Presidential Advisory Committee of
Proposal 17-05
(Voting Units: Academic
Senators)
Interdisciplinary minor in
Nanoscale Science and Engineering
(Nanotechnology)
1.
Introduction
Nanotechnology is a rapidly developing field that seeks
to understand, control, and exploit new physical properties that arise in
systems at length scales between atoms and bulk materials. Applications of
nanotechnology, which already are emerging, are highly interdisciplinary and
include virtually all fields and disciplines in engineering and the natural
sciences.
This proposal for a new minor is in one sense a
by-product of a National Science Foundation grant for Nanotechnology
Undergraduate Education (7/2003 – 12/2004)
which had up to 18 faculty participants, including five PI/CoPIs, from eight departments.
Offering such a minor was not part of the proposed project activities;
however, it helped to clearly demonstrate the need and the tremendous interest
among both students and faculty for offering a formal undergraduate educational
program in nanotechnology at MTU. In a survey of students in the "Fundamentals
of Nanoscale Science and Technology" elective class in spring 2004, nearly 50%
of the class responded that they would be interested in taking a minor in
nanotechnology if MTU offered it.
The minor in Nanoscale Science and Engineering
(Nanotechnology) is deliberately designed to
(1)
introduce students
to the basic issues and overall scope of this field;
(2)
encourage students
to pursue interdisciplinary coursework outside their
major;
(3)
develop an
understanding of the importance of flexibility in terms of careers, research,
and education;
(4)
be flexible to
allow for participation by students in diverse majors.
2.
Rationale
In order to introduce students for what some enthusiasts
are calling the next "industrial revolution,” a formal minor in Nanoscale
Science and Engineering (Nanotechnology) is proposed to give students the
necessary multidisciplinary background in physics, chemistry, biology,
instrumentation, and application-specific areas. Students will choose elective courses to
broaden their exposure to other disciplines, as well as to deepen their
understanding in primary areas of interest. Importantly, all students will have
opportunities to consider and explore real and potential societal implications
of new nanotechnologies. With ever increasing interest in nanotechnology among
young, bright high school students, it is anticipated that this new minor may
also be valuable in recruiting excellent students to Michigan
Tech.
The Nanotechnology Minor will also give MTU a important
educational component as it is also continuing to develop its research programs
in nanoscale science and technology areas. The nano-related research and
educational programs will help to and enhance MTU's visibility (see
nano.mtu.edu) among other peer institutions developing similar
programs.
The Nanotechnology Minor is a non-departmental minor
that will be administered, initially, through the Department of Physics.
Administrative responsibility will shift to an appropriate multidisciplinary
program/unit such as a "Nanotechnology Institute"[1]
upon its creation.
3. Details of
Catalog Copy:
I.
Title of Minor
Nanoscale Science and Engineering (Nanotechnology)
Minor
II.
Catalog Description
This multidisciplinary minor focuses on emerging fields
of science, engineering, and technology where systems exist with one or more
dimensions at the nanometer scale. A multidisciplinary exposure, including
fundamental sciences, current and potential applications, modern
instrumentation, and potential societal implications are emphasized. Due to the
interdisciplinary nature of the minor, students are advised to consult with
their major advisor and a Nanotechnology Minor advisor as early as possible to
plan their schedules and a coherent program of study.
III.
List of Courses
Required
Courses
1. UN2600 Fundamentals of Nanoscale Science and
Technology
(2
credits)
2. SS 3820 Societal Implications of Nanotechnology (2
credits)
3. Independent study/Research/co-op/enterprise
(3
credits- must be nano‑related; program approval required)
Elective
Courses
Choose at least
two courses from this list of courses not in your major. Additional
courses may be freely chosen from this list to bring the total number of credits
from this list to at least 9, giving a total of at least 16 credits for the
minor. (Remember that it is also a university requirement that you take at least
two courses at the 3000-level or higher not required by your
major.)
