As more and more companies look to nanotechnology for a competitive advantage, the demand for nanotechnology engineers is growing. Ontario institutions such as the University of Waterloo, the University of Toronto, and McMcMaster University's Xerox Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation are meeting the demand. They are among the first universities in the world to offer undergraduate degrees in nanotechnology engineering.
The University of Waterloo is responding with a specialized undergraduate degree program in nanotechnology engineering. It's one of just a handful of such programs available anywhere in the world. The curriculum includes more than 60 courses, 48 of them specifically designed for nanotechnology. As well, the five-year program includes four separate co-op placements over 24 months where the students get hands-on experience working in industry.
Xerox is one of more than 100 companies involved so far. "It's a win-win situation," says Hadi Mahabadi, VP and research director of the Xerox Research Centre of Canada, who notes that his Centre, which has the company's global mission for materials research, is investing heavily in nanotechnology. "The students get invaluable industry experience and we get to screen - and eventually hire - the cream of the crop."
