Study Subject(s):Nanotechnology
Course Level hD
Scholarship Provider: Swansea University, UK
Scholarship can be taken at: UK

Eligibility:
Candidates should ideally have a background in engineering, physics or a related subject at both bachelors and masters level. Experience of using scanning probe microscopes is advantageous.

Scholarship Open for International Students: No

Scholarship Description: The College of Engineering invites applications for a fully-funded PhD titled: Comparing scanning probe microscopes for studying nanoscale devices. Scanning probe microscopes offer a unique ability to study the local surface properties of nanoscale devices and materials. However, it is well established that all forms of scanning probe interact with and modify the surface they are measuring, to varying degrees. Scanning probe techniques are increasingly finding uses in characterising and assessing semiconductor devices, but debate is rife at the moment about which scanning probe technique is most suitable for analysing nano-scale electronic devices, and which, if any, can offer quantitative measurements at this scale. The Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre at Swansea has a vast array of equipment for nanotechnology, including several ultra high vacuum and ambient scanning probe microscopes, which offer a rare chance to compare competing techniques side by side. With a history of developing novel scanning probe techniques to study active devices, and modelling scanning probe interactions, we are well placed to be at the heart of this debate.

How to Apply: Online

Scholarship Application Deadline: 9th September 2011

Further Scholarship Information and Application

The college’s Nanotechnology program prepares students to help make advances in drug therapy, medical testing, clothing, computers, cars, and aircraft just to name a few.

Students will be prepared to take on entry-level positions in a number of fields.

Classes include biology, chemistry, physics, math, biotechnology, nanomaterials and nanomedicine.

If you would like additional information about the Nanotechnology Program, contact Kevin Conley, Program Coordinator, at (336)734-7389 or kconley@forsythtech.edu

The ICSSR and the National Research Council Thailand (NRCT), Thailand calls for Reserach Proposal from scholars engaged in social science.

Study Subject(s):Social Science
Course Level:Research
Scholarship Provider: The ICSSR and the National Research Council Thailand (NRCT), Thailand
Scholarship can be taken at: Thailand, India

Eligibility:
A scholar will be eligible for assistance under this Programme once in three years.
A scholar would be normally provided assistance under this programme only twice during his/her lifetime.Other academic qualifications being equal, preference will be given to: a. Younger scholars b. Scholars who have knowledge of the local language
Scholars working on one of the priority themes as identified by the ICSSR from time to time
Scholars from the ICSSR supported Research Institutes

Scholarship Open for International Students: No

Scholarship Description: The ICSSR and the National Research Council Thailand (NRCT), Thailand), Thailand have a collaboration in the field of social sciences under the framework of the ICSSR-NRCY Bilateral Programme. The ICSSR invites research proposals from scholars engaged in social science research who may require visiting Thailand for collection of research material, consultation and interaction with experts, etc. for their specific research. The theme of the research proposal should either be related to Thailand or a comparative study covering India and Thailand.

—————————–

http://www.nanoindian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=193:india-nrct-bilateral-research-programme-for-scholars-from-india-read-more-india-nrct-bilateral-research-programme-for-scholars-from-india–college-scholarships-phd-scholarships-postdoctoral-graduate-international-scholarships-fellowships&catid=44:nanoindian-news&Itemid=63

Essentials of Nanotechnology  – Free book

Overview
The Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University (CNS-ASU) seeks to fill one POST-DOCTORAL ASSOCIATE position in the societal aspects of nano-scale science and engineering (NSE) starting October 2011.

The post-doctoral associate is expected to collaborate closely with CNS-ASU researchers on the Center`s ongoing research and outreach activities, perform significant independent research, and contribute to educational programs. The fellowship is available for one year and renewable for additional years. Required qualifications for the post-doctoral fellowship include: a doctorate in a related area; demonstrated interest in the societal aspects of scientific and technological advance in general and nanotechnologies in particular; and evidence of high achievement in both research and teaching. Desired qualifications include interest and/or experience in: urban sustainability, equity issues, outreach and informal science education.
Closing date is February 28, 2011; if not filled, every Friday until search is closed.

A complete application consists of a detailed letter of application stating qualifications, experience, research plans, and teaching interests; curriculum vitae; and the names and contact information of three references. Please submit to: Regina Sanborn, Program Manager, Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University at regina.sanborn@asu.edu (applications by email ONLY). Applications missing any of the required documents will not be considered.

This appointment is dependent upon funding from a specific source other than state appropriations (i.e., a cooperative agreement and supplementary awards from the National Science Foundation for CNS-ASU). As such, this appointment may terminate if funding is not available.

The Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University (CNS-ASU) (http://cns.asu.edu) is a federally-funded research, education, and outreach center dedicated to understanding the legal, ethical, and other societal implications of nanotechnology. CNS-ASU works intimately with the Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes (www.cspo.org), which offers an innovative, interdisciplinary environment for developing and testing research and teaching ideas related to the governance and conduct of science and technology in the public interest.

