I am really interested in Nanotechnology that is my end game. For my undergraduate I was thinking chemical engineering or biomedical engineering. I do like chemistry but I wouldnt mind the electronics aspect of it such as semiconductors. Any advice would be appreciated.
Don’t major in biomedical engineering as an undergrad.
Chemical engineering is the answer to this particular question, but nanotech can really be approached from a variety of backgrounds, including mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, in addition to chemical engineering and materials science.
I wouldn’t say “don’t major in BME”, but consider that if you do, you should also be planning on going to grad school/med school/law school, etc., as most careers in the BME/medical field usually require an advance degree and it’s more difficult finding a first job with a BME BS than with a typical engineering BS degree.
BME programs can vary widely, so consider the program/curriculum closely. See what type of Nanotech/Nanoscience research is being done at the schools you’re considering, and who’s involved (faculty and students). It will give you a better sense of which majors are involved and which engineering departments are actively doing Nano research/teaching at those schools.
@Nanoman most programs i’ve seen had nanotechnology as a concentration for mechanical engineering majors
As @auraobscura mentioned, at D2’s school offers a Nanotech minor related to the Material Science Engineering major.
There are a few universities that offer an undergraduate degree specifically in nano. Here is a list that includes Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD:
http://www.understandingnano.com/nanotechnology-university-college-education.html
@whatisyourquest Nice list!
However, anybody considering this route should keep in mind that nanoengineering is a specialized area that requires a graduate degree to do any significant work. It would not be a good choice for an undergraduate major. For your BS, major in a traditional discipline. Specialize at the graduate level, since the whole point of graduate study is to specialize.
@AuraObscura I agree. One is on safer ground, on the undergraduate level, majoring in something that is more general. Nanotechnology is very narrow, and job prospects are uncertain, although the potential in the field is enormous. I posted the list just to pass on options for the OP.
Regarding majors, Materials Science/Engineering frequently provides exposure to nanotechnology. Several universities with prominent materials science programs are also strong in nanotechnology research.
OP, look at Stanford, MIT, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, Northwestern, and Rice for materials science (and nano).
Penn just put up a new facility dedicated to Nanotech research. https://www.nano.upenn.edu
You may want to round your list a bit to include some that aren’t all lottery admissions. There are quite a few good options out there. Keep your grades up, get involved with research if you can, and grad programs will be open to you.