Why Nanotechnology Engineering?
Nanotechnology Engineering is a multidisciplinary engineering field which combines concepts from chemical engineering, electrical engineering and chemistry. It also draws from and benefits areas such as materials science, physics, biology, quantum physics and medicine.
In Canada’s leading and first accredited Nanotechnology Engineering program, you will have a broad area of study that covers many subjects, from biology to coding. You will work with materials far too small to see with the naked eye. You will build both theoretical understanding and hands‑on experience through coursework, laboratory work, and co‑op placements. Students will work in a dedicated clean room with multimillion-dollar cutting-edge equipment for hands-on experiential learning.
Nanotechnology engineers are at the forefront of research and development related to a cluster of technologies that harnesses the unique properties and functions of nanoscale systems. Nanotechnology impacts many industries, ranging from medical to pharmaceuticals, electronics to automotive, and communications.
Check out our state-of-the-art labs! Our nanotechnology engineering undergraduate students have exclusive access to our multi-million-dollar clean room!
Where do our graduates work?
Careers that are alumni are engaged in:
- Pixel Development Engineer
- Optical Display Engineer
- Senior Project Manager
- Application Engineer
- Hardware Engineer
- Test and Process Engineer
- Product and Marketing Manager
- Professor
- IP Litigation Lawyer
- Process Development Engineer
Specializations
A specialization is available to interested students but not required. There are four specializations in the Nanotechnology Engineering program.
They are: Nanobiosystems, Nanoelectronics, Nanofabrication, and Nanomaterials.
Sample first-year courses
This is a sample schedule. Courses are subject to change.
| 1A Term | 1B Term |
|---|---|
|
MATH117 - Calculus 1 for Engineering NE100 - Introduction to Nanotechnology Engineering NE109 - Societal and Environmental Impacts of Nanotechnology NE111 - Introduction to Programming for Engineers NE112 - Linear Algebra for Nanotechnology Engineers NE121 - Chemical Principles |
MATH119 - Calculus 2 for Engineering NE110 - Introduction to Nanomaterials Health Risks NE113 - Introduction to Computational Methods NE125 - Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering NE131 - Physics for Nanotechnology Engineering NE140 - Linear Circuits |
Co-op for Nanotechnology Engineering students
Through the University of Waterloo's world-renowned co-op program, you will gain paid work experience relevant to your field of study during your degree. We'll guide you through every step of the employment process—from crafting résumés to preparing for interviews—while giving you the freedom to explore different roles and industries. It’s a practical way to discover what suits you best, strengthen your professional skills, and connect your coursework to real-world practice. Altogether, it sets you up with a meaningful edge when you graduate.
From your very first year, you’ll typically rotate between academic terms and four‑month work placements, blending classroom learning with on‑the‑job experience. You can choose to return to the same employer for multiple terms to deepen your expertise and take on more responsibility, or you can branch out and work with different organizations to broaden your perspective.
| Year | September to December (Fall) | January to April (Winter) | May to August (Spring) |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | Study | Study | Co-op |
| Second | Study | Co-op | Study |
| Third | Co-op | Co-op | Study |
| Fourth | Study | Co-op | Co-op |
| Fifth | Study | Study | - |
Your first work term will be at the end of first year. Learn more about co-op.
News
3D-printed electrode design boosts mass transport in next-generation redox flow batteries
University of Waterloo researchers have developed a new 3D-printed electrode design for redox flow batteries, a technology that could help store renewable energy generated by wind and solar farms. Their work shows how carefully designed electrode structures can help battery fluids move more effectively through the system, improving performance and reducing the energy needed to operate the battery.
Led by Nanotechnology Engineering professor Maxime van der Heijden, the research team created porous, 3D-printed electrodes with internal patterns inspired by structures found in nature. These designs helped the battery liquid reach more of the electrode surface while allowing it to flow through the battery with less resistance.
Electrodes are an important part of a battery because they are where the chemical reactions that store and release energy occur. Making electrodes porous, meaning full of tiny open spaces, increases the available surface area and creates more places where these reactions can take place.
Redox flow batteries work differently from the lithium-ion batteries used in phones and electric vehicles. Instead of storing energy inside solid materials, they store energy in liquid electrolytes contained in external tanks. During charging and discharging, the liquids are pumped through a reactor where the electrochemical reactions occur.
Student innovation sparks advancement in soft robotics
Nanotechnology engineering students Edward Hong and Micahel Ali were part of an interdisciplinary research group that has created a new tissue‑like hydrogel that can act as "muscles" for soft robotics.
The project was led by PhD candidate Negin Bouzari. Her supervisor, Hamed Shahsavan, a chemical engineering professor hired four undergraduate co-op students to assist Bouzari in her research. The team included Melanie Bouzanne, Nrushanth Suthaharan, Ali and Hong. Their collaboration embodies Waterloo’s mission to involve undergraduates directly in high‑impact, interdisciplinary research.
Shahsavan calls the work a powerful example of what students can accomplish when they’re trusted with ambitious challenges.
“Complex problems rarely fit inside one discipline. Interdisciplinary research brings complementary tools and viewpoints together, leading to creative, high-impact solutions,” says Hong. “Beyond innovation, working across disciplines improves communication skills and adaptability; abilities that are invaluable in both industry and academia.”
Nano engineering team takes first place at the Ontario Engineering Competition for biomedical device
A nanotechnology engineering team won first place at the Ontario Engineering Competition (OEC) in Ottawa for their Capstone Project called IISense. The team designed a prototype to monitor chronic kidney disease (CKD).
The competition was fierce at the OEC which was held in Ottawa this year. Teammates Flora Wu, San Basnet, and Divhleen Ruprai entered the innovative design category at the event.
“The best part of OEC was that for the innovative design competition, we had to do a public opening. We displayed our poster and prototype, and people approached us and asked questions about our project. It was really cool to hear people’s perspectives on our product.” says Ruprai. “They provided feedback on things that we had not considered, which could improve our project to make it easier to use and accessible to different groups of people that we weren't aware of before.”
CKD is a silent disease that can have no obvious symptoms until a late stage and lead to the need for dialysis or, in some cases a kidney transplant. It can be more prevalent in people who have pre-existing health issues like diabetes or hypertension.
