UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
NC State offers a wide range of nanotechnology-focused courses and programs that give students access to cross-disciplinary, cutting-edge information and prepare them for careers in the field.
Nanotechnology Courses
NC State's nanotechnology courses for undergraduate and graduate students span many colleges and departments, including engineering, chemistry, physics, education, management, agriculture, social sciences, and veterinary medicine.
Nanoscience Concentration
The Nanoscience Concentration for B.S. students in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE) is an option for undergraduates who wish to develop expertise in nanoelectronics, nanotechnology, and functional nanomaterials.
The curriculum focuses on scientific and technological principles associated with the design and manufacture of patterns and devices on the nanometer scale. In addition to the "core CBE courses," the Nanoscience Concentration offers courses on the following topics:
- Chemical Processing of Electronic Materials
- Colloid & Surface Science
- Polymeric Nanomaterials
Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education (NUE) Program
NC State has a National Science Foundation (NSF) NUE grant, led by Dr. Gail Jones and Dr. Mark Johnson, to develop new courses in nanotechnology. The first course created through this program, Handcrafting in the Nanoworld, is a freshman seminar offered at UNC Chapel Hill. This course introduces students to nanoscale science through a modeling approach. The second course focuses on general nanotechnology and was first offered in spring 2007 at NC State.
Sustainability, Energy, and Engineering (SEE) Program
The National Science Foundation SEE program, directed by Dr. Steven Peretti, provides a 10-week Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) for a cross-section of students from around the country. SEE activities include hands on lab research with one-on-one attention from a research mentor, exposure to environmentally conscious manufacturing and green processing technologies, valuable insider information on the Graduate School process, the opportunity to present findings at a research symposium, and ethics seminars. Students in the program receive a research stipend, plus room & board, and travel expense reimbursement.
Undergraduate Research Experiences: ARE & SRE
NC State's highly successful undergraduate research program involves students in cutting-edge research where they can fully experience scientific inquiry. The Academic Year Research Experience (ARE) program engages students in conducting independent research with a faculty mentor for up to 20 hours a week during the academic year and is followed by a conference where students present their work.
Undergraduate students also can work in a lab as part of a Summer Research Experience (SRE) to gain additional skills and knowledge. Each undergraduate student will join a team that includes a graduate student and area science teacher as they conduct their research.