COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This is a seminar course that introduces emerging issues in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics.

This semester's course covers the emerging technologies in the nanoscale range. Nanotechnology impacts virtually every discipline, including biology, chemistry, physics,computational science, and engineering. The government has put into place high-level initiatives to ensure that the nanotechnologies' breathtaking promises can be realized to enhance both innovation and economic and environmental benefits. A high-caliber college-level education is crucial to this effort and an introduction to this topic will benefit the STEM student in his further studies. This course will consist of student's and invited guest's in-depth presentations that will bring to the class the latest investigations and findings in nanotechnology.

Other seminar courses in the future will bring different emerging issues.

This is a one credit course. This course maybe used as a supplement for different science and engineering courses especially in certain transfer situations.

PREREQUISITES:

Completion of a minimum of 18 credits of STEM courses, GPA 3.0 and Honors student

or permission of instructor.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon successful completion of the course a student will be able to

1. Successfully present material on nanotechnology at a professional level consistent with the students major.

HELPFUL BOOKS:

Pocket Book for Technical Writing for Engineers and Scientists 3^rd Edition .  Finkelstein, Leo.  McGraw-Hill (2007).
Nanotechnology DeMystified.   Williams, Linda and Adams, Wade.  McGraw-Hill (2007).

OTHER REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS:

1. 3 three-hole binders 1" or larger for the handouts

2. Pens, Pencils, Textbooks, Eraser, Straight edge, Paper, and Calculator are required for every class.

OUTSIDE CLASS REQUIREMENTS:

As with any class an amount of time at least equivalent to two times the credit hours is expected to be performed for homework and labs. Please allot sufficient time for homework.

GRADING CRITERIA:

Evaluation of student performance is to be based on:

1. Your presentation will count for 60% of your grade.

2. Attendance (without comment) will count for 20% of your grade. An additional 20% will be given for short summaries of the invited outside speakers. This is a seminar course, the point is to attend.

COURSE OUTLINE

New topics are to be covered each week and this syllabus will change each week to reflect the invited guests' and students' presentations

Week 1 Introduction to Nanotechnology, Dr. Johnson, PGCC, Engineering

Week 2 Nanotechnology in Biology, Dr. Barrow, PGCC, Biology; Nanotechnology in Chemistry, Dr. Sinex, PGCC, Chemistry

Week 3 Introduction to Nanotechnology (part II); Our Energy Challenge (Dr.Smalley's lecture at http://smalley.rice.edu)

Week 4 Nanotechnology at Howard University and PGCC (Gallium Nitride Nanowires), Dr.Joshua Halpern, Howard University Chemistry Department

Week 5 Discussion of student topics

Week 6 Plagiarism Test (last minute replacement assignment)

Week 7 Nanomedicine and The Eye, Dr. Christine Barrow, PGCC, Biology

Week 8 Nanoarray and the Fountain Pen, Dr. Christine Barrow/Dr. Scott Sinex, PGCC, Biology
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL:
Microarrays for non-biology majors

Week 9 Applications of magnetic nanoparticles in biosciences, Dr. Daniel H. Reich, Johns Hopkins University

Week 10 Student Presentations: The public law structure surrounding Nanotechnology

Week 11 Student Presentations: Nanotechnology in drug delivery AND Summary of nanotechnology in cancer therapy

Week 12 Using Molecular Workbench (MW) to understand nanotechnology and beyond, Dr. Johnson, PGCC, Engineering
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL:

• Molecular Workbench home page (in Fall 2008)
• A Virtual Museum in MW Models(in Fall 2008)

Week 13 Student Presentations: Nanotechnology in the Production and Application of Permanent Magnets AND An Overview of Connections Between Superconductivity, Nanotechnology, and Materials

Week 14 The Applications of Nanotechnology on our Thanksgiving Dinner; All

Week 15 Lessons learned and how to continue our studies in Nanotechnology, Dr. Johnson, PGCC, Engineering (open discussion)

CLASSROOM POLICIES

1. Cell phones must be in vibrate mode and are only to be answered for emergencies (step outside please).

2. Common courtesy is to apply at all times.

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