NUE: Integrating Nanoscale Science and Technology into Introductory Computer Science Courses

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PROPOSAL NUMBER.: 0407218INSTITUTION: University of ArkansasNSF PROGRAM: NANOTECHNOLOGY UNDERGRAD EDUCATION (NUE)PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Deaton, Russell J.PROPOSAL TITLE: NUE: Integrating nanoscale science and technology into introductory computer science coursesAbstract:In this project, by writing programs in their first two courses that simulate important molecular properties, freshmen Computer Science students are introduced to emerging technology in Nano-scale Science and Engineering. In the first course, students write programs that design DNA molecules for forming structures and doing computations. In addition, the biological role of DNA in the cell is introduced and reinforced through programming work. In the second course, students will learn about quantum computation by simulating the random placement of nano-scale dots. In both courses, fundamental Computer Science knowledge is related to research questions in nanotechnology, and the interdisciplinary nature of the research is emphasized. The main goal of the project is to get students interested in nano-scale research early in their college careers, and to have the students participate in research through their classroom experiences. The course material developed will be publicly available for use by other institutions through the Internet and CD-ROM. The proposal for this award was received in response to the Nano-scale Science and Engineering Education announcement, NSF 03-044, category NUE.