Curriculum development in nanotechnology: Two case studies

Nanotechnology is at the cutting-edge of science and engineering disciplines and will have a broad impact on society. A sharp increase is predicted in the number of industries which will use different nanotechnology processes for developing their products in the near future. The extensive use of nanotechnology for product development will create a significant demand for equipment and to provide technical assistance in the development of products using nanotechnology concepts. Academic programs in nanotechnology tend to be interdisciplinary in nature and require far larger resources than what is needed for traditional engineering technology programs. A curriculum in nanotechnology should be able to cut across the traditional boundaries of engineering technology education and must include academic disciplines such as biology, chemistry, materials, electronics, manufacturing systems, and mechanics. This manuscript provides detailed information regarding two different nanotechnology curricula which effectively train the engineering technicians for nanotechnology implementation in industry. The manuscript focuses on the two different curriculum development approaches used by The Pennsylvania State University and The Portland Community College to train engineering technicians in the discipline of nanotechnology. The manuscript describes the curricular elements of the nanotechnology programs at both the above mentioned educational institutions. The key issues related to the development and implementation of a nanotechnology curriculum are also discussed. Finally, the lessons learned from the implementation of nanotechnology curricula at the two above mentioned institutions.