Proposal to Organize a Workshop on Nanotechnology in Undergraduate Education, Sept. 11-12, 2002

关注吸引所有年龄段学生（尤其是本科生）兴趣的跨学科教育项目的发展，对于确保纳米技术领域的领导地位至关重要。 NSF研讨会纳米技术在本科教育是由化学和材料研究在数学和物理科学的董事会，以及工程董事会司共同支持。 讲习班侧重于通过编写教材、软件、实验室和示范实验以及网络资源介绍的本科生入门课程的新实例;开发和传播可用于现有本科生课程的纳米级科学和工程新教学单元;以及将基于纳米科学和工程的本科生研究机会纳入任何级别的课程，特别是在第一和第二年的研究中。 工作坊将邀请来自不同学科及大学教育程度的人士参与，介绍及讨论如何加强大学生的教育及培训。此外，工作坊亦因应至少三个行业对纳米技术工作者的需求而举办。 首先是传统上使用微米和纳米技术的成熟行业，如微电子，信息存储，光电子等。 第二是这项技术新创造的产业，其中包括微机电产业和新兴的纳米生物技术和纳米电子初创企业。 第三个驱动部门是由从未使用过这项技术但现在正在积极采用这项技术的主要行业组成的，其中包括制药和化学工业等巨头。 纳米生物技术的出现，应用为微和纳米制造业开发的工具和工艺来创建探索生物学的设备，可能会产生比电子行业已经实现的更大的影响。 除了这些产品生产行业外，来自工业，大学和国家实验室的微型和纳米技术研究中心的劳动力需求不断增长，这些研究中心正在推进对这一新的科学和工程领域的理解。工作坊亦会讨论外展活动的需要，以促进幼儿园至12年级的纳米技术教育和就业机会，并为各级教育工作者，包括职前教师，提供纳米技术的专业发展机会。 因此，满足对熟练的纳米技术劳动力的需求将需要更多的K-12学生一般追求科学，数学，工程和技术教育，特别是来自传统上代表性不足的群体的学生。

Attention to the development of interdisciplinary education programs that engage the interest of students of all ages, but especially at the undergraduate level, is critical to ensure leadership in the area of nanotechnology. The NSF Workshop on Nanotechnology in Undergraduate Education is jointly supported by the Division of Chemistry and the Division of Materials Research in the Directorate of Mathematics and Physical Science, and the Directorate of Engineering. The workshop focuses on new examples of introductory undergraduate courses that are presented through the development of text, software, laboratory and demonstration experiments, and web-based resources; the development and dissemination of new teaching modules for nanoscale science and engineering that can be used in existing undergraduate courses; and the incorporation of undergraduate research opportunities based on nanoscale science and engineering into the curriculum at any level, particularly during first and second year studies. The workshop will involve participants from various scientific disciplines involved in nanotechnology and from all levels of undergraduate education to present and discuss ways to enhance the education and training of undergraduate students.In addition, the workshop is driven for the demand for nanotechnology workers in at least three industrial sectors. First are the established industries that traditionally use micro- and nanotechnology, such as microelectronics, information storage, optoelectronics, and others. Second are the industries that have been newly created by this technology, among which are the micro-electromechanical industries and the emerging nanobiotechnology and nanoelectronics start-ups. The third driving sector is composed of the major industries that have never used this technology but are now actively embracing it. Among these are giants such as the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. The emergence of nanobiotechnology, the application of the tools and processes developed for micro and nanofabrication to create devices to explore biology, may have a greater impact than has already been realized in the electronics industry. In addition to these product-producing industry sectors, there is a growing workforce demand coming from micro- and nanotechnology research centers housed in industry, universities, and national laboratories that are advancing understanding of this new field of science and engineering. The workshop will also discuss the need for outreach activities to promote nanotechnology education and career opportunities at the K-12 level, and to provide professional development opportunities in nanotechnology for educators at all levels, including pre-service teachers. Meeting the need for a skilled nanotechnology workforce will thus require that larger numbers of K-12 students in general pursue science, mathematics, engineering and technology education, especially students from traditionally underrepresented groups.