NANO futures A cross-ETP Coordination Initiative on Nanotechnology Grant Agreement No. NMP4-CA-2010-266789 Nanoeducation Report Professor Costas Kiparissides January 21, 2011 NANOfutures: A cross-ETP Coordination Initiative on Nanotechnology 1 Table of Contents 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................2 2. Nanotechnology Degree Programs ................................................................2 2.1 Nanotechnology Bachelor Programs in Europe..................................................................... 2 2.2 Nanotechnology Master / PhD Programs in Europe .............................................................. 5 2.3 Nanotechnology Other Degree Programs in Europe ........................................................... 16 2.4 Nanotechnology Bachelor Programs in North America ....................................................... 17 2.5 Nanotechnology Master / PhD Programs in North America ................................................ 19 2.6 Nanotechnology Other Degree Programs in North America................................................ 23 2.7 Comparison between Nanotechnology Degree Programs in Europe and North America... 26 Prevalence of Nanotechnology Degree Programs in Europe and North America............................... 26 Geographical Allocation...................................................................................................................... 26 Degree Types ..................................................................................................................................... 27 Interdisciplinarity................................................................................................................................. 28 Motivations for Program Development and Employer Involvement .................................................... 33 Learning Factories.............................................................................................................................. 33 3. Conclusions....................................................................................................34 Nanoeducation Report January 21, 2011 Professor C. Kiparissides NANOfutures: A cross-ETP Coordination Initiative on Nanotechnology 2 1. Introduction Experts predict moderate to strong growth in the emerging field of nanotechnology after 2010. While the current international recession may slow the pace of demand, nanotechnology could eventually become as pervasive as information and communication technologies. As demand for products that incorporate nanotechnology rises, universities come under increasing pressure from employers and policymakers to prepare a skilled, nano-literate workforce. Currently, it is not secret that most nanotechnology postsecondary education is occurring informally in lab environments, as well as through elective courses and not within formal degree programs. However, while there is no consensus yet on the best form or method to teach future nanotechnology workers (many scientists, employers and educators agree that nanotechnology requires interdisciplinary skills and knowledge that may transcend traditional discipline boundaries), universities are developing a variety of education programs that focus on nanotechnology. The development of nanotechnology degree programs reflects the emerging nature of the technology itself. These programs, although not the most common, or even necessarily the most effective form of nanotechnology postsecondary education, can be considered as the response of postsecondary institutions to employment needs posed by nanotechnology. This report offers a “snapshot” profile of nanotechnology degree programs in Europe in comparison to those in North America and addresses the geographical allocation of the programs, the degree types, the disciplines and areas of interest, the motivation for program development, the barriers to program development, the involvement of industry (learning factories), etc. 2. Nanotechnology Degree Programs While little is known about the most effective form of nanotechnology education given the emerging nature of the field, formal nanotechnology degree programs are nonetheless important to study. Degree programs represent institution-level change to accommodate nanotechnology, as well as a public statement on the part of the institutions that this is an important new area of knowledge. The process through which a degree program is added is lengthy and time-consuming, requiring commitment on the part of faculty, administrators and staff. Potential barriers to establishing formal nanotechnology degree programs include the fact that they need to span several disciplines, which requires inter-departmental cooperation. Other key barriers include the lack of faculty with the interdisciplinary background needed to teach effectively and the often, daunting degree requirements for nanotechnology which may add on to coursework in core disciplines. Other difficulties include the concerns among faculty about the curricula of nanotechnology degree programs being more “general” than is needed to give students depth of knowledge in core disciplines, as well as a concern that the field is too nascent to warrant its own degree programs. On the other hand, degree programs centered on particular disciplines face the challenge of having few faculty members properly trained in the interdisciplinary aspects to teach all necessary nanotechnology concepts. Finally, accreditation bodies and structural barriers within universities limit the ability of programs to span multiple disciplines well. Nanotechnology degree programs in Europe and North America are defined as bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and other degrees (e.g., associate’s, graduate certificates, minors) that use the term “nano” in the formal degree title. The use of the term “nano” in the formal degree title is assumed to reflect a serious intention by the institution and the program to establish a primary, rather than a secondary focus on nanoscience and/or nanotechnology. 2.1 Nanotechnology Bachelor Programs in Europe Czech Republic Technical University of Ostrava - Bachelor Nanotechnology A 3-year full-time program for the Bachelor degree. Nanoeducation Report January 21, 2011 Professor C. Kiparissides NANOfutures: A cross-ETP Coordination Initiative on Nanotechnology 3 Denmark DTU Nanotech - BSc Program DTU Nanotech provides a lot of exciting courses on the bachelor level available for all students at DTU. The courses are organised in three categories, the Micro, LabChip and Nano course of studies. University of Aarhus - Bachelor's Program in Nanoscience During the first three years, students receive basic interdisciplinary training in physics, chemistry, biology, molecular biology, mathematics, and computer science. Many of the courses are followed along with students from these core disciplines. In addition, a number of courses address issues specific to the nano-area. University of Copenhagen - BSc Nanosciences and Nanotechnology At the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, all BSc programs are currently only offered in Danish. This also means that all courses at the bachelor's level are offered in Danish, with a few exceptions. For international, non-nordic students, admission to BSc programs, besides fulfilling the academic admission requirements, is conditioned upon a passed Danish test. Germany Fachhochschule Gelsenkirchen - BSc Nano- und Materialwissenschaften Den Anforderungen an künftige Nano- und Materialwissenschaftler/innen entsprechend, vermittelt Ihnen das Studium an der Fachhochschule Recklinghausen ein breites Grundwissen in der Allgemeinen Naturwissenschaft. Fachhochschule Südwestfalen - BSc Bio- and Nanotechnologies Der Studiengang Bio- und Nanotechnologien fasst die Schlüsseltechnologien Biotechnologie, Umwelttechnik, Nano- und Oberflächentechnik zusammen. Leibniz University Hannover -Bachelor of Science in Nanotechnology The interdisciplinary degree courses in nanotechnology at Leibniz Universität Hannover provide extensive training in the field of nanotechnology. The Faculties of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics and Physics, and Natural Sciences have combined forces to offer this joint program. Saarland University - BSc Microtechnology and Nanostructures Der interdisziplinäre Studiengang Mikrotechnologie und Nanostrukturen kombiniert Grundlagen der Physik mit den Ingenieurwissenschaften mit dem thematischen Schwerpunkt Miniaturisierung. Dem fächerübergreifenden Systemgedanken wird dabei besondere Bedeutung beigemessen. University Duisburg Essen - Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) NanoEngineering Zunächst werden im Bachelor-Studiengang 'NanoEngineering' die grundlegenden Methoden der Mathematik und Naturwissenschaften erarbeitet. Die ingenieurwissenschaftlichen Grundlagen setzen sich aus Modulen des Maschinen- und Anlagenbaus mit den Schwerpunkten Mechanik und Thermodynamik, Elektrotechnik, Materialwissenschaften und Informatik zusammen. Parallel hierzu werden Grundlagen der Nanotechnologie aufgebaut. University Erlangen-Nürnberg - Bachelor of Science Nanotechnology Dieses neue Studienangebot ergänzt die bisherigen Möglichkeiten für Studierende im Bereich Naturwissenschaft und Technik um ein wichtiges Feld. Nanoscience & Technology ist ein Studiengang der zwischen den Naturwissenschaften und den Ingenieurwissenschaften angesiedelt ist, d.h. es ist eine gute Grundausbildung in naturwissenschaftlichen