Posted: April 22, 2008

Nanotechnology education summit in Albany

(Nanowerk News) The City School District of Albany ("CSDA") and the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering ("CNSE") of the University at Albany will build on the success of their pioneering "NanoHigh" program by partnering to present the first-ever Capital Region NanoEducation Summit on Wednesday, April 23 at CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex.
More than 100 teachers, administrators and school board members from throughout the region are scheduled to attend the forum, which is designed to increase educators' awareness about preparing K-12 students for science literacy - with a focus on the emerging field of nanotechnology, which has been described by the National Nanotechnology Initiative as "leading to the next Industrial Revolution."
The NanoEducation Summit will feature discussion of CSDA and CNSE's groundbreaking "NanoHigh" program, which is believed to be the first-of-its-kind at any public school in the country. Through "NanoHigh," more than 30 students are studying nanotechnology as part of two courses that combine classroom learning at Albany High School with monthly on-site visits to CNSE for hands-on laboratory activities.
Dr. Eva Joseph, Superintendent of the City School District of Albany, said, "The UAlbany NanoCollege is a one-of-a-kind educational facility right in our backyard. This great partnership provides our students hands-on exposure to technology that is changing our world, and is preparing them to take leading roles in tomorrow's high-tech workforce."
Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of CNSE, said, "Working in collaboration with the City School District of Albany, our partners in the pioneering NanoHigh program, the UAlbany NanoCollege is pleased to be at the forefront of a new paradigm that gives students a critical competitive advantage as they pursue educational and career paths driven by nanotechnology. This unique effort is addressing the vital national need to get more children involved in math, science and technology, the fields that are creating exciting career opportunities, including a growing number in the Capital Region and New York State."
Amid rapid growth in the nanotechnology-driven economy of the Capital Region, Tech Valley and New York State, the National Science Foundation has projected a need for two million nanotech-savvy workers nationwide by 2014, to include researchers, scientists, engineers, technicians and others. The NanoEducation Summit is timely and essential to providing educators with critical insight into the science literacy necessary to develop students for the highly educated, skilled and trained workforce of the future.
This innovative educational forum will feature a keynote presentation by Dr. Kaloyeros; a featured presentation by Jerry Adomshick, senior vice president of the Tokyo Electron Ltd. ("TEL") Technology Center, America ("TTCA"); comments by Dr. Joseph; and, a presentation and discussion of the "NanoHigh" program by faculty members from both CSDA and CNSE.
About CSDA
The City School District of Albany serves approximately 8,600 students in 18 elementary, middle and high schools. The district includes several magnet schools and programs, as well as other innovative academic opportunities for students in addition to neighborhood schools. The district is more than halfway through its comprehensive facilities project to newly build and/or renovate nearly all of its elementary and middle schools. The ultimate goal of the facilities project is to provide schools with the resources necessary to help students succeed in the 21st century.
About CNSE
The UAlbany CNSE is the first college in the world dedicated to research, development, education, and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience, and nanoeconomics. In May 2007, it was ranked as the world's number one college for nanotechnology and microtechnology in the Annual College Ranking by Small Times magazine. CNSE's Albany NanoTech complex is the most advanced research enterprise of its kind at any university in the world: a $4.2 billion, 450,000-square-foot complex that attracts corporate partners from around the world and offers students a one-of-a-kind academic experience. The UAlbany NanoCollege houses the only fully-integrated, 300mm wafer, computer chip pilot prototyping and demonstration line within 65,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanrooms. More than 2,000 scientists, researchers, engineers, students, and faculty work on site at CNSE's Albany NanoTech complex, from companies including IBM, AMD, SEMATECH, Toshiba, ASML, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, Vistec Lithography and Freescale. An expansion currently underway will increase the size of CNSE's Albany NanoTech complex to over 800,000 square feet, including over 80,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanroom space, to house over 2,500 scientists, researchers, engineers, students, and faculty by mid-2009. For more information, visit http://www.cnse.albany.edu/.
CNSE Contact

Steve Janack, Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications

(phone) 518-956-7322 (cell) 518-312-5009

(e-mail) [email protected]

Source: CNSE