The goal of this NUE in Engineering program entitled, "NUE: Nano-Science & Engineering: A STE Minor with General Education", at Portland State University, under the direction of Dr. James E. Morris, is to develop an interdisciplinary minor in nano-scale science and engineering that brings together students from both Science, Technology, and Engineering (STE) major and non-STE majors.
The minor will consist of three new nanotechnology courses at the junior level: 1)PH 382/382U Introduction to Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (4 credits), 2) BI 372/372U Nanotechnology, Society, and Sustainability (4 credits) and 3) ECE 317/317U Nanotechnology Simulation and Design (4 credits) which will be taught by active learning principles and will be included in the junior University Studies Program (UNST) clusters: 1) Science in the Liberal Arts, 2) Freedom, Privacy, and Technology, 3) Environmental Sustainability, and 4) Knowledge, Rationality, and Understanding.
The broader impacts of the proposal include the demonstration that these advanced concepts can be suitably conveyed to a general student audience of both technical and non-technical students, and from the broadened perspectives of all participants. Industry will also benefit from the capstone projects, (which regularly spawn commercial product innovation and social impact.) The impact will be multiplied by summer teacher training workshops. The project team estimates that over 150 students will take at least one cluster course in the first year, multiplying thereafter.
