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Q: I am about to select a major in engineering and would like to know the best major to select in order to excel in Nanotechnology. I hear that Nanotechnology holds enormous promise and can be helpful in areas from cleansing the air to treating bacterial infections. What schools, domestic and international, would you recommend?
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Q: Let me please know the potential of Nanotechnology education, and the list of universities offering Masters and Doctoral degree in Nanotechnology.
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Q: I consider several undergraduate programs available in my country with the intent of doing research (and possibly some graduate work) later in the area of nanotechnology in Japan.
I have two questions:
(1) Would it be better for me to study chemical engineering or electrical engineering as an undergraduate?
(2) What are some of the institutions that do nanotechnology research in Japan?
NANOTECHNOLOGY
Nanotechnology is a relatively new collection of fields, all characterized by analysis, design and synthesis of structures whose dimensions are roughly 1 to 100 nanometers. The term "Nanotechnology" has been used recently within diverse fields such as Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Electrical, Mechanical and Chemical Engineering, and sub-disciplines such as robotics. Nanotechnology was invoked in many different projects and sub-disciplines, including the design of new senors and actuators, drug delivery mechanisms, tissue engineering, design of semiconductor and optoelectronic devices, and a host of consumer goods applications. (Learn more in the Nanotechnology Now website (http://www.nanotech-now.com) and in the portal of the Institute of Nanotechnology (http://www.nano.org.uk/whatis.htm); see
also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology, but remember that articles in Wikipedia can be changed by anyone at anytime).
SHOULD I STUDY ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING OR CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AS AN
UNDERGRADUATE?
As we have indicated in a previous answer, it is common for researchers in nanotechnology to come from disciplines in Science and Engineering, including Chemical Engineering and Electrical Engineering. We do not believe that one can provide a definitive answer as to whether one discipline is "better" than the other as a subject for undergraduate education when future work in nanotechnology is the objective. We suggest that you make your decision on the basis of your personal "attraction" to these disciplines once you have studied their curricula, visited some departments, and read more about the work that chemical and electrical engineers do on this site and on the Sloan Career Cornerstone website
(http://www.careercornerstone.org/engineering/engineering.htm).
Regardless of your choice, you will have to navigate your way through your chosen program to maximize exposure to elective courses relevant to nanotechnology.
NANOTECHNOLOGY IN JAPAN
There is a lot of research activity on nanotechnology in Japan, as well as industrial research and development.
Here are references to some of the nanotechnology research initiatives and programs in Japan.
(1) Nanotechnology Researchers Network Center of Japan
Toranomon 30 Mori Bldg.2F,
3-2-2 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo,
105-0001
Tel: +81-3-5404-3280
Fax: +81-3-5404-3290
URL: http://www.nanonet.go.jp
E-Mail: info@nanonet.go.jp
(2) Center for Nano Materials and Technology
Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
1-1 Asahidai, Nomi-shi, Ishikawa, 923-1292, JAPAN
Tel. +81-761-51-1459
Fax. +81-761-51-1149
http://www.jaist.ac.jp/nmcenter/home-e.html
(3) Nanoelectronics Collaborative Research Center
University of Tokyo
4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8505, JAPAN
Tel: 03-5452-6245
Fax: 03-5452-6246
http://www.ncrc.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/e/index.html
Project manager: Dr. Yoshikazu TOYAMA, Room Ce407,
e-mail: ytoyama@iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Director of NCRC: Professor Yasuhiko ARAKAWA, Room Ee204
e-mail: arakawa@iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp
(4) Nanotechnology Research Institute
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Central
2 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
Phone: +81-29-861-5277
Fax: +81-29-861-5548
E-mail: nanotech_info@m.aist.go.jp
http://unit.aist.go.jp/nanotech/
(5) Nanotechnology research at Fujitsu:
http://jp.fujitsu.com/group/labs/en/business/activities/activities-3/
(6) Nanotechnology at Hitachi:
http://www.hitachi-hitec.com/global/
(7) Nanotechnology research at the University of Kobe:
http://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/
(8) Nanotechnology research at Mitsui & co. (Bussan Nanotechnology Research Institute):
Head Office and Research Institutes at Tsukuba Nanotech Park
2-1 Kouyadai, Tsukuba-shi,
Ibaraki Prefecture 305-0074 Japan
Phone: +81-29-839-9374 FAX: +81-29-839-9375
http://www.mitsui.co.jp/en/index.html
Additional useful links can be found at the site of Nanovip: http://www.nanovip.com/
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Q: I am unable to decide between a degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, and computer science. Please describe the differences?
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Q: I am a senior in high school and I am seriously thinking about majoring in Biomedical Engineering. I wanted to know how much money biomedical engineers make. I also want to know if biomedical engineers do research for cancer because I would really like to be able to do research on diseases and ways to fight/cure them. Where could you get a job in biomedical engineering in Pennsylvania?
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Q: I have just received my Bachelor of Engineering in electronics and communication). I have great interest in Nanotechnology/MEMS. Should I concentrate on MEMS or on Nanotechnology for my Master-level studies? How are job prospects in these areas?
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Q: Can I work on a Master of Science degree in Nanotechnology after getting a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Engineering degree in chemical engineering?
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Q: Which engineering field should I select for undergraduate studies in order to be able to work later on a Master of Science degree in Nanotechnology?
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Q: I am a second year student in electrical engineering. I have been assigned to write on "the scope of electrical engineering in the 21st century".
Would you please provide me with some guidance?
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Q: BACKGROUND: We live in Sierra Vista, AZ, about 70 miles SE of Tucson. My 17 year old son is a high school senior and wants to become an engineer, but is still undecided which engineering sub-category he wants to specialize in. He is interested in robotics and maybe nanotechnology. He has taken Advanced Placement classes in English, Mathematics and Physics. He already has earned some college credit by signing up for Dual-Credit classes. We are split over 2 options: 1) having him attend for the first 2 years a community college which has a 2-year Pre-Engineering Program, and then have him attend a traditional university for the last 2 years of college; or 2) having him start as a freshman in a traditional 4-year institution.
QUESTIONS:
What, if any, are the pros and cons of both options? Is there an industry bias out there when it comes to hiring an applicant who either completed a 4 year program right away or first did a 2 year program and then finished up a 4 year program?
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Q: I am enrolled in a chemical engineering program. I would like to learn more about the job responsibilities of chemical engineers, and on the prospects of finding a rewarding and meaningful job in this field.
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Q: I am an undergraduate in Mechanical Engineering. I would like to know
how this discipline is practiced in the real world.
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