Connecticut has awarded its first nanotechnology certification to a Fairfield University graduate.
Michael Buckenmeyer, of Syracuse, N.Y., a recent graduate of the university’s School of Engineering, is the first to fulfill the state Department of Higher Education’s requirements for an interdisciplinary minor program in nanotechnology, the agency says
The field involves development of such nano-engineered products as cancer-fighting drugs and lighter, more fuel-efficient cars.
The state says it joined forces with schools to develop the minor with the intention to better prepare Connecticut’s workforce for the growing nanotechnology industries. It is a field that marries physics, biology, chemistry, materials science and engineering.
The certificate for completing the minor is awarded by the higher education agency’s Board of Governors, rather than by individual institutions.
The minor consists of courses, along with experiential learning in fabrication and characterization of nano-materials, and there is standard curriculum for all participating Connecticut colleges and universities.
Buckenmeyer says his interest is in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
“These fields of research are almost fully dependent upon nanotechnology, and without taking the courses in nanotech, I never would have discovered such an interesting and prevalent career path,” he said.
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