Practical Aspects of Creating an Interdisciplinary Nanotechnology Laboratory Course for Freshmen

The Florida Institute of Technology offers a unique Nanoscience and Nanotechnology laboratory course exclusively for first-year undergraduate students. Laboratory experiments are team-taught by chemistry, physics, and chemical engineering faculty. During weekly three-hour laboratory sessions, students synthesize nanomaterials and obtain hands-on experience characterizing samples with scanning probe microscopes. Surveys of former students indicate that the course provides significant educational benefits, such as motivating them to pursue undergraduate research and co-op positions. Based on the author's experience, this paper provides guidance for designing such a course. Topics include the course's structure, laboratory activities, student feedback, and the benefits and challenges of teaching such a laboratory course to first-year undergraduate students.