Minnesota Nanotechnology Workforce Initiative (MnNano)

This project is establishing a Nanoscience Technician program at Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) in partnership with the University of Minnesota. This two-year A.A.S. degree program is preparing graduates with the multidisciplinary skills necessary for the future technician workforce needs of Minnesota in this emerging career field. Students are taking their first three semesters at DCTC, completing existing general education as well as newly developed nanoscience technical courses. The fourth semester

is a capstone experience at the University of Minnesota involving lab experience in the U of Minnesota Nanofabrication, Particle Technology and Materials Characterization laboratories. The capstone experience includes lecture courses that complement the lab experiences and internships with growing nanotechnology industries in biotechnology, medical devices, agriculture, materials manufacturing and electronics.

There is also a major effort focused on attracting high school students to careers in nanoscience through summer Nanoscience Curriculum Modules and Camps for high school students, as well as through Nanoscience Inservices and Internships for high school teachers. This seamless transition program for high school students focuses a significant effort to recruit underrepresented minority students to these summer camps and then target to recruit them into the DCTC two-year AAS degree program. The project includes community college partners Normandale Community College and Minnesota

Technical College, Lakeville High School, professional societies, industry associations, and industry partners across the state. The program has also formed a close relationship with the NSF ATE regional center at Penn State for nanofabrication manufacturing education and is adapting elements of its program, as well as curriculum from other institutions around the nation.

The Intellectual Merit of this project is based on developing a multidisciplinary nanoscience technician education curriculum in an emerging high tech field which will greatly impact on our national competitiveness and future job growth in many industries, such as biotechnology, medical devices, agriculture, materials and electronics.

The Broader Impact of this project is that, while it will develop a new nanoscience degree program for technician education and training, it also provides the unique outreach to high school students and provides training for in-service teachers and especially underrepresented minorities needed to be attracted to a new high technology field of study. The expectation is that 37 institutions in the Minnesota State College and University system will use this as a model to develop a core set of nanotechnology AAS degree programs in the state.