NUE: Sustainable Nanotechnology Education for Undergraduate Engineering Students

在纳维德·萨利赫博士的指导下，这一面向工程学本科生的可持续纳米技术教育项目的目标是开发两门技术选修课，一门以理论为基础的课程，一门以实验室课程为基础的课程，利用元认知教学策略整合社会和伦理方面的内容。此外，有纳米技术开发实际决策经验的专家参加的讲习班将支持课程的三个目标：向工程学学生介绍纳米尺度的概念和可持续发展原则；在纳米材料可持续发展的背景下整合社会和伦理方面的问题；以及通过在实验室课程中将批判性思维与基于PBL的实践单元相结合来增强核心知识。拟议的课程和研讨会将在四个方面具有新颖性：元认知教学风格；伦理和社会方面与技术内容的结合；可持续发展与纳米技术的结合；以及强调安全和可持续的纳米材料设计。国家纳米技术倡议(NNI)呼吁在现实生活中开展纳米教育。迫切需要向本科生介绍纳米级原理，以便这些未来的工程师从一开始就考虑这项新兴技术的可持续性和安全性。通常，纳米材料的设计与其安全性和可持续性问题脱节。学生们遭受了这种痛苦，并将其扩展到现实世界的实践中。然而，用集成的社会成分教育学生纳米技术挑战了传统的教学结构。基于问题的学习(PBL)是一种可以应对这种挑战的方法，在这种方法中，基本的纳米级概念可以在基于探究的环境中教授。该计划通过将社会和伦理方面与技术纳米级现象相结合来应对这些挑战，利用可持续纳米技术主题下的交互式PBL方法。该计划将是工程学、可持续性、伦理学和传播学的研究人员和教育工作者之间的真正合作，将这些学科整合到拟议的课程中将为本科生提供一种新的体验。预计在两年的项目中，将有60-100名学生受到这些课程的影响。

The goal of this NUE program, Sustainable Nanotechnology Education for Undergraduate Engineering Students, under the direction of Dr. Navid Saleh, is to develop two technical electives, a theory-based course and a laboratory course, with integrated social and ethical aspects utilizing metacognitive pedagogical strategies. In addition, a workshop involving experts experienced with real-life decision-making in nanotechnology development will support the courses three goals: introduce nanoscale concepts and sustainability principles to engineering students; integrate social and ethical aspects in the context of nanomaterial sustainability; and enhance core knowledge by infusing critical thinking with the hands-on PBL-based modules in laboratory sessions. The proposed courses and workshop will be novel in four aspects: their metacognitive teaching style; the integration of ethical and societal aspects with the technical content; the integration of sustainability with nanotechnology; and emphasis on safe and sustainable nanomaterial design.The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) calls for nano-education in the context of real-life implications. There is a critical need to introduce nanoscale principles to undergraduate students so that these future engineers will consider sustainability and safety of this emerging technology at the outset. Often, nanomaterial design is disconnected from its safety and sustainability concerns. Students suffer from this and extend it to real-world practice. However, educating students in nanotechnology with integrated societal components challenges traditional pedagogical structure. Problem-based learning (PBL) is one approach that can confront such challenges, where the fundamental nanoscale concepts can be taught in an inquiry-based setting. This program addresses these challenges by integrating societal and ethical aspects with technical nanoscale phenomena, utilizing an interactive PBL approach under a theme of sustainable nanotechnology.This program will be a true collaboration among researchers and educators of engineering, sustainability, ethics, and communication, and the merging of these disciplines into the proposed courses will provide a novel experience for undergraduates. It is projected that 60-100 students will be impacted by the courses during the two year project.