University of Oxford (UK)’s wider aspects of nanotechnology online course

Despite its designation as a summer school programme, this University of Oxford’s online nanotechnology course is being offered from Oct. 13 – Nov. 30, 2014. Here’s more from the University of Oxford, Dept. of Continuing Studies, The Wider Contest of Nanotechnology webpage,

Overview

Nanotechnology is the identification, application and use of novel behaviour that occurs at the nanoscale to solve real-world problems. The discipline requires a breadth of understanding that is much wider than just the equations and scientific principles that underlie that behaviour. This introductory course gives an overview of the current state of nanotechnology as well as introducing the implications of these new technologies for safety, regulation, and innovation. The course provides an overview of the societal and environmental implications of nanotechnology.

The Wider Context of Nanotechnology online course can be taken alone, with or without academic credit, or as part of the Postgraduate Certificate in Nanotechnology.

The result has been a high degree of confusion at all levels of society as to the ethics, safety and business implications of this emerging series of technologies. The course addresses these issues and others in emphasising the interdisciplinary nature of nanotechnology. This is important because students who specialise in nanotechnology must be trained to appreciate a range of issues beyond the confines of pure science. Nanotechnology has applications in a broad range of fields and sectors of society. A student trained in electrical engineering, for example, who goes on to specialise in nanotechnology, may undertake a research project developing nanosensors that will be implanted in human subjects. He or she will therefore need to develop new skills to appreciate the broader ethical, societal and environmental implications of such research.

The development of interdisciplinary skills involves not only learning methods of reasoning and critical thinking, but also gaining experience with the dynamics and development of effective multi-disciplinary function. Technologists must become comfortable addressing various issues as an integral part of doing advanced research in a team that might draw upon the expertise of not only engineers, but also biologists, doctors, lawyers and business people. As the project evolves knowledge of the place of nanotechnology in business becomes increasingly important. This course teaches an understanding of the basic workings of how nanotechnology innovation is exploited, together with an understanding of the dynamics of entrepreneurship

Here are some details about the Programme Director and Tutor,

Dr Christiane Norenberg

Role: Director

Christiane is the Nanotechnology HEIF Manager at the University of Oxford’s Begbroke Science Park. She received her DPhil in Materials Science from the University of Oxford in 1998 and continued with postdoctoral research. In 2001, Christiane was awarded the Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship for her work on the growth and characterisation of nanostructures on semiconductor surfaces. After a period as a lecturer at the Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre at Swansea University, Christiane returned to Oxford in 2007 to take up her present post.

Her interests and expertise are in the areas of surface science, growth and characterisation of nanostructures on surfaces, and nanotechnology in general. Christiane also teaches nanoscience and materials science at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Dr Keith Simons

Role: Tutor

Dr Keith Simons, a chemist by training, is an independent innovation consultant who works as an interim manager in business development and fundraising for high-technology start-up organisations. He also works for regional, national and European governments in evaluation and monitoring of publicly-funded research. Keith is also the tutor for our first course to feature Adobe Connect Professional, the Postgraduate Certificate in Nanotechnology.

He has previously been the Business Development Manager for the Crystal Faraday Partnership, a not-for-profit organisation, backed by the British government and responsible for advancing innovation in Green Chemical Technologies for the chemical and allied industries. Prior to Crystal Faraday, he worked for Avantium Technologies in Amsterdam, a start-up company that developed high throughput technologies for the chemicals and pharmaceutical industries. This built upon his experience as development chemist at Johnson Matthey in the UK where he developed accelerated techniques for catalyst development and process optimisation for pharmaceutical manufacture.

Keith has degrees from the Universities of Hull and Liverpool. He has also performed postdoctoral research at the ETH, Zurich.

I notice Dr. Norenberg received a ‘Dorothy Hodgkin’ fellowship. Coincidentally, I mentioned a play about Dorothy Hodgkin and her friendship with Margaret Thatcher (Hodgkin’s former student and a UK Prime Minister) to be broadcast on BBC 4 later this week on Aug. 20, 2014. Scroll down about 50% of the way if you want to read my Aug. 15, 2014 posting about the play and other arts and sciences news.

Getting back to the wider implications of nanotechnology, the course fee is £2400.00 and it is possible to apply for scholarships and other financial assistance.

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