New Student Days

Semester Assignments

Reading Reaction Papers are an individual assignment due alternate weeks (about that week's reading).
Group A: Andrea, Kate, Derek, Weston, Christopher, Mike K., Mike C.
Group B: Joe, Cody, Eddie, Ozgun, Dan, Frank, Madeline

Texts

Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea, Mark Ratner and Daniel Ratner, Prentice Hall (2003).
Lab Manual for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Interdisciplinary Education Group, http://mrsec.wisc.edu/edetc/nanolab/ (2009).
Materials Today, Elsevier

"Nanotechnology," Kristen Kulinowski (2003)
"There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom", Richard Feynman, http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/feynman.html (1959).
Nanoethics, Fritz Allhoff, Patrick Lin, James Moor, John Weckert, Wiley (2007)
"No small matter: The case for a global moratorium," ETC group, (2003). http://www.etcgroup.org
Nanotechnology, Richard Booker and Earl Boysen, Wiley (2005)
"Future Technology, Today's Choices," Greenpeace, (2003). http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/
"Drexler and Smalley make the case for and against 'molecular assemblers'," C&E News, (2003). http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/8148/8148counterpoint.html
"Nanotechnology: Shaping The World Atom By Atom," National Science and Technology Council, (1999). http://wtec.org/loyola/nano/IWGN.Public.Brochure/IWGN.Nanotechnology.Brochure.pdf
Nanofuture, J. Storrs Hall, Prometheus Books (2005)
Made to Measure: New Materials for the 21st Century, Philip Ball, Princeton University (1997).
Nanotechnology: Molecular Speculations on Global Abundance, BC Crandall, ed., MIT Press (1996).

The Nanotech Chronicles, Michael Flynn, Simon and Schuster (1991).
Prey, Michael Crichton, HarperCollins (2002).

The nanoscale refers to materials with dimensions on the scale of nanometers (a thousandth of a thousandth of a thousandth of a meter). The emerging fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology are enabling control of the material world at the scale of atoms and molecules, potentially producing materials with fundamentally different properties and behavior. Material syntheses an atomic layer at a time have already revolutionized lighting and display technologies and dramatically expanded hard drive storage capacities. Studying nanotechnology now is equivalent to studying the automobile in 1900 or the computer in 1960. There is much yet to discover.

Some questions to consider during the course include

1. What makes nanomaterials special?
2. What tools can be used to study such materials?
3. What nanotechnology already exists?
4. What are the potential benefits?
5. What are the potential risks?
6. How might the risks and benefits change society?

This seminar will include frequent laboratory experiences as we make and study nanoparticles and their applications. As in most courses, absences will affect both your class participation and overall grade. This course is cumulative. Lack of preparation before class or lack of serious participation in class means you will need to do extra hours of work on your own after class. Late work will not be accepted. See me ahead of time in case of special circumstances.

If you have a disability and would like to speak to someone about possible accommodations, please visit the Learning Enrichment and Disability Services Office located on 2nd floor Pearsons (north side), ext 2572 or email dss@beloit.edu. If you wish to receive accommodations in this class, please provide the Accommodation Verification form as soon as possible so your learning needs may be appropriately met.

Basis of evaluation

• Class participation in discussions and labs. Labs will usually have a brief question or worksheet to hand in.
• Five reaction papers (a 2-3 page paper every other week) based on assigned readings or events.
• Preparation for and leadership of the technical discussion for one Tuesday during each half of the semester (done in threes). You should look up additional material based on our earlier library database work. We can make copies or project as needed for class. Feel free to be creative in your leadership and plans for the class.
• Report from Beloit International Symposium (November 19).
• A written response (6-8 pages) to the six questions above. Rough draft due December 1, final version due December 8. During the semester you should keep a list (with references) that corresponds to each question and it is expected that information from each week of class would be part of your final paper.

G. Lisensky, Nanotechnology FYI, Beloit College, last modified 8/25/09