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NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Program Underway at Dakota County Technical College
Community College Students Begin Hands-On Learning With State-of-the-Art Nanotechnology Equipment and Curriculum
| Source: NanoProfessor
SKOKIE, IL--(Marketwire - February 9, 2010) - NanoProfessor, a division of NanoInk, Inc.®
focused on nanotechnology education, is pleased to announce that its
NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Program is currently underway at Dakota
County Technical College (DCTC), in Rosemount, Minn. Once completed,
students enrolled in the DCTC program, will possess the knowledge and
hands-on experience needed to pursue a career in the high-tech world of
nanotechnology. DCTC offers a 2-year AAS Degree in Nanoscience and was the
first 2-year technical college to offer a multi-disciplinary nanoscience
AAS degree. The NanoProfessor program will provide in depth experimental
opportunities for students in the first semester of the program.
Comparable hands-on nanotechnology education programs have traditionally
only been available at large, prestigious 4-year universities with graduate
programs.
"Nanotechnology is a growing aspect of virtually every industry in
Minnesota, the U.S. and the world, and it will require a workforce that has
a fundamental knowledge of nanotechnology and the hands-on skills to
complete the nanotech-oriented jobs of today and the future. Exclusivity
to an education in nanotechnology is not the answer," said Deb Newberry,
director of the Nanoscience Technology Program at DCTC. "Together with
NanoProfessor, Dakota County Technical College is helping meet this demand
by creating opportunities for our students that previously they could only
dream about."
The NanoProfessor program is divided into units alternating between
classroom lectures and hands-on lab work. Topics covered include
Nanotechnology Basics, NanoPhysics, NanoChemistry, NanoBiology, EHS issues,
and the evolution of nanotechnology. During the hands-on lab-work, DCTC
students are learning the fundamentals for making custom-engineered,
nanoscale structures that are used for applications in the areas of
consumer packaging, forensics, medicine and biotechnology. Students are
using nanotechnology fabrication techniques such as Dip Pen
Nanolithography® (DPN®) and working with state-of-art equipment including
NanoInk's NLP 2000 Desktop NanoFabrication System, an Atomic Force
Microscope (AFM), an advanced Light Emitting Diode (LED) Fluorescence
microscope, and various nano-scale materials used today by nanotechnology
experts.
"I am excited to be part of the NanoProfessor Program at Dakota County
Technical College, because the curriculum and lab-work are providing me
with a great foundation to pursue a career in nanotechnology," said Kelley
McDonald, a student enrolled in DCTC's AAS Degree program and participating
in the NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Pilot Program. "I'm also
gaining valuable hands-on experience using the same equipment that many
professionals are currently using, which will help make me more attractive
to prospective employers."
"In order for the United States to remain competitive in the global
economy, we need to focus on innovations such as nanotechnology that will
help create jobs," said Dean Hart, executive vice president of NanoInk.
"Just as importantly, we need a workforce that will be able to fill these
nanotech-focused jobs. Deb Newberry and DCTC are true pioneers in
educating and preparing the masses to help secure our Nation's leadership
and competitiveness in the promising field of nanotechnology and
NanoProfessor is honored to be a part of their exciting program."
By 2015, the National Science Foundation has projected that the world will
require a skilled workforce of more than two million nanotechnologists.
The field of nanotechnology is already pioneering breakthroughs and
innovations in the areas of energy, medicine and electronics, which will
have a profound impact on lives in the 21st century.
For more information on how the NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Program
can be implemented at your community college, technical school, high school
or university, please call (847) 679-NANO (6266) or visit
www.NanoProfessor.net.
About Dakota County Technical College (DCTC)
Dakota County Technical College is a public two-year institution of higher
education dedicated to the philosophy that there is dignity in all work and
value in individual growth and learning. It is the philosophy of the
college that all of its students should have access to quality education
that prepares them for rewarding careers. DCTC values its role in
contributing to economic development by providing a knowledgeable and
skilled workforce. The college views itself as a full partner in the
higher education community and recognizes its contribution to lifelong
learning. More information is available at
http://www.dctc.mnscu.edu/index.cfm.
About the NanoProfessor™ Nanoscience Education Program
The NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Program aims to advance the field
of nanoscience and address the growing need for skilled workforce of
nanotechnologists. The program utilizes NanoInk's state-of-the-art NLP
2000 Desktop Nanofabrication System to provide students an
interdisciplinary-focused, hands-on approach to quickly and easily build
custom-engineered, nanoscale structures in a classroom setting. The
NanoProfessor Program, including equipment and an expert-driven curriculum,
is available for community colleges, technical schools, high schools and
universities nationwide. More information is available at
www.NanoProfessor.net.