This Nanotechnology in Undergraduate Education (NUE) award to North Carolina Central University at Durham (NCCU) supports Professor Vlahovic to integrate the principles and current advances of the nanoscience and nanotechnology into the undergraduate science curriculum. A new interdisciplinary course, Introduction to Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, will be incorporated to the first year science curriculum for Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Computer Science, Biology, and Environmental Science students. Existing undergraduate courses will be updated, with addition of new nanoscience modules that will introduce students to relatively broad background in the field of nanoscience and nanoscience related applications and instrumentation. New module "Ventures into Nanotechnology" will be developed for the NCCU summer program "Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics" for the talented and gifted high school students. It will introduce high school students into the world of nanotechnology, with an emphasis on the site visits and demonstrations of practical applications.
This NEU award would enhance the participation of minority students in critically underrepresented areas of engineering and technology. Students will be given an opportunity to participate in original research in the fields of computational nanoscience, advanced thin film technology, production and characterization of quantum dots, spectroscopy, and data acquisition. This would result in providing qualified nanotechnology work force with highly skilled women and underrepresented groups. The rate of successful graduation would be increased, especially among African American students, women and other disadvantaged students. The flexibility in career choices and job opportunities for NCCU graduates would also be improved.
The proposal for this award was received in response to the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Education announcement, NSF 03-044, category NUE and was funded by the Division of Materials Research in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences.
