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Planting Seeds: Including Nanotechnology Education into Engineering Curricula

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

John A. Jaszczak  and
Bruce E. Seely
John A. Jaszczak
Affiliation:
jaszczak@mtu.edu, Michigan Technological University, Physics, 1400 Townsend Dr., Houghton, Michigan, 49931-1295, United States, (906) 487-2255, (906) 487-2933
Bruce E. Seely
Affiliation:
bseely@mtu.edu, Michigan Technological University, Social Sciences, 1400 Townsend Dr., Houghton, Michigan, 49931, United States
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Abstract

As part of a Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education program funded by NSF, a team of faculty at Michigan Technological University has developed a suite of educational and research experiences intended to introduce undergraduate students to the exciting prospects and challenges of nanoscale science and engineering. Although open to all students, the program was designed in particular for engineering students whose curricula have relatively little flexibility. Engineering students at Michigan Tech follow a common first-year curriculum, and as is true at most engineering colleges, their courses of study are highly structured. In order to bring introductory nanotechnology content to both engineering and non-engineering majors, activities were developed to fit into or to modestly supplement existing curricular frameworks. The program seeks to introduce students to three foundational aspects of work at the nanoscale: the underlying scientific principles, possible scientific and engineering applications, and the societal implications of implementation of nanotechnology. A web site (http://nano.mtu.edu/) was developed as a central focal point for nano-related research activities at Michigan Tech. This paper presents additional background and discusses the challenges related to the project, a brief overview of the educational activities, a more in-depth description of those activities deemed to be the most successful, and a description of some lessons learned.

Keywords

nanoscalenanostructurenanoscale
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 931: Symposium KK – Education in Nanoscience and Engineering , 2006 , 0931-KK01-08
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

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References

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