Aerospace or Nanotechnology?

[berkan]

I'm currently a second year engineering student enrolled in Queen's University, Canada. Second year here at Queen's is common for all mechanical engineering students; however in third year we get to chose between a general mechanical engineering option or a materials option.

 

I'm really interested in aerospace engineering which falls under the general option, however recently I heard that nanotechnology is a very interesting field that is rapidly developing.

 

So, my question is.... is it at all possible for me to work in a nanotechnology related field if I graduate from the materials option? If not, then how's it like to work as a materials engineer? Is it mainly research related?

 

Frankly speaking, what would YOU pick? Aerospace or Nanotechnology?

 

Thanks alot guys..

[bascule]

They're both quite exciting fields. I think there's a way bigger future for nanotech than aerospace, but aerospace is moving into civillian space travel, and I think for the immediate future it will be practically applicable sooner than nanotech.

[chitrangda]

Aerospace

[scicop]

why don't you look for ways to combine both. You can get a solid education in materials science that involve "nano" tech, then you can go off and apply your knowledge at NASA. They're always in need of scientist and who knows, you may have an opportunity to go up one day!

[berkan]

Yeah, I was also thinking about combining the two somehow. But another question comes to mind, what kind of research can one conduct in low earth orbit related to materials and nanotech? Any ideas?

[bascule]

Space elevator, duh!

 

Make 60 mile long defect free quantum nanotubes!

[Karnage]

Hmm. To my extent, nanotechnology would come much more in handy and would definitely be an exponentially growing field in the future. There is so many interesting benefits that nanotechnology can afford, I can't even name them all. However there was one article that I had about liquid armor. If only I could grab it again. Ill look for it.

[Karnage]

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[berkan]

Wow! Great website... I really like the video clip on the medical stitches that tighten their own knots. Simply brilliant!

[Cloud]

"Frankly speaking, what would YOU pick? Aerospace or Nanotechnology?"

 

Well, I would go with aerospace, since I know jack about nanotechnology.

In general terms, I would want to work on something big, not something miniscule. But then again, something miniscule could have big implications. Hope I've been of some influence. Most likely not:embarass:

 

PS: Why is aerospace under general. Isn't that a very specific field.

Nanotechnology is more general, I would say, since it has applications in chemistry, computing, electronics, foods . . .

[berkan]

PS: Why is aerospace under general. Isn't that a very specific field.

Nanotechnology is more general, I would say, since it has applications in chemistry, computing, electronics, foods . . .

 

Aerospace is under general because in order to take aerospace one should know the fundamentals of thermodynamics which need to be known in many other fields such as biomechanical engineering, mechatronics and almost all other fields that mechanical engineers work in.

 

However nanotechnology is more related to chemistry than mechanics (physics), that being said... thermodynamics would just be a waist of time for today's materials engineer... courses like fracture mechanics and dislocation theory are taught instead.

[Bluenoise]

thermodynamics would just be a waist of time for today's materials engineer...

I don't know if I'd agree with that. Maybe for the broad range of materials engineers, however thermodynamics especially chemical thermodynamics can be extreemly important in nanotech.

 

Anyways I'd say go with Nanotech, It's a new emerging field with far more varried directions to go in.