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.
