CEDAR FALLS -- The University of Northern Iowa recently received a $226,000 grant from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust for specialized nanoscience and nanotechnology equipment.

The grant allows UNI to take the first step toward a program in nanoscience and nanotechnology by offering two new courses to chemistry and physics majors. Coordinating the courses are Duane Bartak, professor and former head, Department of Chemistry, and Clifton Chancey, professor and head, Department of Physics.

The two courses, Introduction to Nanoscience & Nanotechnology and Intermediate Nanoscience & Nanotechnolgy, will be jointly taught by physics and chemistry faculty. They will form the core of a future minor in nanoscience and possibly a Bachelor's of Science in nanoscience.

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the science and technology of manipulating atoms and molecules to produce machines on the scale of human cells. Understanding atoms and groups of atoms is the beginning of understanding the physical world at a very basic but profound level.