Nanotechnology or Mechatronics (1 Viewer)

[Riewe]

I am actually in my 2nd year of a nanotech degree at UTS. And just to answer your question about nano vs mechatronics, mechatronics is more of an engineering degree, with lots and lots of maths and thinking etc, whereas nano is pretty much a science/technology based course with a bit of maths thrown in.

Nano@UTS is a good place to look if you want to know basically what nanotech is all about. And there is plenty of stuuf on the web for you to look at. Just go to google and follow on from there.

As for jobs, there is quite a demand, but only if you look for it as it ain't going to be in the classifieds. As the course at UTS is only 3 years, compared to 5 for mechantronics, you can get post-grad stuff done much earlier, as with an honours/masters/phd up your belt, there is absolutely nothing to stop you getting a job if you decide to spend a couple more years at uni. And places like CSIRO also take in students for summer work, so that can qualify as industry experience. Over the next few years, the demand for nanotechnologists will grow even more, especially overseas, so it is quite a good career, and that's why i'm doing it.

 

[shannonm]

2) Photovoltaics (solar cells) efficiencies have coem across some obstacles. Recently some people created PV cells based on nanotechnolgoy which were super-efficient and took in not just the visible spectrum but also the infrared spectrum. Imagining further photovoltaics benefits from nanotech isn't hard. Consider further that alternative fuel like photovoltaics is EXTREMELY important to petrol companies.

was just reading through hereregards to these random IR cells, IR light has much less energy than the visible spectrum. the band gap for these new cells is 0.5eV (so they can 'capture' more EM spectrum than cr-Silicon at 1.1eV) and thus generate more current, however the problem with this is that the electric field is reduced (proprtional to bandgap) and thus the voltage is reduced too). The optimal band gap is ~1.4eV, and the more you push away from it the worse the cells perform w.r.t cr-Silicon.

Although the efficiency of Sargent’s first IR system has an abysmal-sounding power-conversion efficiency of 0.001%, he emphasizes that his device is simply a prototype of how to capture IR energy. - http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2005/mar/tech/jp_solarcells.html

The plastic material uses nanotechnology and contains the first solar cells able to harness the sun's invisible, infrared rays. The breakthrough has led theorists to predict that plastic solar cells could one day become five times more efficient than current solar cell technology. - http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/01/0114_050114_solarplastic.html

That article was written in Jan 05, I'm just wondering when I can expect to see some of these 130% efficient cells ?

 

[jumb]

I'd do nanotechnology as a science degree, or mechatronics as an engineering degree.

Nano would be better imo.

 

[aquaa123qwe]

if you like programming and do some physics choose mechatronic

if you like doing chemistry pouring boring acid and doing some crappy bio test tube crap you choose nano it is 3hr each


nano is very dedicated!~~`

 

[Vangineer]

Eh. What. Rubbish.

Nanotechnology is a massive technology. What your degree involves will depend entirely on what type of nanotechnology you pursue.

Mine will be a mix between biochemistry and computational science. I know some who pursue the physical and computational side of it - you can't tell me that doesn't involve maths! As for hands on, well, again, depends what you focus on.

I do not think your descriptions of either course are at all accurate. A good mechatronics student shouldn't be graduating to $30K a year!

how would u know that?
u havnt even finished the HSC

I personally talked to a tutor at UTS and asked about all science branches job prospects. They say that science branches are very specialised and difficult to get a job in. If u know so much about this, have u consulted anyone apart from ur \uninformed self?

She told me that for a nanotechnician to get a decent job in that area, it would need at least masters!!

and mechatronics engineering, 30 grand for sure. I know heaps of engineers who get that. Even internships can earn u 10 grand for half a year. THink about it mate!!

 

[MoNNiE]

you do know tutors can range in experience..some have nfi what they are on about.. others are pretty alrite
my ex just got a job as a tutor at mq...
there are alrite job perspectives in both fields.. (nano and mechatronics) but usually you won't be going directly into the field ..but something close to it.. mechatronics you could end up starting in electrical or mechanical engineering as it is a combination of the two. nano.. i'm not too sure of..


starting slaries for graduate engineers range around 35k to 55k just really depends on the field.. you enter

build your experience, make and impression.. then you'll see the money starting to roll in.. (i'd suggest for people to start off in the public sector and then go into private sector.. 1. the government can't rip u off, usually if u start in the private sector.. they rip you off )
i'm in government sector, basically the gross wage for me is 30k . but it does increase with the job reviewal process etc.

though even still Australias starting salaries for both scientists and engineers are VERY LOW compared to countries like UK and the USA.. where engineers are regarded alongside doctors and lawyers

 

[Slidey]

Vangineer: I think what Monnie said is correct. Your tutor is clueless.

 

[Lexicographer]

I haven't bothered reading much past my last post because I'm dead busy, but to answer what oil companies would do with nanotech remember that oil is not just used for fuel but also to make plastics. Imagine nano-engineering any kind of polymer to do precisely what you want. We've been trying for decades already but nano allows you to change individual functional groups in ways that exhibit unprecedented properties.

Just a single example that came to mind.

 

[doe]

if you're after a job, make sure the companies that actually create these products have offices in australia that actually require these qualifications (i.e. they are not just sales/admin offices)

 

[Vangineer]

Vangineer: I think what Monnie said is correct. Your tutor is clueless.

Yeah, i guess my "PHD Dr" Lab guide was pretty useless. Thats why she didnt get a real job and ended up working at uni...hahaha!!!

 

[Slidey]

Having a Ph.D doesn't make you god.

 

[withoutaface]

As for jobs, there is quite a demand, but only if you look for it as it ain't going to be in the classifieds. As the course at UTS is only 3 years, compared to 5 for mechantronics, you can get post-grad stuff done much earlier, as with an honours/masters/phd up your belt, there is absolutely nothing to stop you getting a job if you decide to spend a couple more years at uni.

But if you decide to take engineering at usyd or unsw, you can get honours and phd in mechatronics at the same speed as a science degree from UTS, so I don't think that's really an issue.

 

[Vangineer]

UTS engineering is da best. The diploma of engineering practice

 

[Slidey]

3) My speculation: Nanotechnology could be used to help liberate and store hydrogen (very reactive and volatile - found in water, oil, highly explosive) - the most abundent, clean and renewable fuel you can think of. For example: some researchers stored pure hydrogen within carbon nanotubes and even demonstrated methods of opening the nanotubes to release the hydrogen.

Haha. Look what I just found:

http://www.uq.edu.au/news/index.phtml?article=6648

Oh yes, oil companies are definitely interested in nanotechnology. Furthermore, there's a real-life example of nanotechnology in action.

 

[rockets]

whats wrong with doing a combined degree in science/engineering and major in nano and mechanical??? gets it over in 5 years