UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has renewed its support for the UNESCO Chair on Building Innovation and Manufacturing Capacities through Advanced Technology Education at Penn State for another four years. Osama Awadelkarim, professor of engineering science and mechanics and director of the Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization (CNEU) at Penn State, will continue in his leadership role as the UNESCO chairholder, a position he has held since 2018.
UNESCO is “a specialized agency dedicated to strengthening international cooperation in the fields of education, science, culture and information,” according to the organization’s website. It supports its 194 member countries in areas such as protecting biodiversity, responding to artificial intelligence (AI), advancing quality education, safeguarding heritage and ensuring access to reliable information.
The UNESCO chair team comprises academics and partners led by a higher education or research institution. Each chair works with UNESCO to advance knowledge and practice in an area of common priority.
The UNESCO Chair on Building Innovation and Manufacturing Capacities through Advanced Technology Education was established in 2018 to “enhance scientific research and upgrade the technological capabilities of the workforce in industrial sectors of UNESCO member states,” according to the CNEU website. The chair places particular emphasis on supporting education and training in nanotechnology.
“Nanotechnology is not a specialization; it is a foundational scientific and engineering toolkit,” Awadelkarim said. “Advances in chip making and AI, energy systems, biotechnology, advanced materials, sensing and quantum technologies all rely on the ability to design, fabricate and characterize materials and devices at the nanoscale.”
In addition to bringing expertise on nanoelectronics and semiconductor technologies, Awadelkarim spent many years working internationally, conducting outreach for scientists and researchers. In 2006, he was named a Jefferson Science Fellow, working with the U.S. Department of State and contributing technical expertise to policy formulation and implementation. Since then, he has been involved in various educational collaborations, such as enabling remote learners to access nanotechnology labs and developing anddisseminating global curricula.
“Almost all products that we use, from a microwave oven to mobile phones to advanced computers, utilize chips in one way or another,” Awadelkarim said. “The demand for chips has risen sharply while the chip supply worldwide has fallen significantly short. Over the past two decades, CNEU and the UNESCO chair have worked to address this need through focused activities, including webinars, workshops and conferences on nanotechnology and semiconductor processing that were attended by participants from all over the world.”
Awadelkarim said that in the role of chairholder, he plans to continue expanding engagement with students and educators in developing countries over the next four years, with a focus on regions in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. He will assist in the development of undergraduate and graduate programs that build internationally relevant skill sets, provide web-friendly options for workforce development experiences and work with local university faculty members on building nanotechnology into new and existing courses.
“The UNESCO chair program has been very successful over the past eight years,” Awadelkarim said. “I look forward to continuing our partnership with UNESCO and further enhancing institutional capacity, improving employability of graduates and increasing the inclusion of underserved communities in advanced technology fields.”
Penn State is one of two universities in the U.S. to hold two UNESCO chairs, along with the University of Puerto Rico. Mark Brennan, professor of leadership and community development in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, holds the UNESCO Chair in Global Citizenship Education for Peace through Youth and Community Engagement, which resides within Penn State Global.