NUE: Integration of Nanotechnology into the Core Chemistry Curriculum at Mount Holyoke College

这个纳米技术本科教育(NUE)奖授予曼荷莲学院的肖恩·M·迪凯特教授，由数学和物理科学局的化学部和教育和人力资源局的本科教育部颁发，目的是增加纳米科学学生的经验，并增强他们对纳米技术的社会、政治和伦理考量的看法。该项目旨在将纳米技术的主题整合到核心化学课程中，并让本科生参与纳米尺度现象的研究，同时让更广泛的社会参与关于纳米技术的关键问题。该项目有四个主要目标：(1)为本科课程开发新的实验体验。(2)让本科生参与纳米技术研究。(3)让更广泛的社会人士参与对纳米技术的批判性分析和讨论。(4)成立跨学科的纳米科技学院工作小组。参与该项目的教职员工将定期开会，阅读和讨论来自不同领域的与纳米技术有关的新文献。该项目旨在通过原子力显微镜(AFM)和定向自组装等纳米尺度上的分子成像和操作技术，将整体性质与分子结构联系起来，从而学习在宏观和原子水平上描述物质之间的联系。这些工具将在化学课程的头两年课程(普通化学和有机化学)中介绍，并在高级课程中加以扩展。该项目将赞助一系列涉及纳米技术的研讨会，包括演讲者，他们将向广泛的跨学科受众讨论有关纳米技术的社会、政治、伦理和历史影响的问题。有关纳米技术的单元亦将加入一门新的化学史跨学科课程。该奖项的建议是因应纳米科学与工程教育公告NSF 03-044的新类别而收到的。

This Nanotechnology in Undergraduate Education (NUE) award to Professor Sean M. Decatur at Mount Holyoke College is made by the Division of Chemistry in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences and the Division of Undergraduate Education in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources to increase the experience of students in nanoscale science and to enhance their perspectives on the social, political, and ethical considerations regarding nanotechnology.The project seeks to integrate topics on nanotechnology throughout the core chemistry curriculum and to involve undergraduates in research on phenomena at the nanoscale, while engaging the broader community in critical issues regarding nanotechnology. The project has four primary goals: (1) Developing new lab experiences for undergraduate courses. (2) Involving undergraduates in nanotechnology research. (3) Engaging the broader community in critical analysis and discussion of nanotechnology. (4) Creating a cross-disciplinary faculty working group on nanotechnology. Faculty involved in the project will meet regularly to read and discuss new literature related to nanotechnology from a variety of fields. The project is designed so that students learn to make connections between the macroscopic and atomic level descriptions of matter by relating bulk properties to molecular structure through techniques for imaging and manipulating molecules at the nanoscale, such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) and directed self-assembly. These tools will be introduced in courses for the first two years of the chemistry curriculum (general and organic chemistry) and expanded upon in the advanced courses.The project will sponsor a series of seminars involving nanotechnology, including speakers, who will address questions concerning the social, political, ethical, and historical implications of nanotechnology for a broad, interdisciplinary audience. Units on nanotechnology will also be added to a new interdisciplinary course on the History of Chemistry.The proposal for this award was received in response to the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Education announcement, NSF 03-044, category NUE.