Nanotechnology: Opportunities and Challenges in the 21st Century

1. PSU Alumni Institute Guess who’s coming to Dinner? Nanotechnology June 3, 2005 Akhlesh Lakhtakia Engineering Science and Mechanics Department, Pennsylvania State University Physics Department, Imperial College London

2. Welcome to Penn State

4. R&D Investment George Smith (Oxford U.): Nano “comes from the verb which means to seek research funding.” Lux Research (New York): Total worldwide R&D funding = $ 8.6B in 2004 $ 0.6B in 2002 US Government funding = $ 1.6B in 2004 $ 2.6B in 2005 Source: The Economist (Jan 1-7, 2005 issue)

5. Outline • Characteristics of Nanotechnology • Technoscientific Opportunities • Socioethical Challenges • Pre-University Education for Nanotechnology

6. Characteristics ofNanotechnology Sources: 1999 Report of US National Research Council 2004 Report of Royal Society & Royal Academy of Engineering Others

8. How small is 1 nanometer?

9. 1 nanometer • Take a thread 1 inch long • Chop it into 25 pieces • Chop each piece into 1 million pieces • That itty-bitty piece is 1 nanometer

10. Definition • 1 to 100 nm (United States) 0.2 to 100 nm (United Kingdom) • Atomic, molecular and macromolecular phenomenons • Properties different from macroscopic length scales

11. Significant Attributes • Large surface area per unit volume • Quantum effects

12. Dimensionality • 1 D • Ultrathin coatings • 2 D • Nanowires and nanotubes • 3 D • Nanoparticles

13. Classification • Incremental nanotechnologies paints, plastics, cosmetics containing smaller particles • Evolutionary nanotechnologies quantum dots, carbon nanotubes • Radical nanotechnologies grey-goo, molecular manufacturing

14. Technoscientific Opportunities Source: Royal Society & Royal Academy of Engineering (July 29, 2004)

15. Nanomaterials • Lots of potential applications • Unreliable production • “top-down” techniques • Etching • “bottom-up” techniques • Self-assembly (cheap, difficult to control) • Positional assembly (expensive, easy to control)

16. Metrology • Extremely important • Requires standardization • Very little research expenditure incurred so far

17. Integrated Electronics and Optoelectronics Many opportunities: - memory cell ~ 90 nm (2004) ~ 22 nm (2016) - plastic electronics - biosensors, chemical sensors - structural health monitoring

18. Bionanotechnology and Nanomedicine Many opportunities: - targeted drug delivery - in vivo molecular imaging - antimicrobial agents - tissues and scaffolds - “smart” health monitoring

19. Industrial Applications Significant challenges from laboratory to mass manufacturing Desirable Features • Cost-effectiveness • Waste reduction • Lifecycle (cradle-to-grave) environmental auditing

20. SocioethicalChallenges Sources: Royal Society & Royal Academy of Engineering (July 29, 2004) Others

21. Health Impacts Nanoparticles may be more toxic than larger particles • High surface area • Enhanced chemical reactivity • Easier penetration of cells Manufactured amounts are small Risk to general public is minimal

22. Health Impacts Risk to workers is not minimal • Inhalation • Penetration of skin • Combustible nanoparticles may cause explosions

23. Societal Impacts • Who controls the uses of nanotechnologies? • Who benefits from the uses of nanotechnologies?

24. Convergence of Nano, Bio, and Information Technologies& Cognition Science • New forms of surveillance and sensing - Invasion of privacy - Regulation of governmental and private data-collection agencies • Radical human enhancement

25. Convergence of Nano, Bio, and Information Technologies& Cognition Science • New forms of surveillance and sensing - Invasion of privacy - Regulation of governmental and private data-collection agencies • Radical human enhancement The Time Machine, Brave New World, 1984, Gattaca

26. Convergence of Nano, Bio, and Information Technologies& Cognition Science • Nanodivides - Rich and poor in the same country - Rich and poor countries

27. Citizenry’s OversightofNanotechnologicalDevelopments Regulatory bodies must commence scrutiny Private watchdog groups must emerge Education of children

28. Pre-University Educationfor Nanotechnology

29. Nanotechnology • Extremely diversified • Extremely expensive • Thrives on innovative ideas • Requires • Foundational-knowledge base • Integration across STEM disciplines • Organizational skills • Socioethical contextualization • Communication skills

30. Curriculum Design Objectives • Integration across sciences and mathematics • Integration with social sciences and humanities ------------------------------------------------------- • Flexibility to adapt to changing needs • Modularity to mimic real-life situations • Incorporation of diversity of skills and interests

31. Reviewof Current Educational Practices

32. Current Educational Practices • Algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus aretaught separately • Physics, chemistry, mathematics, and biology aretaught separately

33. Current Educational Practices International Style (India, China, Europe) 2-3 math courses per year 2-3 science courses per year Horizontal integration Vertical integration Promotes interdisciplinarity Burdensome, anti-innovation US Style 1 math course per year 1 science course per year Some horizontal integration Vertical stratification Inimical to interdiscipilinarity Promotes innovation

34. Current Educational Practices Recent pedagogical innovations • Collaborative learning • Active learning • Project-based learning

35. Current Educational Practices Just-in-Case Education

36. Reminder Nanotechnology • Extremely diversified • Extremely expensive • Thrives on innovative ideas • Requires • Foundational-knowledge base • Integration across STEM disciplines • Organizational skills • Socioethical contextualization • Communication skills

37. Supplementary Approach Just-in-time Education

38. Just-in-time Education For complex problems, students must learn: • to identify intersecting disciplines • to acquire necessary knowledge base • to synthesize an acceptable accomplishment • to assess needs for further progress • to contextualize the accomplishment

39. Just-in-time Education (JITE) End-of-semester End-of-year End-of-school EXPERIENCES

40. Just-in-time Education JITE Experience • Spans > 1 science/math disciplines • Single-member • Team-based • Apportionment of tasks • Deadlines • Oral/written reports • 4 Crucial elements

41. Just-in-time Education • Crucial Element No. 1 Not all information be supplied to students Students will • search school books • search extracurricular books • search the web • interview practitioners • undertake site visits

42. Just-in-time Education • Crucial Element No. 2 Introspection and reflection by students Students will • keep a journal of activities and ideas • prepare a statement of personal growth

43. Just-in-time Education • Crucial Element No. 3 Socioethical contextualization Students will reflect on relevance of projects to • their political unit and culture • the world • ecology, sustainability & diversity

44. Just-in-time Education • Crucial Element No. 4 Dispersal of acquired knowledge Students will • create project websites • write for newspapers and magazines • participate in local, provincial and national conferences

45. Just-in-time Education Expected to accommodate: Nanotechnology Information Technology Biotechnology Future wide-scope developments in a socially responsible way

46. Just-in-time Education Teaching staffs’ responsibilities: 1. Form interdisciplinary teams to guide JITE experiences 2. Mathematics and sciences staffs must learn about humanities and social sciences 3. Humanities & social sciences staffs must learn about mathematics and sciences 4. Become internet-savvy 5. Become lifelong learners Speech moves, example drags.