Comments on Howard Lovy's NanoBot: Dear NanoBot: I'm sold on nano, but now what?

Don't get sucked into the hype. If you're interest...

2005-05-27T00:53:00.000-04:00

Don't get sucked into the hype. If you're interested in nanotech, study physics.

Prefixing the word 'nano' doesn't alter the quality of the material, the coursework, or the degree itself. Nanotechnology IS physics. Study physics.

Interesting. They're just a couple of hours up th...

2005-05-24T09:58:00.000-04:00

Interesting. They're just a couple of hours up the road from my sister. I wonder if it's too early to get my 3yr old nephew enrolled?

Mr. Smith

And speaking of community college nanotech program...

2005-05-23T22:13:00.000-04:00

And speaking of community college nanotech programs, this just in from the nano-cheeseheads on the other side of Lake Michigan.

Hello Sean, I did exactly what you did about a yea...

2005-05-23T15:10:00.000-04:00

Hello Sean,

I did exactly what you did about a year and a half ago. Learn all you can and take some classes at the local university as a part time graduate student. I did that with some Organic Chemistry and Molecular Bio classes and then this spring took a Nanotechnology System Design class through the Mechanical Engineering Department. Next thing I know, me - a CS guy with only basic knowledge of Molecular Bio - is in a state of the art biotech lab attaching gold nanoparticles to stuff using self assembling DNA strands and imaging them with SEM and AFM. So my advice is as Nike would say, Just do it!

Sean:Howard's brother-in-atoms here. One area wher...

2005-05-23T13:57:00.000-04:00

Sean:

Howard's brother-in-atoms here. One area where your nanotech interests and software expertise may intersect is through a company like Accelrys, which makes arguably the most sophisticated commercial molecular modeling software. From what I understand, they often assign a smart young postdoc or someone like you to work with a specific client in implementing their solutions.

But I think you're on the right track...the convergence of software tools (and imaging equipment) is where the work will be at in a year or three.

So study some of the best product/company prospects--like NanoInk or Molecular Imprints--and figure out how you could learn how to operate or implement their technology or services....in some ways I think its a little like the early days of the web, when anyone who could code an HTML page or write a perl script had a marketable skill.

One pices of advice I can offer is absorb any and ...

2005-05-23T10:54:00.000-04:00

One pices of advice I can offer is absorb any and all information that you can on nanotechnology. Look for companies that are working with nanotech and try and get your foot in the door as a computer tech. Mention in the interview that you have been studying nanotech and would like a chance to work in the field.

Or you could just get lucky (like me) and have the job fall in your lap.

Good luck.

I've already got an advanced degree in a nano fiel...

2005-05-23T08:41:00.000-04:00

I've already got an advanced degree in a nano field and can't find a nano job (or a regular sized one for that matter). Good luck is all I can say!