Description :  

This comprehensive plan for the enhancement of nanotechnology education within the physics, microsystems, and nanosystems engineering programs at Louisiana Tech targets current undergraduate and graduate courses in these programs that include quantum mechanics, physical optics, nanosystems engineering, atomic physics, and micro/nano scale materials.  The enhancement plan consists of the acquisition of an atomic force microscopy/scanning tunneling microscope system that would be installed and used in an existing teaching laboratory.   The project complements ongoing projects funded by NSF and the University to advance education in nanotechnology at Louisiana Tech University.  The goal is to improve students’ interdisciplinary science preparation by enhancing their experiential skills in nanotechnology with hands-on training in scanning microscopy systems.  Hands-on experience is needed to prepare the students to use these types of technologies and is exactly what is called for in a panel report entitled “Physics in a New Era.” Released by the National Research Council, this report emphasized the need for “challenging, real world experiences” in the classroom and alternative curricular materials such as electronic tutorials and visual methods. 

This enhancement project will have widespread impact on area students.  Approximately 110 students majoring in physics, microsystems, and nanosystems engineering will be directly impacted per year.  Additional science and engineering majors at Louisiana Tech University will also be positively impacted by this project.  Furthermore, the project involves collaboration with the Physics Department of Grambling State University (GSU) to provide remote access to the equipment to be used in their physics courses and in ongoing joint research between the project investigators and GSU faculty.

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Principal Investigator:  Dobbins, Tabbetha  --  Physics

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Collaborators:  Dr. Hisham Hegab and Dr. James Palmer

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Funding Agencies:  Board of Regents

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Amount Awarded:  $50,000

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Start Period:  06/01/2005

End Period:  06/30/2006