Nanotechnology Training for Engineers: Tearing Down Traditional Walls

摘要

In 2005 after the decision to go forward with a composite 787, elements within Boeing Engineering and LTD focused on the importance of the emerging aspects of nanotechnology for future commercial aircraft, in particular with respect to the new technologies emerging on the next generation of commercial aircraft. In order to gain an initial understanding of the activities and states of the art, a select set of international experts were invited to Everett, WA and spent three days in workshops and seminars distilling the specific opportunities for future generations of airliners. From this genesis sprung a series of seminars by academic thought leaders and multi-day workshops focused on critical areas of nanotechnology, followed by a curriculum of nano courses taught by leading academics and institutes to key Boeing engineers: Nano 101 by Prof. J. Koo of TAMU, Nanocomposites and their Functionalities by Prof. W.H. Zhong of WSU, Nano Health & Safety by The Cadmus Group, Modeling of Nanomaterials by Prof T. Chou of UD, and Analytical Tools for Nanomaterials by Dr. G. Gross of Boeing. The response by the students was overwhelmingly enthusiastic and the flowback to the student's peers and organizations was rich and enduring. Some lessons learned from the teaching aspect have been captured. Yet the total number of engineers exposed directly to these informative events was a small percent of the total Boeing technical workforce. So from mat grew an imperative to develop new pedagogies that more effectively provide a degree of nano literacy to an enterprise-wide set of engineers. It is recognized mat emerging nanotechnology commercial advances will impact us in the very near future, and Boeing is currently working with various groups such as ASME, NNI, NSF, and SRI to convert that energy to beneficial forces through learning programs imbedded at the