Environmental sustainability is an important 21st century goal that must be met if human society is to survive. One mechanism by which such success can be achieved is through the development of novel approaches to address critical human and ecological needs. One potential approach is to take advantage of the incredible technological gains that have been made both in nanotechnology as well as in data analytics and biotechnology. Students in this course will learn the basics of nanotechnology and will then learn how nanotechnology is being used to address emerging problems such as water scarcity, antibiotic resistance, energy production and climate change.

• Describe the basic concepts of nanoscience and nanoengineering and have the ability to convey those concepts to the general public.
• Understand the near term and future applications of nanomaterials and nanoscience, as well as the benefits and pitfalls of widespread use of these materials in society.
• Understand how nanotechnology, biotechnology, and data analytics can collectively be harnessed to address water scarcity, antibiotic resistance, energy production, climate change, and a number of other emerging threats.

• Peter J. Vikesland