Nanotechnology and Biotechnology NC A&T Signature programs

Nanotechnology and Biotechnology should have been NC A&T Signature programs

The National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) responsible for collecting and presenting statistical data and information for the nation; classifies Nanoscience and Nanoengineering as Nanotechnology CIP 15.1601: Engineering technologies and Engineering related fields.

HBCU institution North Carolina A&T, one of the state's two land grant institutions, has programs through the doctoral level. Its programs include engineering, arts and sciences, agricultural and environmental sciences, business and economics, education, nursing, technology, and graduates studies. “ The expected roles of a land-grant institution, is teaching agriculture and engineering, and providing cooperative extension services”. NC A&T's 2001 amend University Master Plan called for developing 75 acres of land along East Lee Street targeted to develop new opportunities for both research and education in both the private and academic arenas between the University's technology and agricultural research and its students, which didn't include across-town historical white UNC Greensboro and its members of the Greensboro business community.

NCGS § 116-198.34. (8b) says in part “The designation should be based on the express finding that the institution has the administrative and fiscal capacity to create and maintain such a campus, and provided further, that the Board of Governors has found that the creation of the constituent institution's "Millennial Campus" will enhance the institution's research, teaching, and service missions as well as enhance the economic development of the region.” A&T is known for its engineering and agricultural programs and UNCG’s background is nursing and the humanities “.[Its [UNCG] historically strong programs in music, education and nursing are not the kinds of programs that spin off research and development or software companies to fuel high tech economies [Ken Mayer, Editorial, UNCG, A&T University will need to be leaders in the charge for high-tech industry in the Triad, Triad Business Journal Nov 9, 1998] ( Ken Mayer is former Chairman UNCG BOT 2003-2004 & 2004-2005.] NCA&T and cross-town UNC- G have different research, teaching, and service missions.

Negotiation began in 2002 and September 2004 NC A&T State University celebrated the sighing of Memorandum of Understanding with

the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with the opening of the National Resources Conservation Services Eastern Regional Technology Center whose service area consisted of 24 states and the Caribbean area. The Greensboro Center was also home to the remote sensing lab. The Memorandum of Understanding says A&T has a working farm with modern facilities and farm equipment. NRCS will benefit from the use of this farm by being able to provide hands-on training to NRCS employees. NRCS can sponsor field studies that can serve as

demonstrations to both NRCS trainees and also local and regional farmers. A&T constituents will also benefit from this type of applied investigation. Finally, A&T faculty and students can also benefit academically by conducting scholarly research and publishing this information.

In 2003-04, with the backbone of North Carolina's industrial economy Tobacco, Textiles, and Furniture outsourced, in decline/recession or outsourced with appropriations for UNC-System taking an ever increasing multi-billion dollar bite out of state's coffers, North Carolina's Legislature thru House Bill 1264 (HB 1264) direct UNC-BOG and COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM to contract a private consulting firm that had experience in higher education to conduct a comprehensive study (Staying a step ahead) of the mission and educational program needs to ensure that the State's citizens are academically prepared and equipped for current job opportunities and jobs of the future in North Carolina's growing knowledge economy.

Emerging from a legislative mandated study HB 1264 ,Staying a Step Ahead, to ensure the State's citizens are academically prepared and equipped for current job opportunities and jobs of the future in North Carolina's growing knowledge economy, explicitly referred to research clusters created by HBCU NCA&T

HB 1264 (6), says with regard to the University System, there shall be special emphasis on the development of signature programs for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Nanotechnology, Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, should have been HBCU NCA&T Signature Programs

“Signature programs” have been defined as those that are distinctive, that build on existing strengths, that advance the institution’s profile, and that serve regional and/or state economic transformation needs."

"NCA&T has 12-years of experience in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology”
“Expertise in nanotechnology may become a prerequisite for many scientists and engineers that support a wide variety of industries, nano expertise among the North Carolina science and engineering workforce may soon become a competitive advantage issue for the state.
The global market for nanotechnology products and services is predicted to increase by 18-28 percent annually for the next several years (BCC Research, Inc.) and is expected to reach $2.6 trillion by 2014 (Lux Research), showing the potential for strong growth in this sector of the economy

Historical Black Land Grant NCA&T was listed as University focus on Nanotechnology in 2005.

"We're Not Following Any Path, We're Blazing A Trail"

NC A&T is "well known in areas such as advanced materials, nanotechnology,, computational science, and says N. Radhakrishnan, former VP for research and economic development at N.C. A&T. The school also has significant strengths in other areas, including biotechnology, energy and the environment, information sciences and technology, logistics and transportation development.

All these endeavors are aligned in eight research clusters that bring faculty together across disciplines to develop large research projects. These research clusters run in parallel with a number of multidisciplinary centers and institutes at N.C. A&T, which develop partnerships with private and corporate sponsors, educational institutions, and government agencies.

Nanotechnology is Experimental
NCA&T State University has been funded at an average rate of $3-5 million per year in the area of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Most of the research in nanoengineering is done in the Center for

Advanced Materials and Smart Structures (CAMSS). Several Centers and projects are under CAMSS, including the NSF Center for Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST), the DoD Center for Nanoscience, Nanomaterials and Multifunctional Materials (CNN) for Homeland Security, the NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC), the NSF project on US/Europe Materials Collaboration: Self-Organized Nanostructured Thin Films for Catalysis, the NSF project on Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Teams (NIRT), the NSF Major Research Instrumentation for Nanoengineering Research, and the NSF Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education (NUE) program. CAMSS also facilitates many of the materials research activities of the NASA-National Institute for Aerospace (NIA). In addition,

the Center for Composite Materials Research (CCMR) does research in nano-enhanced composite materials and the Army Center of Excellence for Battlefield Capability Enhancements (Flexible Displays) does research in material characterization and development of novel displays.

