Thanks to a $200,000 grant from the
National Science Foundation, two
Grand Valley State University professors will launch the university's first nanotechnology courses next year.
Lihong (Heidi) Jiao and Nael A. Barakat have two sequential courses in development: the fundamentals of nanotechnology, and advanced nanosystem engineering.
"Nanotechnology is a disciplinary word that encompasses physics, chemistry, biology and engineering," Jiao says. "Nano means cannot see with the naked eye. We are made up of nano particles, so we have the materials in chemicals and the human body and can see the features with the help of instrumentation."
The field of nanotechnology is growing rapidly, Jiao says, and is in nearly every industry, including electronics, biomedical, life sciences research, the clothing industry and even in kitchen goods.
Manufacturers embed anti-bacterial nano particles in socks, shoes and cutting boards, she says. Electronics continue to get smaller because of nanotechnology, and medical devices that used to be huge are now small enough for implantation in a patient's body.
"GVSU students currently have no exposure to nano science or technology," Jiao says. "We want our students to stay aligned with the industry, to have a state of the art education and stay aligned with what's the future of our society. Many local industries came to a GVSU open house and expressed the need of the knowledge in their companies; it's one of the reasons we're developing the courses."
Jiao expects to launch the first course by the fall semester of 2010.
Source: Lihong (Heidi) Jiao, Grand Valley State University
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.