Concentration in Nanotechnology

Research of matter on an atomic and molecular scale is expanding in virtually all areas of engineering. The Nanotechnology concentration is designed for undergraduate engineering students to obtain foundational knowledge of the effects and applications of nanotechnology and position them for future careers in the nanotechnology field. The required courses will provide an introduction to nanotechnology, and examine how engineering works on scales as small as millionths of a millimeter. Students will explore the foundations of quantum mechanics, atomic structure and the physics of molecules and solids. The multi-disciplinary elective courses will include different approaches to biomedical engineering on the cellular and sub-cellular level; behavior of materials at atomic levels; micro-electrical mechanical devices and systems (MEMS); and photonics and fiber-optic communication. As nanotechnology expands in all fields of engineering, students entering the work force with a strong knowledge base position themselves to be future leaders the nanotechnology industry.

The 12-credit concentration is available to all undergraduate engineering students. The concentration is noted on students’ official transcripts and will expose students to the emergence of nanotechnology and its effects on biomedical, photonic, electronic and atomic systems.

It is recommended that students interested in pursuing a Concentration in Nanotechnology declare their concentration as early as possible in their degree program in order to facilitate course planning, but in no case later than May 1 of a student’s junior year. Course requirements are found below, in addition to details regarding the required experience component.

Concentration requirements: A sequence of three courses (12 credits) consisting of one required course and two additional courses chosen from the list below. Students are expected to have the prerequisites necessary to complete all concentration courses. Please note that courses required (by name/number) for the student’s major cannot also be counted towards the three courses applied to fulfill the concentration.

Specifically, the following courses cannot be counted towards a concentration for the indicated majors:

• EC401 – for EE majors, cannot be applied to Machine Learning concentration
• BE403 – For BME majors, cannot be applied to Machine Learning concentration
• PY313 – for EE majors, cannot be applied to Nano concentration
• ME357/ME358 – for ME majors, cannot be applied to MFG concentration
• EK424 – for BME majors, cannot be applied to Nano concentration

Required course:(choose one)
ENG EK 481 – Fundamentals of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology
ENG BE 437 – Nanometer Scale Processes in Living Systems

Additional Courses: (Choose two)
*CAS PY 313 / 314 – Waves and Modern Physics
CAS PY 543 – Introduction to Solid State Physics
*ENG EK 424 – Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
ENG EK 481 – Fundamentals of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology
ENG BE 437 – Nanometer Scale Processes in Living Systems
ENG BE 505 – Molecular Bioengineering I
ENG BE 518 – Modern Optical Microscopy
ENG BE 526 – Fundamentals of Biomaterials
ENG BE/EC 555 / EC 555 – Introduction to Biomedical Optics
ENG EC 471 – Physics of Semiconductor Devices
ENG EC 560 – Introduction to Photonics
ENG EC 571 – Digital VLSI Circuit Design
ENG EC/MS 574 – Physics of Semiconductor Materials
ENG EC/MS 577 / MS 577 – Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Properties of Materials
ENG EC 578 – Fabrication Technology for Integrated Circuits
ENG ME 506  – Engineering Device Applications: From Physics to Design
ENG ME 526 / MS 526 – Simulation of Physical Processes
ENG ME 555 / MS 555 – Fabrication and Materials
ENG ME 576 / MS 576 – Nanomanufacturing and Hierarchical Materials
ENG ME 579 / EC 579 – Nano/Microelectronic Device Technology
GRS CH 629 – DNA Nanotechnology

* Students cannot receive credit toward the concentration for both CAS PY 313/314 and ENG EK 424.

These 700-level courses can be taken by more advanced students with permission of the instructor only:
ENG BE/EC 745 – Nanomedicine – Principles and Applications
ENG EC 777 – Nanostructure Optics
ENG ME 778 – Micromachined Transducers

2. Experiential Component Requirement: 

Completion of a well-defined experiential component in the nanotechnology area. A senior design project, laboratory research, or industrial internship can satisfy this requirement. Prior to proposing an experiential component, the student must have completed ENG EK 481 or BE437 (in the event EK 481or BE437 is not offered, or is at capacity, the semester that a student requires it, they should speak to the concentration coordinator to seek a possible solution). This requirement along with a proposal, must be approved by the Concentration Coordinator and the Experiential Component. Approval form must be submitted to the Undergraduate Records Office prior to the start of the experience, to ensure that it will meet your requirements.
After its completion, a written summary of the experiential component must also be submitted for approval (see Experiential Component Approval form for more information).

Resources

Declaration
Experiential Component Proposal
Experiential Component Summary
Experiential Component Instructions
SARA Complaint Process

Contact

Undergraduate Programs & Records Office: 617-353-6447 or engrec@bu.edu
Concentration Coordinator: Prof. Joshua Kays (jkays@bu.edu)