NCA&T was 4th in Nanotechnology Research at North Carolina Universities with $11 Million Dollars between 2000-2005. In 2003 A&T, NATO Sponsor Material Symposium in Ukraine.

In 2008 NC A&T received an 18 Million dollar grant for an Engineering Research Center (ECR) from the National Science foundation. The award to A&T marked the first time that an HBCU has been the lead institution of an ERC. The ERC has partnerships with pre-college institutions in North Carolina to involve teachers and students in engineering; it has partnerships with a broad range of North Carolina organizations devoted to entrepreneurship and small business development.

N.C. A&T Awarded NSF Engineering Research Center
Shena Crittendon,
Greensboro – North Carolina A&T State University has been awarded a grant for an Engineering Research Center (ERC) from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Engineering Research Center grants represent major investments by NSF in partnership with industry to transform engineering research and education. The centers aim to produce innovative technologies and engineering graduates to significantly enhance the competitiveness of the U.S. economy. Award funding has been approved at $18 million for the initial five years, with a potential duration of 10 years.

The NSF ERC for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials at A&T will conduct research in the areas of biomedical engineering and nano-bio applications and is in partnership with the Universities of Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. It also has a global technical partner in Germany’s Hannover School of Medicine and a global cultural and outreach partner in the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India. California State University at Los Angeles will serve as an outreach partner in the USA. The ERC has partnerships with pre-college institutions in North Carolina to involve teachers and students in engineering; it has partnerships with a broad range of North Carolina organizations devoted to entrepreneurship and small business development.

"With the millions of federal dollars flowing to this center (NSF ERC), what [ we] can do to increase the economic opportunities in Guilford County, the Triad and in the state of North Carolina is truly phenomenal," said Erskine Bowles , president of the UNC system. [A&T lands prized NSF center][31].

A&T’s ERC will be led by Dr. Jagannathan Sankar, professor of engineering. Dr. William Wagner from the University of Pittsburgh and Dr. Mark Schulz from the University of Cincinnati will serve as co-directors. Dr. Devdas Pai, professor of engineering at A&T, will lead educational aspects of the ERC. The ERC research will focus on three engineered systems: Craniofacial and Orthopedic Applications; Cardiovascular Devices; and Responsive Biosensors for Implants. The ERC will introduce new metallic materials, devices, and systems that have the potential to exhibit all the

necessary attributes of an ideal foundation or “scaffold” and that promise to completely transform the field of regenerative medicine. Similarly, innovative metallic materials will be introduced as stents in the treatment of cardiovascular problems. Nano sensors will be developed to study the efficacy of these devices as part of this research. More than eight companies will be associated with the ERC to provide input for the direction of research as well as a conduit to transfer the technology to the real world. NC A&T will also start a new department of bioengineering in conjunction with this ERC. The department will offer BS, Masters and PhD degrees

Nanotechnology. Definition: A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical, scientific, and engineering principles and technical skills to manipulate matter at the atomic and molecular level (in the range of 1-100 nanometers) and to design, fabricate, and integrate nanoscale structures, devices, and systems. Includes instruction in materials science, thermodynamics, nanomaterials, Nano electronics, and nano/micro device fabrication and testing. [https://nces.ed.gov/search/?q=nano+science]:

Dr. Alan Mabe Memorandum dated April 28, 2009 to Ed Planning, Ph.D. proposal degree NC A&T Nanoscience and Material Science and UNC-G Nanoscience clearly indicated NC A&T Nanoscience and Material Science (Nanoengineering).

PCG/UNC-NCCCS/UNC Interim report 3.doc/RB.SP.PC.CR.ATPCC.1/CC.14/10May05

“The expected roles of a land-grant institution, is teaching agriculture and engineering, and providing cooperative extension services” .

The UNC Policy Manual 400.1.1.1[G]

A degree program is a program of study in a discipline specialty that leads to a degree in that distinct specialty area at a particular level of instruction. As a general rule, in order to be considered for degree program status, a course of study should require at least 27 semester hours in the proposed program area at the undergraduate level; at least half the number of hours required for the degree at the master’s level; and at least 21 hours in the proposed program area at the doctoral level. [Adopted 05/06/09]

UNC Board of Governors January 2007 authorized UNC Charlotte, which has an Engineering School, to offer a Ph.D. in Nanoscale Science. Offering Nanoscale Science was not a Substantial Change as defined by the SACS for UNC Charlotte. Nov. 2012 UNC Board of Governors authorized a Master’s in Nanoengineering to Land Grant Institution NC State, which has an Engineering School. Offering a MS in Nanoengineering was not a Substantial Change as defined by the SACS for NC State.

Historical black North Carolina A&T, as one of the state's two land grant institutions, has programs through the doctoral level. Its programs include engineering, arts and sciences, agricultural and environmental sciences, business and economics, education, nursing, technology, and graduates studies. “The expected roles of a land-grant institution, is teaching agriculture and engineering, and providing cooperative extension services” .

Consistent with other engineering schools in the UNC System offering Nanoscience and Nanoengineering programs are not Substantial Changes as defined by the SACS and consistent with the education, curricular, mission and goals of NC A&T State University.

[ former UNC] President Molly Broad, .... shared that by 2020, 70 percent of the World's Scientist will live and work in Asia, unless the country does some different kinds of things. She said that North Carolina A&T is in a position to educated and graduate world-class educated and graduate world-class scientists because of initiatives scientists because of initiatives underway within our science and technology areas, and now is the time for the university to step up to the plate to meet the challenges ahead", alleged Dr. Speight-Buford, NC A&T Fourth Regular Board of Trustees meeting April 20, 2005