ASU conducts pre-employment screening for all positions, which includes a criminal background check, verification of work history, academic credentials, licenses, and certifications. Arizona State University is a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy and broad access. This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising four differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural, and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real world application blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. ASU serves more than 70,000 students in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, the nation`s fifth largest city. ASU champions intellectual and cultural diversity, and welcomes students from all fifty and more than one hundred national across the globe.

Arizona State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

Research in environmental technologies sometimes means thinking outside the box and focusing on productive nanotechnologies and smart materials that will change the foundation of science. Nanotechnology, for example, could help us throw light on the connection between physical behavior of heat, light and sound and thus how the human body responds to these dynamic properties.

Photo: Fongs

So What Is Nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology is comprehending and regulating matter on a nano-scale. These are measurements partitioned at approximately 1 and 100 nanometers, where unusual occurrences bring about new applications – physical, chemical and biological – in materials.

Photo: Fongs

Included in nano-scale science, engineering and technology, nanotechnology entails imaging, measuring, modelling and manipulating matter at tandem scale. To get an idea of the intensity of the scale, approximately 100,000 nanometers in density is a sheet of paper; one gold atom has the width of one-third of a nanometer – we are talking less that one-hundred thousandth the width of a human hair! Bulk materials and single atoms or molecules probably do not have synonymous properties as nanoparticles to work on this scale.

A “Self-Healing” Home or Networking Sensors

Nanotechnology will be utilized to resolve a problem in the construction of homes: separation in the surface of the wall or cracks that lower the integrity of the home, specifically in areas globally where homes are constructed with concrete. A project, called “Intelligent Safe and Secure Buildings” may define how nano-technology is included in the make-up of materials.

Photo: Schwarzm

The complex villa will be created to withstand earthquakes by self-healing or repairing cracks in its partition. Pressure from the house enables the nanoparticles to change into liquid state, then harden once again, sealing the hole. The vibrations that occur during earthquakes can be monitored by a network of intelligent sensors, causing the home to gather data for extensive time frames.

The network is wireless. What is being monitored and recorded? Vibration, stress, temperature, humidity and gas levels. This network of sensors could also help hasten the occupant’s exit if an earthquake was actually going to occur to give them time to escape.

Photo: Arkady Krasheninnikov

Professor Terry Wilkins, chief executive of Leeds’ Nano Manufacturing Institute (NMI) also explained that for “a home that was wired with the sensors and ends up being wrecked or destroyed, the data in the sensors will give the precise fault area which will enable better materials to be constructed in the future.”

Morphing the Inherent Property

Smart materials are an extreme departure from the materials normally used for building. Smart materials are not static; they are dynamic, so exposure to an energy field will result in some type of physical behavior relating to light, heat and sound. Researchers are achieving ground with smart materials. Being able to manage this material in the realm of having it do what they like it to is significant. Therefore, comprehending the properties and interactions of the material on its surrounding environment is an important aspect of the research being performed.

A prominent part of the research is regulating the building materials’ surface state directly. Shape memory materials are being examined to determine their use to regulate acoustic surfaces.

Photo: Qasim Siddique

Off the Grid – Alternative Energy Technology

As an energy source, nanotechnology is being used in common sense ways, fresh from the research labs. One way, by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s scientists, through a reaction that may be able to someday power electronics. Tiny wires, called carbon nanotubes are used to make a potent wave of energy. This energy is so small, you must use a microscope to visualize it. Researchers are working to improve the outgrowth of the wave of energy, using it to develop a smaller, environmentally friendly battery.

Research labs, learning institutes and governmental agencies are all rethinking and questioning the inner workings of what we assume as the connection between physical behavior of heat, light and sound and how the human body responds to these dynamic properties.

———————–

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/energy/news-incredible-nanotechnology-and-matrixs-bending-spoon

Nanotechnology refers broadly to a field of applied science and technology whose unifying theme is the control of matter on the molecular level in scales smaller than one micrometer, normally 1 to 100 nanometers, and the fabrication of devices within that size range. For scale, a single virus particle is about 100 nanometers in width.

Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at this length scale.”

At this size dimension, the physical, chemical, and biological properties of materials differ in fundamental and valuable ways from the properties of individual atoms, molecules, or bulk matter. The properties displayed at the nanoscale create a host of potential innovative uses for nanomaterials. One of these uses includes the creation of exciting and revolutionary energy applications. These potential nanoscale energy applications apply to a host of different sources of energy, including hydrogen, geothermal, unconventional natural gas, fission, and solar energy.

While hydrogen is an energy storage medium, it is not a primary energy source. Therefore, full realization of hydrogen as an alternative energy source is frustrated by gaps in technology, which do not precipitate the efficient and cost-effective storage and transport of hydrogen. Nanoscience provides new approaches to basic questions about the interaction of hydrogen with materials to enable the efficient and cost-effective storage and transport of hydrogen.

