NUE: Sustainable Nanotechnology Education for Undergraduate Engineering Students

NUE：工程本科生的可持续纳米技术教育

• 批准号: 1445960
• 负责人: Navid Saleh
• 金额: $ 20万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-10-01 至 2018-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1445960&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NUE; Sustainable; Nanotechnology; Education; Undergraduate

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.

该NUE计划的目标，可持续纳米技术教育本科工程专业学生，博士的指导下。此外，一个由在纳米技术开发中具有实际决策经验的专家参加的研讨会将支持课程的三个目标：向工程专业的学生介绍纳米级概念和可持续性原则;在纳米材料可持续性的背景下整合社会和伦理方面;通过在实验室会议中将批判性思维与基于PBL的实践模块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是新颖的：他们的元认知教学风格;伦理和社会方面与技术内容的整合;可持续性与纳米技术的整合;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）呼吁在现实生活中的影响的背景下进行纳米教育。有一个迫切需要介绍纳米级的原则，本科生，使这些未来的工程师将考虑可持续性和安全性，这一新兴技术在一开始。通常，纳米材料的设计与其安全性和可持续性问题脱节。学生们深受其害，并将其扩展到现实世界的实践中。然而，教育学生在纳米技术与综合社会组件挑战传统的教学结构。基于问题的学习（PBL）是一种可以应对这些挑战的方法，其中基本的纳米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互动PBL方法。该计划将成为工程，可持续性，伦理和通信的研究人员和教育工作者之间的真正合作，这些学科合并到拟议的课程中将为本科生提供新颖的体验。预计在两年的项目期间，将有60-100名学生受到课程的影响。