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Abstract This article is written as a tribute to Professor Frederick Fongsun Ling 1927–2014. Single-point diamond machining, a subset of a broader class of processes characterized as ultraprecision machining, is used for the creation of surfaces and components with nanometer scale surface roughnesses, and submicrometer scale geometrical form accuracies. Its initial development centered mainly on the machining of optics for energy and defense related needs. Today, diamond machining has broad applications that include the manufacture of precision freeform optics for defense and commercial applications, the structuring of surfaces for functional performance, and the creation of molds used for the replication of a broad range of components in plastic or glass. The present work focuses on a brief review of the technology. First addressed is the state of current understanding of the mechanics that govern the process including the resulting forces, energies and the size effect, forces when cutting single crystals, and resulting cutting temperatures. Efforts to model the process are then described. The workpiece material response when cutting ductile and brittle materials is also included. Then the present state of the art in machine tools, diamond tools and tool development, various cutting configurations used, and some examples of diamond machined surfaces and components are presented. A discussion on the measurement of surface topography, geometrical form, and subsurface damage of diamond machined surfaces is also included. 

The effectiveness of the introduction of an educational module to an Introduction to Engineering class was investigated. A lecture introducing nanotechnology was given to the students, and the students participated in a question-and-answer period following the lecture. The “Nanotechnology Awareness Instrument” of Dyehouse et al. was used to assess students' motivation for, awareness of, and exposure to nanotechnology. The survey contained thirty multiple choice questions divided into sections covering nanotechnology awareness, motivation, and exposure. The survey was given to the students prior to the lecture and again five weeks after the lecture. An Ordinal Pattern Analysis in Observation Oriented Modeling was used to evaluate differences in student scores on the Nanotechnology Awareness Instrument after the lecture as compared to their scores before the lecture. It was found that students’ awareness and exposure increased after the lecture, however, their motivation did not increase.