NANOTECHNOLOGY

NANOTECHNOLOGY

Nanotechnology ("nanotech") is manipulation of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale. The earliest, widespread description of nanotechnology referred to the particular technological goal of precisely manipulating atoms and molecules for fabrication of macroscale products, also now referred to as molecular nanotechnology. A more generalized description of nanotechnology was subsequently established by the National Nanotechnology Initiative, which defines nanotechnology as the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers. This definition reflects the fact that quantum mechanical effects are important at this quantum-realm scale, and so the definition shifted from a particular technological goal to a research category inclusive of all types of research and technologies that deal with the special properties of matter which occur below the given size threshold. It is therefore common to see the plural form "nanotechnologies" as well as "nanoscale technologies" to refer to the broad range of research and applications whose common trait is size.

Nanotechnology as defined by size is naturally very broad, including fields of science as diverse as surface science, organic chemistry, molecular biology, semiconductor physics, microfabrication, molecular engineering, etc.  The associated research and applications are equally diverse, ranging from extensions of conventional device physics to completely new approaches based upon molecular self-assembly, from developing new materials with dimensions on the nanoscale to direct control of matter on the atomic scale.

Nanotechnology & Education

As nanoscale science and technology come to have increasing impacts on many aspects of our daily lives, the opportunities for careers in these fields are expanding rapidly.  A major challenge for the field is the education and training of a new generation of skilled workers. Career areas as diverse as designing medical diagnostic devices to building better batteries, creating cosmetics, enhancing energy-efficient windows, auto and plane manufacturing, or researching the nature of matter itself will all depend upon knowledge of nanoscale science and technology. Current applications of nanoscale science and technology, with corresponding career opportunities, exist in areas such as:

Electronics/semiconductor industry	Medical fields	Automobile industry
Pharmaceuticals including drug delivery, cosmetics, among others	Materials science including textiles, polymers, packaging, among other	Environmental monitoring and control
Biotechnology	Sports equipment	Optoelectronics
Forensics	Food science: quality / packaging	Aerospace industry
Military	National security	University and federal lab research

Nanoscale science and technology are fueling a revolution in manufacturing and production, creating new materials and novel processes.  Not only will the areas listed above continue to grow and benefit from nanotechnology, but the following fields are expected to undergo explosive developments:

Medicine:  diagnostics and therapeutics (e.g., drug delivery)

Energy:  capture, storage, & use; fuel cells, batteries

Environmental remediation:  in conjunction with GM microbes

Robotics:  many uses

Manufacturing:  self-assembly; “bottom-up” fabrication of novel materials

Commerce: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)  “smart” tags

Space exploration:  space elevator

As these lists of nanoscience-based applications indicate, our world is increasingly dependent on science for food, shelter, energy, etc.  For our democratic society to function effectively, citizens must become familiar with at least some basic science and, perhaps even more importantly, with thinking scientifically.  

Nanoscale phenomena underlie many of the properties and interactions of matter, and thus the sciences of physics, chemistry, and biology, as well as mathematics and computer sciences.  Studying these fields, and paying attention to the developments in nanoscience that advance them and the applications in nanotechnology that they support, can provide you with a solid foundation for any of a broad range of careers. Potential fields of study include: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science, Agricultural Science, Engineering, Medicine, Forensic Science, Law, Business, & Ethics.