Nanotechnology education: The impact of and on electrical engineering

The electronics industry, driven by consumer demand for more computational capability crossed the nanoscale “threshold” in the late 1990s and was recognized as the first industry to do so. As a result, in certain areas, electrical engineering has been at the forefront of introducing nanotechnology concepts into traditional curriculum courses. Over the last decade nanotechnology has influenced and been integrated into multiple industries [1]. As a result, nanoscience concepts have been infused into multiple curricula yet has not lost some of the “electrical” foundations. Tracing a history of nanotechnology education through the last 15 years and into the future the influence, available resources and integration of nanoscale concepts will be assessed. The evolution of nanotechnology education covered will assess common elements that cross disciplinary boarders and highlight areas that have been left unaddressed. The successful implementation of programs will be employed to demonstrate the ideas presented.