588e Teaching Nanoscale Science and Engineering to Chemical Engineers at Georgia Tech

Sankar Nair, School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive NW, Atlanta, GA 30332-0100

This presentation will discuss the incorporation of nanoscale science and engineering into the graduate and undergraduate chemical engineering curriculum at Georgia Tech. The talk will be centered around the development and teaching of the course “Chemical Engineering in Nanoscale Systems”, which has been offered since 2004. The objectives of the course, desired outcomes, selection and scope of topics, and the implementation of the course will be discussed both in the context of graduate and undergraduate students. In addition to lecture materials, the involvement of students in the conceptual design of nanoscale systems will be illustrated through the use of term project examples. Some quantitative and qualitative data will be presented in regard to assessment of the course outcomes and impact on undergraduate and graduate students. The adaptation of the course materials towards developing nanotechnology curricula for K-12 institutions will be illustrated through an ongoing project. The role of this course in larger nanotechnology education efforts at Georgia Tech will be discussed, for example its incorporation in the NanoScience and Technology (NaST) course cluster. The talk will conclude with a discussion of potential future developments and issues, particularly relating to the incorporation of hands-on laboratory experiences for students.