NUE: Exposing Engineering Students to Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at the University of North Dakota

This proposal, NUE: Exposing Engineering Students to Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at the University of North Dakota (UND), under the direction of Dr. Naima Kaabouch, outlines a detailed project to establish and develop nanoscience and nanotechnology (NSNT) undergraduate education in the state of North Dakota. As a part of the leading comprehensive university in the state, a UND faculty team will develop a sequence of NSNT courses in the College of Engineering & Mines and the College of Arts & Sciences. These courses will include (1)fundamental classroom sessions coupled with laboratory experiments that focus on the structure and theory of nanomaterials and the fundamentals of machines utilizing nanodevices; (2) advanced classroom sessions that focus on the properties and development of nanomaterials and fabrication of nanodevices as well as their applications in the engineering field. The ethical and societal implications of NSNT and an assessment of the feasibility of nanotechnology development will also be included. The multidisciplinary faculty team assembled to develop these courses originates from the departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics & Astrophysics, and Educational Foundations & Research.

The development of NSNT is one of the main goals in the strategic plan of the University of North Dakota. The proposed NUE courses will dramatically enhance the university's effort, and thus will promote North Dakota nanoscience and nanotechnology education to a new level. Therefore, the proposed effort will benefit U.S. industry by providing the much needed training for our engineers. Additionally, underrepresented minorities will be exposed to this emerging NSNT field, which is crucial to satisfy the national need for developing a diverse and internationally competitive workforce in this NSNT field. This will be done by providing educational opportunities in this emerging field to Native Americans in the state of North Dakota. North Dakota is one of the states with the highest percentage of Native Americans. This way, more underrepresented minority students can be encouraged to consider science and engineering as career options.