BA3780 Entrepreneurship (3)
BE 3500 Biomedical Materials (3)
BE 4700 Biosensors: Fabrication and Applications
(3)
BL 1900 Molecular Biology Seminar
(1) [new class in approval process]
BL 2100 Principles of Biochemistry
(3)
BL 2200 Genetics (3)
BL 4010 Biochemistry I (3)
BL 4020 Biochemistry II (3)
BL 4030 Molecular Biology (3)
CH 2400 Principles of Organic Chemistry (4)
CH 3500 Physical Chemistry for
Environmental and Life Sciences
(2)
CH 3520 Physical Chemistry II- Kinetics and Molecular Structure
(3)
CH 4212 Instrumental Analysis (5)
CH 4310 Inorganic Chemistry I (3)
CH 4320 Inorganic Chemistry II (3)
CH 4610 Introduction to Polymer Science (3)
CM 4610 Introduction to Polymer Science (3)
CM 4710 Biochemical Processes (3)
CM 3974 Fuel Cell Fundamentals (1)
EE 4231 Physical Electronics (3)
EE 4240 Introduction to MEMS (4)
EE 4240D Introduction to MEMS (4)
EE 5470 Semiconductor Fabrication
(3)
EE 5480 Advanced MEMS (4)
EE 6480 Thin Films (3)
EET 3353 Sensors, Data Acquisition and
Control (3)
ENG3974 Fuel Cell Fundamentals (1)
FW 3075 Plant Biotechnology (3)
FW 4089 Bioinformatics (3)
MEEM 4405 Intro to the Finite Element Method
(3)
MEEM 4640 Micromanufacturing
Processes
MET 3131 Instrumentation I
(3)
MET 4131 Advanced Instrumentation and
Controls (3)
MY 3200 Materials Characterization I
(4)
MY 3210 Materials Characterization II
(4)
MY 3700 Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of
Materials (4)
MY 4200 Introduction to Scanning Electron Microscopy
(2)
MY 4240 Introduction to MEMS (4)
MY 4240D Introduction to MEMS (4)
MY 4710 Photonic and Micromechanical
Materials and Devices (3)
MY 5470 Semiconductor Fabrication (3)
MY 5480 Advanced MEMS (4)
MY 5550 Solid Surfaces
MY 5580 Introduction to Scanning Probe Microscopy
(2)
MY 6100 Computational Materials Science and Engineering
(3)
MY 6480 Thin Films (3)
PH 2400 University Physics IV:
Waves and Modern Physics (3)
PH 3410 Quantum Physics I (3)
PH 3411 Quantum Physics II (3)
SS 2800 Science, Technology & Society (3)
SS 3650 Intellectual Property Law [new class in approval
process]
Other appropriate electives (including those at the
graduate level) may be chosen with written permission by the Nanotechnology
Minor faculty advisor. Graduate-level courses may also require permission of the
department or the instructor.
Students are
encouraged, though not required, to take at least one course from this list
related to instrumentation:
BE 3600 Biomedical Instrumentation (4)
CH 4212 Instrumental Analysis (3)
MY 3200 Materials Characterization I
(4)
MY 3210 Materials Characterization II (4)
MY 4200 Introduction to Scanning Electron Microscopy
(2)
MY 5580 Introduction to Scanning Probe Microscopy
(2)
IV.
Prerequisites
|
Course |
Pre- or
Co-requisites |
|
|
|
|
UN
2600 |
None |
|
|
|
|
BA
3780 |
None |
|
|
|
|
BE
3500 |
BL 1040 and MY 2100 and
(ENG 2120(C)or MEEM 2150(C)) |
|
BE
3600 |
EE 3010 and BL
2020 |
|
BE
4700 |
None
|
|
|
|
|
BL
1900 |
None |
|
BL 2100 |
(BL 1040 or BL 1020) and
(CH 1110 or CH 1100) |
|
BL
2200 |
(BL 1020 or BL 1040) and
BL2100 |
|
BL
4010 |
(BL 1020 or BL 1040 or
BL2010) and (BL 2100 or CH 2400) and CH 2420 |
|
BL
4020 |
BL
4010 |
|
BL
4030 |
(BL 1020 or BL 1040) and
BL 2100 and (BL 2200 or BL
2300(C)) |
|
|
|
|
CH
2400 |
CH
1120 |
|
CH
3500 |
(CH 1100 or CH 1110) and
(CH 1120 or CH 1140) and (MA 2150 or MA
2160) |
|
CH
3520 |
CH 1120 and (MA 3150 or
MA 3160) and PH 2200(C) |
|
CH
4212 |
CH 2212 and CH 3510(C)
and CH 3511(C) |
|
CH
4310 |
CH
3520 |
|
CH
4320 |
CH
4310 |
|
CH
4610 |
CH
1120 |
|
|
|
|
CM
4610 |
CH
1120 |
|
CM
4710 |
CM
3110 |
|
|
|
|
EE
4231 |
EE
3130 |
|
EE
4240 |
Senior
standing |
|
EE
4240D |
Senior
standing |
|
EE
5480 |
EE 4240 or MY
4240 |
|
EE
6480 |
Permission of
department |
|
|
|
|
EET
3353 |
EET 1411 or
EET 2220 or EET 2311 or EE 3010 |
|
|
|
|
ENG
3974 |
CH 1100 or CH
1110 |
|
|
|
|
FW
3075 |
None |
|
FW
4089 |
None |
|
|
|
|
MEEM
4405 |
MEEM 3502 and (MA 2320 or
MA 2321 or MA 2330) and (MA 3520 or MA 3521 or MA 3530 or MA
3560) |
|
MEEM
4640 |
MEEM
2502 |
|
|
|
|
MET
3131 |
none |
|
MET
4131 |
MET 3131 and
(MA 2710 or MA 2720 or MA 3710) |
|
|
|
|
MY
3200 |
MY
2100 |
|
MY
3210 |
MY
3200 |
|
MY
3700 |
(PH 2200 or PH2260) and
(MA 3150 or MA 3160) and (MA 3520 or MA 3530) or
(MA 2321 and MA 3521) |
|
MY
4200 |
None
|
|
MY
4240 |
Senior
standing |
|
MY
