Nanotechnology program coming soon to Harper

In an effort to train workers in a cutting-edge science, Harper College has solidified plans to offer an associate's degree in nanotechnology.

The board of trustees on Tuesday approved spending more than $1 million in construction and architectural costs to convert vacant space in the Avante Center for Science, Health Careers and Emerging Technologies.

The nanotechnology program, approved earlier in the year by the state, will launch in the fall. It's the first of its kind to be offered by a community college in Illinois.

"We deliberately planned for shell space when Avante was built, so we could ramp up new high-tech programs quickly and efficiently," said Harper President Robert Breuder in a news statement.

A 4,630-square-foot area will be renovated into a nanotech classroom, with additional room for high-powered microscopes that focus down to the molecular level. Students will also partner with area businesses for field trips and internships, according to Sally Griffith, assistant vice president for career programs. Officials aren't sure how many students will be interested in pursuing the degree.

Last year, Harper benefited from a $75,000 grant made by the National Science Foundation to help plan curriculum in the field. The foundation predicts that by 2015, nanotechnology will play an integral role in $1 trillion worth of products, requiring 2 million workers. There's also growing buzz surrounding nanotechnology as a promising cancer treatment, in which nanodevices selectively kill cancer cells while leaving healthy tissue undamaged.

"Many of the businesses in our area are working on a nano scale," Griffith said in a statement. "We're trying to be proactive with them with a work force of skilled technicians."

The renovated space will also house Harper's graphic arts program, which has grown to 200 enrolled students since its inception in 2005.