Not my field, but... never let that keep you from having an opinion.

How do we or shall we communicate at the nano level?

How do we communicate with a nano device or how shall nano devices communicate with each other - there has been some fascinating work done with self-organization at higher levels of devices - can she do some work extending the concept to smaller devices?

OR - can she figure out how to install a simple fail-safe or stop-action mechanism into a nano device?

The world's greatest fear is that some small device with self-replicating capability will turn all the world's carbon into devices. How about a switch that allows you to disable nano devices through use of ...say a specific frequency wavelength of light? or something equally accessable?

She will want funding, so it is best to appeal to the fears of the funders. There should be lots of government money for a study of the toxicology of nano-devices. Assure the world that if their two-year old accidently swallows a "nanobot" it will or will not perforate the intestine and travel to the brain. If it does travel to the brain, can it make him smarter? ;-)

If fear does not losen the purse strings, perhaps a lust for power will. If she wants Dept. of Defense (DARPA) funding, research a nano-weapon. How about an area denial weapon that can be dispensed from a spray can. When the enemy passes though, the nano-gizmos behave like microscopic fleas and render him harmless -- a persistent itch might be sufficient, or "instant diabetes", or temporary schizophrenia, or.... Make it somethng reversible, in case the local children wander into it. Make it degradable with UV or ozone or... so the area can be cleaned up after the war. The beauty of nano-weapons is that they are not landmines (widely prohibited by treaty) and not biological or chemical weapons (not to be used by civilized humans weapons).

http://www.azonano.com/news.asp?newsID=4887

appears to be an ideal option to persue Nanotechnology in micro electronics and the state of the art technical instititute will be able to guide topics for research.