NSF Org:	EEC Division of Engineering Education and Centers
Recipient:	UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO
Initial Amendment Date:	May 26, 2004
Latest Amendment Date:	May 26, 2004
Award Number:	0407137
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Mary Poats EEC  Division of Engineering Education and Centers ENG  Directorate for Engineering
Start Date:	June 1, 2004
End Date:	May 31, 2006 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$100,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$100,000.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2004 = $100,000.00
History of Investigator:	Nicholas Pinto (Principal Investigator) nicholas.pinto@upr.edu Claudio Guerra-Vela (Co-Principal Investigator) Juan Gonzalez-Sanchez (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	University of Puerto Rico at Humacao JOSE E AGUIAR ARAMBURU CARR 908 KM 1.0 HUMACAO PR  US  00791 (787)850-9374
Sponsor Congressional District:	00
Primary Place of Performance:	University of Puerto Rico at Humacao JOSE E AGUIAR ARAMBURU CARR 908 KM 1.0 HUMACAO PR  US  00791
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	00
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	CMBEL6LZ4MA5
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	EngEd-Engineering Education, NANOTECHNOLOGY UNDERGRAD EDUCA
Primary Program Source:	app-0104
Program Reference Code(s):	7219, 7222, 9178, 9150, SMET
Program Element Code(s):	134000, 721900
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.041

ABSTRACT

This Nanotechnology in Undergraduate Education (NUE) award to the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao supports Dr. Nicholas Pinto, Dr. Claudio Guerra and Mr. Juan Gonzalez, Department of Physics and Electronics, to introduce new experiments into the undergraduate curriculum. Both the pedagogical theoretical concepts and modified experiments based on recently discovered techniques in the field of nanoscience, technology and engineering will be incorporated. The topics to be discussed fall in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Electrical Engineering and are thus truly interdisciplinary.

New experiments related to the latest developments in nanotechnology, science and engineering will be included as part of the undergraduate curriculum. The intellectual scope of this proposal is that it will train students early in their careers in the field of nanotechnology. Also, opportunities to conduct research level experiments while enrolled in a core course is also proposed and this will give the students a flavor of how research is conducted together with the ups and downs in doing experimental research.

The proposed projects will enhance intradepartmental collaboration which is vital for a small Department like that at UPR-Humacao to stay competitive as an undergraduate institution in the areas of research and education. All of the experiments proposed will lie within the intellectual grasp of undergraduates. This has the broader impact of having a strong influence on the students desire to pursue higher education. Finally, having a strong research and teaching base at UPR-Humacao will have a broader impact on undergraduate education in the South-East part of the island in addition to increasing the number of underrepresented students in academic and research environments dedicated to nanoscience.

The proposal for this award was received in response to the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Education announcement, NSF 03-044, category NUE and was jointly funded by the Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) in the Directorate for Engineering and the Division of Materials Research (DMR) in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS),

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