Women in Nanotechnology Women’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor

Women’s Bureau The Women’s Bureau was created by Congress in 1920 to –improve women’s working conditions –advance opportunities for women to have profitable employment. The Women's Bureau promotes 21st Century solutions to improve the status of working women and their families. –Better Jobs! Better Earnings! Better Living!

Women in Nanotechnology WIN is a pilot program of the Region V Women’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor, in partnership with University of Illinois at Chicago, College of DuPage, and Truman College.

To recruit women in Chicago area community colleges To help them develop specialization in the nanotechnology field To prepare them to continue their studies in a four year university and for a promising career What is WIN?

Help the existing college/university programs to increase the number of women interested in studying nanotechnology through: Nano-related courses, lab tours, seminar series, mentoring and a peer support program Internships and educational and career opportunities. Objective

24 community college women will: Take courses in nanotechnology Gain hands-on experiences through lab tours at local universities or research labs Participate in a seminar series to gain an understanding of nanotechnology research and its career opportunities. Programmatic Components

Four $500 scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis The students must be current participants in the WIN program who have attended at least two field trips and seminars The students must be active participants of the Center for Science Success program at Truman College, Department of Biology and Biotechnology. Scholarship Information

Nanotechnology is the science and technology of building devices from single atoms and molecules. The manipulation of atoms, molecules, and materials to form structures on the scale of nanometers. What is nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology helps us discover hidden physical properties of nature that exist at the atomic level. Scientists have made progress building devices, including computer components, at nanoscales. What is nanotechnology?

A human hair is about 70,000 to 80,000 nanometers thick A nanowire wraps a beam of light around a strand of human hair. The nanowires can be as slender as 50 nanometers in width, about one- thousandth the width of a hair. Credit: Limin Tong/Harvard University What is nanoscale?

Nanotechnology is expected to make significant contributions to the fields of computer storage, semiconductors, biotechnology, manufacturing and energy Find cures for diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s Extract resources Harness energy What is the potential?

Research indicates several medical uses for nanotechnology. Nanotechnology may be used to: Regenerate tissues, organs Diagnose and treat pediatric brain cancer Replace surgery and traditional chemotherapy Fight the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Test for bioterrorism agents in food Treat drug overdoses Create longer-acting doses of medication Clear water contaminants Source: National Nanotechnology Initiative Credit: NanotechnologyInvesting.us Credit: BloodNanobots.com Applications of nanotechnology

Several products are improved with the fabrication of nanoscale materials. For example: Bumpers on vehicles Protective and glare-reducing coatings for eyeglasses and windows Metal cutting tools Sunscreens and cosmetics Longer-lasting tennis balls Burn and wound dressings Automobile catalytic converters Source: National Nanotechnology Initiative Credit: Jaguar/ X-type Cutaway Applications of nanotechnology

It is estimated that the projected market for nanotechnology products and services could reach $1.5 trillion dollars by Nanotechnology is the “wave of the future”

Materials and devices at the nanoscale hold vast promise for innovation in virtually every industry and public endeavor including health, electronics, transportation, the environment, and national security, and has been heralded as "the next industrial revolution." (Source: Northwestern University’s Institute for Nanotechnology web page Credit: U.S. Department of Energy/Oak Ridge National Laboratory Credit: National Nanotechnology Initiative Nanotechnology is the “wave of the future”

Biotechnology, microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, optoelectronics, information storage, and materials manufacturing use nanotechnology. Careers are less vulnerable to economic cycles and pay relatively well. It is widely viewed as the most significant technological frontier currently being explored. Why should I want to study nanotechnology?

Holders of a bachelor degree in science report an average salary of $86,000. Holders of M.S. degrees report a salary average of $91,000. Holders of PhD, MD, or JD degrees report an average salary of $102,500. These salaries do not include the average bonus between seven and seventeen percent. Credit: Compensation Trending Upward, Small Times – March 2007 Careers in nanotechnology

For more information about career and education possibilities in nanotechnology, check out these two web- sites by the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI): –a comprehensive list of nanotechnology education programs and opportunities in the United States –a list of web-sites and resources with more information about careers in nanotechnology Career and Education Information

Pie chart indicates the percentage of the $1 billion nanotech budget each federal department received: NSF = National Science FoundationDOD = Department of Defense DOE = Department of EnergyNIH = National Institute of Health DOC = Department of Commerce NASA = National Aeronautics and Space Admin. EPA = Environmental Protection AgencyDOA = Department of Agriculture DOJ = Department of Justice DHS = Department of Homeland Security Source: OMB 2005 NSF DOD DOE NIH DOC NASA

National Nanotechnology Initiative International Institute for Nanotechnology Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center nanoHUB U.S. Department of Energy: Office of Science National Science Foundation National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network NASA Center for Nanotechnology Additional Resources

Thank you for joining us to learn more about WIN. For more information about the Women’s Bureau or the WIN pilot program, call the Women’s Bureau at or