This Nanotechnology in Undergraduate Education (NUE) award, funded by the Division of Materials Research, the Division of Chemistry and the Division of Undergraduate Education, supports Dr. Karen Nordell and Dr. David Hall, Department of Chemistry, and Dr. Jeffrey Collett, Department of Physics, Lawrence University, to create an interdisciplinary Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (N&N) program for undergraduates. The development and implementation of the N&N program stems from a recognition that nanoscale science has enormous potential in applied science and engineering, as well as its potential to attract additional students to these fields.
The project consists of three primary initiatives: 1) development and incorporation of additional nanoscience classroom materials and laboratory experiments into various introductory science courses in chemistry and physics, 2) creation and biannual offering of a Nanoscience and Nanotechnology course aimed primarily at sophomore and junior undergraduates, and 3) dissemination of nanoscience instructional materials through both traditional and innovative methods including K-12 and community outreach opportunities. Students conduct experiments involving the synthesis and characterization of gold and cadmium selenide nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes using various types of microscopies. Nanoscience research projects involving biological and environmental toxin detection applications are also available to students. Dr. Nordell and Dr. Hall maintain active collaborations with the University of Wisconsin-Madison NSF-sponsored Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) for Nanostructured Materials and Interfaces. These collaborations provide a method for dissemination of new laboratories, demonstrations, and teaching modules via a website (www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano).
