Nanoscience, Nanoengineering and Nanotechnology Education at Colorado State University - Pueblo
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Nanoscience, Nanoengineering and Nanotechnology Education at Colorado State University - Pueblo Nebojsa Jaksic Engineering, Colorado State University - Pueblo, 2200 Bonforte Blvd., Pueblo, CO, 81001
ABSTRACT This work reports on the evolution of nanoscience, nanoengineering and nanotechnology (NSET) education in the Engineering Department at Colorado State University – Pueblo (CSUPueblo) from 2002 to 2006. It includes both, undergraduate and graduate courses with NSET topics as well as a review of undergraduate and graduate research projects. INTRODUCTION Science, engineering and technology at nanoscale are some of the most vibrant research areas today. Some of the research is already in the commercialization stage, like carbon nanotube applications in computer monitors or cancer-targeting gold nanoparticles in medicine. In education, at the graduate level, there are many course offerings dealing with various NSET topics. However, there are fewer successful attempts in presenting this material to the undergraduate student population, mostly in sciences. Furthermore, in undergraduate engineering curricula there is only a handful of isolated reports addressing NSET topics [1]. This article documents an integrated approach to NSET in undergraduate and graduate engineering education. Depending on students’ maturity level, different methods and approaches were chosen to help integrate NSET subjects into the curriculum. The following modules were developed: one two-hour lecture/lab session for Introduction to Engineering course taught at the freshman level, one junior/senior design-based course on NSET, various individual and/or vertical team-based research projects with NSET emphasis and one micro-manufacturing graduate level course with some NSET topics. The first year students are introduced to NSET field through a presentation covering a broad range of topics on current capabilities and future promises of NSET. Laboratory demonstrations using a research grade scanning tunneling microscope (STM) allow students to observe a highly oriented pyrolitic graphite sample and distinguish individual carbon atoms in its structure. These, multiple laboratory sessions with small groups of students (5-8) end in invitations to participate in NSET-based research. The first, second and third year students are involved in discovery-based learning and research through independent studies courses. These undergraduate students are paired with graduate students and are responsible for all aspects of research including literature searches, experiment development, data acquisition and analysis as well as reporting of their results. Some of the student projects deal with multi-wall carbon nanotube synthesis using arc-discharge method. An undergraduate level course on NSET for the students of junior or senior standing was developed and delivered in the spring 2005 semester. With some minor changes, the course is now in its second year.
Senior Design Project is a required course for all engineering seniors. Some of the senior s
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