design, as well as understanding how things work. In the RAMP program, I began as a Sustainability Engineer, but my team later combined our responsibilities, so we all got exposed to multiple aspects of engineering. The RAMP experience gave me insight into college life and independence, while confirming that engineering is the right major for me.
Sangeet Kaur Hayer
Hi, my name is Sangeet and I'm an incoming Biomedical Engineering Major at UMASS Lowell. I like to write poetry, swim, and spend time with my friends. Engineering wise, I like chemistry and physics, and I'm hoping for a career regarding prosthetics design. During my time at RAMP, I was a manufacturing engineer, so I looked at the different materials that were good and bad for our product with our end goal in mind. I also did most of the art for the infographic (Leo did the character designs, and Arihanna helped pick out the scene layouts!) and generally contributed ideas that could help make our projects more unique. I met a lot of cool people during my time here and learned a lot about semiconductors and different kinds of engineering. I hope to keep in touch with my peers throughout my stay at UML, and I'm very excited for the coming year. Thank you!
Looking Back
What We Learned
Our team was surprised about the poorly the Snapdragon is with recycling and reusing the system on chips compared to Apple products. We found it challenging to find a way to promote recycling while also specifically choosing a method that is environmentally friendly. While considering sustainable and green energy alternatives, our team must consider the cost of implementing these new methods. Through RAMP we were able to get more insight into the engineering world and the resources UMass Lowell gives. We were able to explore labs such as the clean room while also getting to know insights to company dynamics and research.
Credit & Sources
Acknowledgements & References
Recognize the people who supported our work and document the sources we used to learn about our product, lifecycle stage, and engineering topic.
Acknowledgements
THANK YOU, RAMP, mentors, instructors, guest speakers, laboratory staff, companies, organizations, and others who contributed to our RAMP experience! We would also like to thank Jonas, Emily, and Thomas from BROOK’s AUTOMATION for not only being our mentors but teaching us valuable lessons while giving us a good time!
References & Sources
- Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Qualcomm Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Report.” Qualcomm, 2023. qualcomm.com
- JEDEC Solid State Technology Association. “JEDEC Standards & Documents for Semiconductor Reliability & Quality.” JEDEC, 2023. jedec.org
- Automotive Electronics Council. “AEC-Q100: Failure Mechanism Based Stress Test Qualification for Integrated Circuits.” AEC Council, 2023. aecouncil.org
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Electronics Environmental Management.” EPA, 2023. epa.gov
- Tech Town. “Apple A18 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 gen 4 – Apple should be worried!” Tech Town, 2025. youtu.be