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

要确保在纳米技术领域处于领先地位，就必须重视跨学科教育计划的发展，以吸引所有年龄段的学生，尤其是本科生。NSF在本科教育中的纳米技术研讨会是由数学和物理科学局的化学部和材料研究部以及工程部共同支持的。讲习班的重点是通过编写文本、软件、实验室和演示实验以及基于网络的资源；开发和传播可用于现有本科课程的纳米科学和工程新教学模块；以及将基于纳米科学和工程的本科研究机会纳入任何级别的课程，特别是在第一和第二年的课程中，介绍新的入门本科课程的例子。工作坊将有来自与纳米科技有关的不同科学学科和各个程度的学士学位教育的人士参加，介绍和讨论如何加强教育和培训本科生，此外，工作坊的目的是为了满足至少三个行业对纳米技术工人的需求。首先是传统上使用微纳技术的老牌行业，如微电子、信息存储、光电子等。其次是这项技术新创造的产业，其中包括微型机电产业和新兴的纳米生物技术和纳米电子初创企业。第三个驱动部门由从未使用过这项技术但现在正在积极拥抱的主要行业组成。其中包括制药和化学工业等巨头。纳米生物技术的出现，应用为微型和纳米制造开发的工具和工艺来创造探索生物的设备，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，设在工业、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也在不断增长，这些中心正在促进对这一新的科学和工程领域的了解。研讨会亦会讨论是否有需要进行外展活动，以促进纳米科技教育和在幼稚园至幼稚园的就业机会，以及为各级教育工作者，包括职前教师，提供纳米科技的专业发展机会。因此，为了满足对熟练纳米技术劳动力的需求，一般需要更多的K-12学生接受科学、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.