The Key to Future Success is
Thinking Small
Qiaoying Zhou, PhD
NSF ION Project Principal Investigator
Coordinator and Assistant Professor
Nanotechnology Program, Workforce Academics
qzhou2@alamo.edu
Department of Business and Innovation
State Government of Victoria, Melbourne,
October 2011
“Three technology streams – information and
communication technology (ICT), biotechnology and small
technologies – and their convergence, are essential in
generating higher levels of productivity, new business
opportunities and economic growth.”
NVC Educational
Opportunities
• Nanotechnology Certification Program
• Associate Degree Program in Nanotechnology
• 2 + 2 Bachelor Degree Program in conjunction
with the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)
NVC Nanotechnology Program Goals
• For students with prior exposure to advanced
mathematics, chemistry and physics, the goal is to
introduce the benefits of nanotechnology research and
development in the scientific and engineering disciplines.
• For students with little or no exposure to the physical
sciences, the goal is to provide a broad understanding of
nanotechnology, including a general understanding of its
guiding scientific and engineering principles.
Approach to Teaching Nanotechnology
Given the wide variation in student preparation, and
assuming little or no familiarity with nanotechnology, NVC’s
program covers the broad categories in the field, including:
● Definitions, History and Current Applications
● Nanotechnology in Nature
● Potential Impact on Economic Sectors
● Solid State Physics, Circuit Design and Quantum Physics
Approach to Teaching Nanotechnology
● Types, Synthesis and Characterization of
Nanomaterials
● Nanotechnology Applications in Development
● Environmental Applications and Nanotechnology Safety
● Bionanotechnology and Ethical Issues
● Commercialization, and Societal and Governmental Issues
Courses
Nano1301 - Introduction to Nanotechnology
Nano1303 - Nanotechnology Safety
Nano2325 - Nanotechnology Materials
Nano2326 - Nanotechniques and Instrumentation
Nano2407 – Nano Measurements
Nano2486 – Internship - Nanotechnology
Enrollment in the Program
22%
Female
Male
78%
•NACK at Penn State University
Collaboration
NSF Project ION
•SCME at University of New Mexico
•NCLT at Northwestern University
•SwRI (Southwest Research Institute)
Collaboration -- UTHSCSA
Marcus Najera
2nd Year Engineering
Undergraduate Student at UTSA
Advisor: Dr. Randolph Glickman
• Internship at UTHSCSA, where he researched detection of
infectious agents using nanomaterials
• One of 16 applicants to participant in NanoJapan Summer 2010
and the only student from a community college.
•North Carolina University, best presentation
•MIT and Yale summer programs
Collaboration -- UTSA
2+2+4 Nanotechnology Degree Transfer
Two year program in Nanotechnology that can
produce a pipeline of students majoring in science at
UTSA and eventually become graduate students.
Student Attendance at Seminars
Held by UTSA Professors -- by Ethnicity
Asian
White
9%
Black 9%
9%
Hispanic
73%
• “Very inspiring – Had not considered Nanostudies until this very
minute”
•“The lecture series was wonderfully helpful and I greatly enjoyed it.”
Percentage of Responders
Overall Impact of Seminars
Continue
on the
Nanotech.
Field
Learned
about
Nanotech.
Research
Pursue a
Nanotech.related
Career
at UTSA
Aware of the
2+2 Program
UTSA -- Internship
Jesse Salas
2nd Year Physics Undergraduate
Student at UTSA
Advisor: Dr. Dhiraj K. Sardar
(PI for NSF PREM Project)
“The partnership between the NVC Nanotechnology program
and the UTSA Physics department allows me to apply the
technical experience I’ve gained from the nanotechnology
program and use that experience while being immersed into
the field of research. “
Cleanroom workshop
Supplements in-class lessons with
hands-on research experience
Add picture of clean room
Cleanroom workshop
A person can understand all procedures and
policies of working in a lab such as the MEMS lab
but it's not until you step into the lab that you
understand it all. ---W. Pitmon.
The rewards I have gleaned from the
classroom will truly help me achieve my
aspirations, and I feel ready to take the next
step in learning more and becoming familiar
with nano devices --- J. Navidad.
… more understanding of how group research is done and
how to present nanotechnology materials to an audience.
--- C. Charcon
Thanks.
http://www.alamo.edu/nvc/nanotech/