Education and Workforce Needs
A solid educational foundation, a skilled workforce, and a state-of-the-art R&D infrastructure are essential to the success of the NNI. Nanoscale science, engineering and technology programs and resources are required to produce a new generation of researchers and inventors working at the nanoscale. Educational programs continue to be developed with NNI support for all levels, including K-12 schools, community colleges, vocational schools, and major research universities. Building on this foundation, additional measures are needed to develop and maintain a skilled nanotechnology workforce.
The supporting physical infrastructure, that is, highly specialized buildings and equipment, also is important. The NNI has created a network of interdisciplinary research centers and user facilities with modern equipment for nanometer-scale science and engineering research.
The NNI research centers, user facilities, and university-based research projects are designed and developed to foster multidisciplinary education, offer opportunities for teacher training, and stimulate the development of curricula and instructional materials. The NNI also provides hands-on training of technicians, undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers are universities, Federal laboratories, and other institutions.
Nanotechnology Education
In the future, the NNI member agencies will build on this investment by sustaining support for educational programs at all levels. Examples of specific efforts by the NNI member agencies to support and encourage education materials for a broad cross-section of users and stakeholders include the following:
- Enhancing existing programs designed to develop middle school, high school, and undergraduate scientist-educators who can effectively introduce nanotechnology concepts into schools.
- Developing educational modules that incorporate nanotechnology into curricula for the many disciplines contributing to nanotechnology.
- Fostering international exchanges of students and researchers working in nanotechnology-related fields.
- Putting opportunities in place that bring together nanotechnology researchers from NNI-funded centers and user facilities to work with educational researchers and teachers, for example, through summer visiting research fellowships for teachers and undergraduate students.
Developing a Nanotechnology Workforce
A skilled workforce is essential to realizing the NNI vision. This workforce must include nanotechnology researchers, technicians, manufacturing engineers, and production workers. To develop this workforce, the NNI will build on the educational programs described above by promoting partnerships between industry, educators, and the Federally funded R&D system. Such partnerships will aim to provide access to training programs for careers in nanotechnology-related industrial sectors. Examples of activities the NNI will support and encourage include the following:
- Using career centers funded by the Department of Labor and other appropriate public venues to distribute information on nanotechnology and the career opportunities this field offers.
- Developing training programs that encourage workers to pursue nanotechnology-related career opportunities
- Providing information on nanotechnology-related training opportunities on the NNI website.
- Assessing human resource issues, including workforce training, by comparisons with other countries through international benchmarking exercises.
Full Utilization of the NNI Infrastructure
The extensive infrastructure established by the NNI over the past seven years includes centers and user facilities support research on nanomanufacturing and nanoscale characterization, synthesis, simulation and modeling. This infrastructure is well suited to support the prototyping and demonstration stages of nanotechnology development. The NNI will support and encourage efforts to keep these facilities fully staffed and readily accessible to nanotechnology researchers from academia, industry, and the government. The NNI agencies are committed to promoting broad access to user facilities by all sectors, especially by small businesses. Future activities include development of an inventory of major tools and facilities, continued development of user training for these facilities, and efforts to publicize the availability of these resources. The NNI agencies will also evaluate these existing infrastructure and equipment investments, considering possible new needs for the long term. In the near term, however, the focus will be on maximizing the utility and utilization of the substantial infrastructure already in place.
Among existing programs are those of the
National Science Foundation: NSF's Research Experience for Teachers and Research Experience for Undergraduates, reaching thousands of students and educators annually. NSF's Nanoscale Science and Engineering Education (NSEE), including Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education (NUE) awards supporting course development. Educational activities occurring through DOE laboratories, such as the "Nano*High" effort at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in California - a series of free Saturday morning lectures for high school students of all interests and teachers of all subjects. Support development of science center and museum exhibits, video production, and other approaches to learning outside of formal educational institutions.