Which Major for Nanotech

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>I'm not sure what to major in as an undergraduate for a career in nanotech. I'm interested in biology, physics, and gerontology. </p>

<p>I was going to major in Biomedical Engineering, but I have been reading that is a narrow major for an undergrad. Some other majors I have seen people recommend are: Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or Electrical Engineering. </p>

<p>I would like to eventually do research work on aging and how to create nanostructures that can help heal the deleterious effects of metabolism. What would be best for me to major in as an undergraduate?</p>

<p>I've been looking at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Maryland. leaning a lot towards Pitt becuase I live in PA. I thought I would post links to their engineering departments rather than post the individual degrees.
Swanson</a> School of Engineering: University of Pittsburgh
University</a> of Maryland A. James Clark School of Engineering: Academics: Degrees</p>

2

<p>Chem E definitely has the greatest flexibility in terms of what you want to do. I’m interning in a BME lab right now and half of the people there are Chem E or Chem. </p>

<p>Though you might want to look into biochem, but competing with the pre-meds might be a bid messy.</p>

3

<p>Check out SUNY Albany’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. Besides being what looks like a cutting edge school, there should be info on majors.</p>

4

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<p>There is nanotech concentration in most BME program.
By the way, you really can’t get into nanotech (like real practical one) until graduate program.</p>

<p>ChemE is probably a good one.</p>

<p>Nantech is not one person’s job. It’s a work of the entire science and engineering field.</p>

<p>Nanatech is just a teachnology. </p>

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Either ChemE, bioengineering, or BME. Again, if you want to do research, you have to go on to graduate school, and probably get a Ph.D, if that’s the route you want to take.</p>

5

<p>I heard nanotechnology, along with biotechnology, is a promising field in chemical engineering. But like jwxie said it’s an interdisciplinary field and the only job you can get is probably research ones</p>

6

<p>Materials Science and Engineering is the most suitable.
You learn the tools (microscopy and other experimental techniques) that are central to nanotech. You learn about the important physics at nanoscale (which is different that the macroscopic approach of Mechanical or Chemical Engineering).<br>
Professional you may be able to get involved in nanotech research from other fields (Chemical, maybe Mechanical) but fundamentally materials science offers the scientific understanding required for this particular size scale (nano).</p>

7

<p>Thanks for the replies. </p>

<p>My goal is eventually to do research in nanotech for biomedical purposes. From what I’ve read, biomedical engineering is too narrow of a focus for undergrad studies. Is BME too narrow? </p>

<p>Since my goal is to do research, should I look for an undergrad major that opens up a lot of job opportunities or should I major in something that will be better for graduate school? (Maybe something like ChemE can do both?).</p>

8

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<p>This!</p>

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<p>Do what ever interests you more. I don’t think you can go wrong with an engineering or other science major. Besides, you can join a lab to do some research, which will be more meaningful to grad schools and help give you some direction.</p>

<p>Keep in mind that nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary field so can’t go wrong with choosing ChemE, EE, physics, BME, etc.</p>