Last week, Penn was ranked number one in the nation in nanotechnology research by Small Times Magazine, a publication that focuses on nanotechnology.
Penn also ranked in the top ten in two other categories. The school earned fifth in education and tenth in commercialization.
However, Penn was unranked in industrial outreach and facilities.
Nanotechnology is the branch of engineering that develops circuits and devices on the level of single atoms and molecules. The science shows promise for the medical field, the military and computer technology.
Penn is involved in two nanotechnology centers. One is the Nano-Bio Interface Center, which was founded about two years ago.
The other is the Nanotechnology Institute, which is a consortium of Pennsylvania schools including Penn and Drexel partnered with the Benjamin Franklin Technology Partners of Philadelphia, an organization that helps fund technology start-up companies and programs.
David Luzzi, Penn Director of the Nanotechnology Institute said that he is very pleased with the rankings.
Still, he noted that Penn has room to improve in some sectors, especially industrial connections and facilities.
"There's a lot of room to grow our corporate income," Luzzi said. "We have been working very hard in connecting Penn with companies."
According to Susan Davidson, deputy dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, Penn is planning on creating facilities for nanotechnology in the near future.
Davidson also said that the top ranking in research could help attract professors to Penn.
"This is fantastic because we're investing a lot in nanotechnology," Davidson said. "We're planning on building a new building and we're planning on hiring new faculty."
Luzzi said that the Institute is still working on laying the groundwork to be a leader in future research efforts.
He said that one thing that sets Penn apart from other schools is the application of nanotechnology to biomedical and environmental studies, instead of simply computer engineering.
Penn focuses on biomedical research both because Philadelphia is a leader in the pharmaceutical industry and because the Penn School of Medicine is a valuable resource.
"The medical school is so close that's it's easier to get research going that spans the two schools," Davidson said.
According to Davidson, one project that researchers are working on involves drug delivery mechanisms that could bring a drug directly to the part of the body that needs it rather than injecting into the bloodstream.
Luzzi said that with continued research and new facilities planned, Penn will become even more of a leader in the field in the future.
"I expect next year our survey response will be even better," he said.