4240D |
Senior
standing |
|
MY
4710 |
None |
|
MY
5470 |
None |
|
MY
5480 |
EE 4240 or MY
4240 |
|
MY
5550 |
Permission of
department |
|
MY
5580 |
Permission of
department |
|
MY
6100 |
Permission of
department |
|
MY
6480 |
Permission of
department |
|
|
|
|
PH
2400 |
PH 2200 or PH
2260 |
|
PH
3410 |
PH 2400 and MA
3530 |
|
PH
3411 |
PH
3410 |
|
|
|
|
SS
2800 |
None
|
|
SS
3650 |
UN
2002 |
|
SS
3820 |
Junior or Senior
standing |
|
|
|
|
UN
2600 |
None |
4. New Course
Descriptions
Two
new courses are required for the nanotechnology minor and have been through the
new-course review process, independent of the success of this Minor
proposal.
Fundamentals of Nanoscale Science and
Engineering (2
credits)
Course numbers: UN2600
Description: Team-taught introduction to the
fundamentals of nanotechnology, emphasizing the interdisciplinary nature of this
field. Modern instrumentation, key scientific foundations, and current and
potential applications will be discussed. Real and potential societal
implications of nanotechnology will be explored.
Semesters
offered: spring.
Comments: This was a direct product of the funded
NSF-NUE project. It was offered in spring 2004 as a special topics course, and
was cross listed by six departments. The initial instructors were hoping for
approximately 25 students to register. Over 90 students, ranging from freshmen
to graduate students, registered and completed the course. A survey conducted at
the end of the year showed that almost 90% of the students thought the class
should be offered again and that nearly 40% of the students suggested that if be
offered for more than one credit. We are planning to offer the class again in
spring 2005 under special topics listings. In order to encourage in-class
discussion and to keep instructional responsibilities (grading) by the primary
instructors to a manageable level, we plan to cap enrollment at 25 in the
future. This should not be too severe since one reason for the high initial
enrollment was that this was the first time such a class had been offered at
MTU.
Societal Implications of Nanotechnology (2 credits)
Course number: SS 3820
Description: Nanotechnology,
considered by many to be the “next big thing” in the realm of science and
engineering, involves natural phenomena where at least one dimension is at the
nanoscale – 10-9 m. This
course examines in a seminar format some of the likely implications of these
developments for society. Attention
will be given to the economic, social, ethical and moral, and political
consequences of the unfolding development of science and engineering fields at
the nanoscale.
5. Estimated
Costs
The
immediate initiation of this minor has no direct new costs. Participating
faculty will continue to pursue external funding to purchase equipment to
enhance educational experiences in the classroom and laboratories, and to
provide funding for external speakers to visit campus for UN 2600 and public
lectures, but such additional support is not necessary to run the
program.
The
offering of a new minor in nanotechnology and potentially offering other
nano-related educational programs (for example, a graduate certificate is being
developed for future consideration) provide exciting opportunities for MTU. With
ever increasing interest in nanotechnology among young, bright high school
students, it is anticipated that this new minor will be valuable in recruiting
excellent students to Michigan Tech. Although no additional costs are needed to
start the program immediately, small to modest support internally and externally
could provide significant dividends to MTU. Examples for the near-term which do not necessarily require general fund support but
could come from the overhead return to the "Nanotechnology Institute"
include the following:
Enhanced publicity for nano-related educational programs
(1st year).
Web support
(already initiated through the NSF grant at nano.mtu.edu) $1,000.
Brochure design,
printing and mailing
$4,000.
Educational laboratory equipment.
Portable AFM system and STM system
$30,000.
(for outreach education, recruiting, and MTU teaching
laboratories)
6. Planned
Implementation
This minor is planned to be offered starting fall semester
2005.
Adopted by the PAC (formerly
Senate): 9 February 2005
Approved by President Mroz: 21 February 2005