HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, is among community colleges statewide collaborating with Penn State University to offer the Nanofabrication Manufacturing Technology Program. This two-year program prepares students to work in a variety of areas, such as energy production, biotechnology, materials, electronics, chemistry, environmental science and engineering.

"Students who graduate from this program will be involved in industries that are manufacturing with microscopic particles," said Ed VanBlargan, Ph.D., P.E., professor and engineering department chairman. "Nanotechnology is not just a field by itself. It serves a variety of industries, and is something backed by the entire United States."

Local students enrolled in the program will complete the program's general education requirements on HACC's Harrisburg Campus for three semesters. The fourth semester will be spent at Penn State Main Campus in State College.

"This is a one-of-a-kind program," VanBlargan added. "Students are actually HACC students, they pay HACC tuition, but they actually take courses from Penn State during the final semester and receive a stipend to cover room and board expenses."

According to VanBlargan, the nanotechnology field is growing quickly, yet the field of qualified employees does not meet demand.

"It is my understanding that there is almost 100 percent placement (of students in this field)," he said. "Students who complete this program will have a HACC associate degree with the option of transferring to a four-year institution or they can certainly go right out into the technology field and get a job."

Students interested in the program are encouraged to attend an informational session at HACC's Harrisburg Campus from 5-6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17 in the Cooper Student Center, Room 204.

For more information, send an email to Dr. VanBlargan by clicking on the contact email address below.