What is "Science of Technology"?

Science impacts the technology of yesterday, today, and the future. Students apply the concepts of physics, chemistry, and nanotechnology to STEM activities and projects, including making ice cream, cleaning up an oil spill, and discovering the properties of nano-materials.

Course Outline

Unit 1

 1.1 WHAT IS ENGINEERING

In this lesson students will learn about the STEM careers and how they impact the past, present, and future.

 1.2 DESIGN PROCESS

This lesson focuses on the tools that engineers use to solve problems. Students will study the Design Process and will use it to guide their actions. In this lesson students will be introduced to the idea that there are many design processes and no single design process is better or more useful than another. They will learn that the selected design process will be built upon in the high school Pathway to Engineering courses. Students will encounter each step in more detail as they gain knowledge and experience throughout the course.

Unit 5

5.1 APPLIED CHEMISTRY

Chemical engineering is the profession that combines chemistry and engineering concepts to help solve problems related to world hunger, pollution of our environment, creating new materials, or meeting demands for energy. Chemical engineers develop low cost processes for producing ammonia, which make it possible for both poor nations and the United States to manufacture important fertilizers. They are instrumental in the production of virtually all pharmaceuticals as well as life-saving devices such as the artificial kidney or angioplasty catheters. They are working on ways to recycle plastics, reduce pollution, and develop new sources of environmentally clean energy. Chemical engineers have the background knowledge of chemistry coupled with an understanding of chemical processing that allows them to tackle most any chemical problem, from waste minimization, to environmental remediation, to pollution prevention, to clean-up of stack gases, or to purification of drinking water. Most major chemical companies hire chemical engineers to fill their technical positions in environmental engineering.

 5.2 NANOTECHNOLOGY

Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary field of discovery. Scientists and engineers working in physics, chemistry, biology, information technology, metrology, and other fields are contributing to today's research breakthroughs. The worldwide workforce necessary to support the field of nanotechnology is estimated at 2 million by 2015. How does the U.S. educational system train these workers, and how do students choose the appropriate educational path for their interests? As in other fields, a passion for the STEM subjects is developed while students are young. An introduction to the many facets of nanotechnology will provide the basis for future educational opportunities.

 5.3 APPLIED PHYSICS

Throughout the ages, humans have sought to make life easier through innovation and invention. At the beginning of civilization, hand tools were used exclusively. These hand tools were comprised of one or more of the six simple machines: lever, wheel and axle, pulley, screw, wedge, and inclined plane. These machines can be divided into two categories. The lever, wheel and axle, and pulley operate on the principle of the lever. The other three operate on the principle of the inclined plane. Modern machines that are run by electricity have many of their moving parts based on these simple machines.

This lesson will provide students with an understanding of machines and how they are used to create motion. This understanding will prepare students to analyze and improve the mechanisms society uses today.