Applying nanotechnology to geothermal energy increases the opportunities to develop geothermal resources by enhancing thermal conductivity or aiding in the development of noncorrosive materials that could be used for geothermal energy production.

The recovery of unconventional sources of natural gas is yet another potential application of nanotechnology. Unconventional sources of natural gas include tight sandstones, shale gas, and coal bed methane. Nanotechnology applications may prove useful in accessing or exploiting these unconventional natural gas sources. For instance, nanocatalysts and nanoscale membranes may prove useful in assisting in Gas to Liquids production. Furthermore, certain nanostructured materials may assist in compressed natural gas transport.

Nanotechnology may also prove useful in solving the waste problems of the nuclear energy industry. For instance, certain nano-engineered barriers may prove useful in preventing the migration of or containing nuclear waste products.

Nanotechnology applications may assist in making solar energy more economical. Nanoscience can be utilized to improve the efficiency of photovoltaic cells, creating cost-efficient conversion systems, effective solar power storage systems or even the generation of solar energy on a larger scale. For instance, “nanopatterning” can artificially change the optical properties of materials to allow light to be trapped in solar cells.

Nanotechnology might someday allow for more powerful, more efficient and less expensive energy generation, storage transmission and distribution. Nanotechnology is being used to optimize production from existing energy sources and to exploit new sources such as geothermal, liquefied natural gas, nuclear and solar energy. Nanotechnology is also improving and opening new possibilities for the transmission and storage of energy, especially electricity and possibly hydrogen in the future. Nanotechnologies have the potential to reduce energy consumption by making it possible to manufacture lighter and/or more energy efficient cards and appliances. Even though nanotechnology is a relatively young field, the potential for future nanotechnology applications within the energy industry could turn out to be one of the most important technological developments of our time.

About the Publisher: This report is published by Energy Business Reports, an energy industry think tank and leading source for energy industry information and research products.

The students in Brad Allen’s Biology II class spent time this month learning about nanotechnology.

They studied “nanoscale chemical-electrical-mechanical manufacturing systems,” Allen said.

“This kind of research addresses a central problem in the development of nanotechnology: how to assemble structures at sizes smaller than can be seen and manipulated,” Allen said. “Making three-dimensional, nanoscale devices and systems from millions to trillions of different types of molecules is incredibly difficult.”

The students constructed DNA aptamers that were combined with nano particles of gold attached to short segments of DNA.

The aptamers will act as biosensors or color indicators for things that are normally very difficult to detect at low levels.

“We were specifically using an aptamer or strand of DNA that can wrap itself around an adenosine molecule,” Allen said. “This same technology is being used to detect pollutants in water, anthrax (bioterrorism), certain proteins associated with cancer and it is also being developed as a technique in delivering chemotherapy drugs specifically to cancer cells.”

Joe Muskin, the education coordinator for the UI Center for Nanoscale Chemical-Electrical-Mechanical Manufacturing Systems, helped Allen with the class.

“The research is very cutting edge and the concepts are so new they are not covered yet in even college courses, but the technology holds such hope and offers such new opportunities that the field is expanding very rapidly,” Muskin said.

Muskin said the technology can be used for cancer detection and to identify lead in water.

“Now we have a quick and easy test,” he said. “We can find out within five minutes if there is lead in water.”

Muskin said having a test for small molecules was important and it allowed scientist a new way to detect and manipulate cells.

“These new discoveries and technologies showcased in today’s activity likely will be among the important new scientific developments that drastically change our lives in profound ways,” he said.

Allen said while the technology isn’t even being taught to college students yet, he felt it was valuable for SJO students.

“Sometimes our curriculum gets caught up in only driving home content when we are missing a wonderful opportunity for our students to have real world, cutting edge applications in developing their scientific thinking skills and understanding the processes of science, he said. “The students are actually studying an unit on evolutionary theory but there is no better way to do that then studying genetics.”

Answer:

Answer by Mapleaf11
There are certain biological formations that can help deliver drugs or genetic materials to cells–liposomes, for instance, have medicine or genetic material encapsulated in them, and they can either be absorbed into a cell or join with the cell membrane to release their cargo. Also, dendrimers are tree-like protein polymer structures that form “pockets” within them, and the medicine or genetic material is deposited into the pockets and delivered directly to the tumor or organ that needs them. These treatments are specifically targeted at the necessary cells, similar to radiation or chemotherapy in cancer treatment. They would be injected or delivered directly to the site. I would say that a source to start with would be the book we used as our beginning textbook in my nano program. It includes many other sources for continuing research into the subject.

————-

http://www.drug-rehab-people.com/how-does-nanotechnology-or-drugs-in-general-find-specific-target-areas/