Submitted by Anne Bentley / Lewis & Clark College on Thu, 01/06/2011 - 13:45
Forums
Teaching
This forum topic is straying a bit far from strictly inorganic, but I thought it was worth a try to see if anyone could help.  I am planning a new non-majors course (for spring '12) that will focus on nanoscience and technology.  Has anyone taught such a course?  Are there any texts out there? 
Barbara Reisner / James Madison University

Anne, I've taught a course for science majors on nanoscience, "The Science of the Small." We used the Ozin book, but that is totally inappropriate for non-science majors. I don't know of a good book for your students, but you may find something in the  article about Integrating Nanoscience into the Classroom: Perspectives on Science Education Projects.
Greenberg, A. ACS Nano. 2009, 3, 762-769. DOI:10.1021/nn900335r

One of my colleagues has taught a general science course based on materials. If you're interested, I could find out the textbook.

Thu, 01/06/2011 - 23:27 Permalink
Anne Bentley / Lewis & Clark College

Thanks for the suggestions - it's certainly a small niche.  (No pun intended.)

 

I am teaching a sophomore/junior level half-credit nanomaterials course this spring (unrelated to the non-majors course) and using a text by Hornyak.  I'm looking forward to bringing materials chem to the masses, so to speak.  If only I could get more "masses" to enroll...

Fri, 01/07/2011 - 15:03 Permalink
Hilary Eppley / DePauw University

Hi Anne,

I think that Lon Porter at Wabash has taught a course similar to that --it may have been a first year seminar type course. I'll ping him and see if that is accurate and encourage him to respond if it is!   --Hilary      

Tue, 01/18/2011 - 16:38 Permalink
Hilary Eppley / DePauw University

Here is what Lon told me:   

"Nano texts:  For non-majors, I've used the following...they vary in terms of detail and previous science required for understanding.

 

  • Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea (Ratner) 
  • Nanotechnology: Basic Science and Emerging Technologies (Wilson) 
  • I also wrote a J. Chem. Edu. paper about the course: Chemical Nanotechnology: A Liberal Arts Approach toward a Basic Course in Emerging Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Lon A. Porter, Jr., J. Chem. Educ., 84, 259 (2007)."

 

Tue, 01/25/2011 - 09:40 Permalink