March 31, 2009: NanoInk Inc., has launched a new nanotechnology curriculum initiative aimed at undergraduates.

The NanoProfessor Project will, according to a news release, “develop practical resources for undergraduate education” in nanotechnology. Students will learn through hands-on experience, working with real equipment and integrated curriculum, the release said. The project will also be accessible to smaller two- and four-year colleges.

“The NanoProfessor Project represents a giant step in the effort to educate the nanotechnologists of tomorrow,” Jim Hussey, NanoInk’s CEO said in a prepared statement. “With the growing demand for nanotechnologists, it is more important than ever that we take the initiative and demonstrate our dedication to bettering the industry and the people that are its future. The sooner we can provide them the tools they need to succeed, the sooner they can apply that knowledge to grow the industry and its applications.”

Currently, the field is populated by Ph.D.’s with post-doctoral experience. The NanoProfessor Project will demonstrate that effective, hands-on training in nanotech applications can be delivered to students at a much earlier age, the company said.

The curriculum is being developed by a team of teachers, NanoInk professionals and experts in instructional design. Each unit and the overall course will be evaluated during development and throughout implementation.

The first NanoProfessor Project curriculum will be installed for the 2009-2010 academic year at Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount, MN, under the stewardship of Deb Newberry, director of the NanoScience Program and newly funded NSF Regional Center for Nanotechnology Education, Nano-Link.