chem123 - i believe you are correct in saying there is a disparity between grad and ungrad level experiences. My sources are current ungrad level students, and I would speculate that grad level students do take different paths.
chemical engineering, at Georgia Tech (which should be getting a nanoE degree soon) does not come any where close to nano, materials, etc. ChemE deals with manufacturing chemicals and designing new manufacturing plants, taking what is discovered in lab and adapting it to mass produce it.
it depends on what exactly interests you in nanotech.
what field do you want to develop/research for? medicine, computer, general material?
the main advances in nanotech are carbon related, at the moment.
you may want to consider a materials degree with bio or biomed
or more...