This project for a National ATE Center for Nanotechnology Applications and Career Knowledge (NACK) builds upon the current Regional Center for Nanofabrication Manufacturing Education. The Regional Center was established in 2001 and is dedicated to meeting Pennsylvania industry needs for skilled technician level workers across the full range of micro- and nanofabrication applications. The Pennsylvania Regional Center has pioneered methods for delivering nanotechnology educational experiences to community and technical college students anywhere in the nation. In 2006 the Regional Center established a teaching cleanroom in order to analyze the costs and capabilities of such a facility. As a result, the costs are well understood, and curriculum for use in such a facility has been developed. The teaching cleanroom site model is available for transfer to other regions of the country.
There is clear evidence of strong and growing demand for workers with micro- and nanofabrication skills. Virtually all of the graduates of existing associate degree micro- and nanofabrication programs who are not pursuing further education are employed by micro- and nanotechnology companies. Numerous recent U.S. regional and international studies document strong demand for these workers.
The Penn State Regional Center has assisted 30 Pennsylvania institutions to develop nanotechnology education programs and has also been a source of assistance to community and technical colleges, universities, and other partners across the nation seeking to establish nanotechnology education programs. Since 2005, the Regional Center has assisted more than 100 community colleges in other states with program development efforts. Micro- and nanotechnology education programs are now beginning to proliferate at community and technical colleges across the nation.
In late 2006, leaders of the Pennsylvania Regional Center began consulting with counterpart leaders of micro- and nanofabrication education efforts taking place across the country with regard to the planned NACK Center proposal. Based on these discussions, the core mission of the proposed NACK Center is to provide national coordination and dissemination of micro- and nanofabrication workforce development programs and activities. Ten complementary and essential activities have been identified to be undertaken by the NACK Center to achieve this mission.
The intellectual merit of the NACK Center is imbedded in the hands-on experience with advanced nanofabrication and characterization equipment that community and technical college students receive, and in the curriculum which incorporates advanced nanoscale science and engineering research underway at partner research intensive universities. Profound broad impacts are expected from NACK Center on the quality and diversity of the nation's science and engineering workforce, and on the global competitiveness of U.S. industry.
The management plan for the NACK Center is modeled on the structure of the successful Pennsylvania Regional Center. The NACK Center is managed by the Principal Investigator and the Co-Principal Investigators with guidance from eight oversight committees addressing all major activities of the Center. Each oversight committee is chaired by a representative of a community or technical college, giving these institutions clear roles in the management of the Center.
