Strengthening Nanoscience Education through Multidisciplinary Collaborations
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Strengthening Nanoscience Education through Multidisciplinary Collaborations Ronald M Cosby Physics & Astronomy, Ball State University, 2000 W University Ave, Muncie, Indiana, 47306
ABSTRACT Recent collaborations with science and engineering faculty in major research universities have dramatically increased and strengthened research and educational opportunities in nanoscience and nanotechnology at Ball State University. The three-year Center for Computational Nanoscience (CCN) project involved eleven co-principal investigators from three disciplines (physics, chemistry, electrical engineering) and five universities, including Ball State University, University of Notre Dame, Ohio University, Purdue University, and Valparaiso University. Funded by the Indiana 21st Century Research and Technology Fund, this $1.5 million project focused on theoretical and computational investigations of the electrical and optical properties of quantum dots and included partial support for software development for the Purdue NanoHub, a web-based software repository. The effects of this collaborative project (and previous contacts) on nanoscience education and research at the undergraduate and master’s levels in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at Ball State University have been extensive and are described in this paper. University and community impacts include an enhanced awareness of nanoscience and nanotechnology.
INTRODUCTION A trend of increasing collaboration in the scientific and engineering research communities has been noted in recent years [1]. Reasons include the need for multidisciplinary expertise in addressing many modern research topics, the ability to address large and complex problems, and the sharing of resources. A significant motivator for extending the context of research collaborations is the requirement of funding agencies, e.g., the National Science Foundation, for broad project impacts including improvement of the infrastructure for research and education and the promotion of teaching and learning [2]. These project impacts can be achieved through cooperative activities among investigators at major research universities and faculty at mostly undergraduate universities and colleges. The positive effects of a multiuniversity, multidisciplinary nanoscience collaboration on the research, educational and service activities at Ball State University and specifically in the Department of Physics & Astronomy are discussed here. To provide a context for the collaboration, brief descriptions of the University and the Department follow. Ball State University is a public institution located in Muncie, Indiana, and is ranked as a Doctoral/Research-Intensive institution by the Carnegie Foundation [3]. Seven academic colleges and a graduate school offer more than 156 baccalaureate programs, 91 master's programs, and 16 doctoral programs. Full-time faculty numbering 955 serve a total of approximately 20,500 students with 18,500 matriculating as on-campus students. External funding adds approximately $25 milli
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