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Keratin protein fiber (AKF™) is a renewable source of biosorbent that can be used for filtration of heavy metal and nanosize contaminants. The major composition of keratin fiber is the structured protein micofibril, consisting of numerous nanosized pores. The combination of nanostructure and metal binding capacity protein sites make it an ideal material for removal of heavy metals from solutions. The mechanism of heavy metal uptake onto keratin protein involves a combination of several steps such as adsorption, precipitation, and ion exchange. Keratin protein has good tensile strength and is stable over a wide pH range.

Because of the current and future importance of the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)' in education and research, our team has been working on transferring this Figure 1 -Scanning Electron Micrograph of a single AFM probe fabricated at Stanford and used in the course development at the University of Nevada Reno. 0-7803-6599-2/01/$10.00 Q 2001 EEE' Also known as a Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM), which is a broader term that includes the standard AFM.technology to the college present the initial findings years of cutting-edge AFM classroom. In this paper we of a case study in which two research was transferred to the college classroom in the form of a one-semester course. The course was developed before the research was completed and published in f i a l form. While, the course centered on the re-creation and explanation of the most recent advances in building high-throughput AFMs, it also implemented and assessed the use of two online AFMs [l]. Student response to the initial course offering, its content, and the tools used, was very positive. The students rated the course above the department average on 14 of the 15 survey metrics and claimed that the teaching method would help them remember more than other classes (average 8 on a ten-point scale. N=24). As a result of the course, several students have shown interest in pursuing work and research in this field. These results indicate that the course has successfully broadened the horizons of undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Nevada Reno, which had no microtechnology or AFM course offering prior to this work. It has also demonstrated the potential of using the AFM as the center focus of a MEMS/Nano-technology course3. Finally, this case study may serve as a model for future technology transfer to the classroom by Ph.D. candidates who have not fully completed their technical research. Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) andNanotechnology have proven difficult to organize and teach in one semester because of the many disciplines that are covered.7 -3 6 7 3