Nanotechnology is one the most powerful engines of innovation, developing breakthrough solutions to long-standing, real-world problems every day. Foundational to the 21st-century industrial revolution, nanotechnology enables the next generation of a wide range of technologies ranging from flexible electronic displays, highly efficient solar cells, and super batteries to self-cleaning surfaces and skin-rejuvenating cosmetics – just to name a few! Vitally, nanotechnology also facilitates affordable, global access to clean water, personalized healthcare, and a higher overall standard of living.
Nanotechnology is already impacting the global economy, and within the next few years, annual revenues generated from nanotechnology-enabled products and services are expected to reach the trillions of dollars, affecting millions of jobs. This course is designed to provide an eye-opening introduction to this exciting new field of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ("STEM") and to help prepare you for a future professional career in nanotechnology/STEM. In about 4 weeks, you will learn the fundamentals of what nanotechnology is, how it works, what its myriad applications are, and how you can continue your nanotechnology education journey.
By the end of this course, successful participants will be able to:
- Define and explain the meaning of key terms related to nanotechnology.
- Classify materials as “nanomaterials” based on certain criteria and properties.
- Describe and explain the unique characteristics of nanomaterials with respect to their bulk counterparts.
- Express the size of nanomaterials in nanometers, and compare their size to those of other materials/objects.
- Understand the size, shape, characterization, properties, and applications of various nanomaterials.
- Interpret and analyze images acquired through modern microscopy.
- Explain the differences between biotechnology and nanotechnology.