Nanotechnology is a promising field of science, concerned with building minuscule materials and devices that are incredibly efficient and effective. The products of your work as a Nanotechnologist are so small that you can’t even see them. For most of us, the potential impact of this technology is nearly incomprehensible.

As a Nanotechnologist, you specialize in one area such as medicine or the environment, and spend every day researching and performing tests on potential products. Through your Nanotechnologist efforts, products that cost less, use fewer resources, help clean the environment, and advance medical cures are created. Think of a group of particles smaller than the tip of a pen, moving through the body and eating cancer cells, and you’ve got an image of a nanotechnology.

Even though nanotechnology is considered a product of the future, the science is starting to bring about some real-world applications. Optical tweezers controlled by laser beams are being used to study blood cells within the body. Longer-lasting batteries, stain-proof clothes, and medications that target single cells are other examples.

What’s already been discovered is barely a nick compared to the possibilities. Food storage, water purification, military defense, and emissions control are a few other areas showing great promise. This industry has the potential to affect every aspect of life as we know it: home, communication, medicine, transportation, agriculture, and so on.

Because of this, the outlook for the field is promising. If you want to be part of it, you need a passion for science, good eyesight, a creative mind, and a propensity for research.

Personality Traits


Team Player: You're able to listen, communicate, and work with tons of different people.

Leader: You're good at taking charge, giving directions, and inspiring other people.

Ready for a Challenge: You jump into new projects with initiative and drive.

Salary and Education


How much does a Nanotechnologist make?

Nationally: $31,000 – $88,000

Main education level: Bachelor's

source: US Dept of Labor


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