Exploring the Nanoworld,
Innovating through Materials:
Nanotech and Materials Science
Education-Outreach through UW MRSEC
Greta M. Zenner Petersen
Outline
•
Rationale for engaging with public audiences
•
Introduction to UW MRSEC and IEG
‒
Structure
‒
Philosophy and approach
•
How we do what we do
‒
“Nanoscale” materials
‒
Formal: K-16
‒
Informal: K to Gray, NISE Net
‒
MRS
‒
REU/RET
‒
Web
Tata Nano
“Nano” All around Us
Self-cleaning windows
Apparel with silver nanoparticles Samsung washing
machine Baby gear VX Nano Cordless
“Nano” All around Us
Self-cleaning windows
Apparel with silver nanoparticles Samsung washing
machine Baby gear VX Nano Cordless
“Nano” All around Us
Tata Nano
Tata Nano
“Nano” All around Us
Self-cleaning windows
Apparel with silver nanoparticles Samsung washing
machine Baby gear VX Nano Cordless
Enthusiastic, But Little Content Knowledge
Science & Engineering Indicators 2010
•
20% knew “some” or “a lot” about nanotech
•
28% knew “just a little”
•
49% knew “nothing at all”
•
But supportive
2004
Not Only A Gap in Content Knowledge
•
“Scientists don't make
mistakes.”
•
Scientific process
unfamiliar (
S&EI 2010
):
‒
22% - scientific study
‒
38% - experiment
‒
35% - scientific inquiry
Why should researchers be concerned about
science education?
•
Informed citizenship
•
Informed consumer
public
•
Informed policy makers
•
Next generation/pipeline
•
Renewed enthusiasm for
research
UW MRSEC Professor Mike Arnold shows off his balloon model of a carbon nanotube at
UW MRSEC Structure
Materials Research Science and Engineering Center
on Nanostructured Interfaces
•
Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) 1:
Silicon-Based Nano-Membrane Materials
IEG Programs
Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Site
Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net)
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials
(PREM)
Nanotechnology in Undergraduate Education (NUE) (3x)
Internships in Public Science Education (IPSE) (completed)
Change Agent Workshops: Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin
Wisconsin Idea Endowment (completed)
UW MRSEC Overview
IRG 3
IRG 1
IRG 2
IEG
UW MRSEC
RET
REU
PREM
NISE Net
UPRM
UPR-RP
Mission
To increase the number and diversity of individuals
knowledgeable about materials science and
interested in pursuing careers in the field.
IEG Mission: Our Focus
•
Nanotechnology and
materials science
•
Fundamental science
and engineering
concepts through
cutting-edge topics
IEG Vision: Our Philosophy & Technique
•
Education, outreach, and
human resource
development require the
same level of creativity
and dedication as
research.
•
Create and disseminate
•
Improve through formative
evaluation
How We Do What We Do:
Nanoworld Activity Guides
•
Help public and students to understand
size scale
•
Challenges
‒
Not comfortable with sub-visible realm
‒
Nanoworld is invisible
‒
Not familiar with atoms
Nanotechnology:
Small, Different, New
Federal definition (NNI)
: Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of
matter at dimensions of roughly 1 to 100 nanometers, where unique phenomena
enable novel applications.
Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering and technology, nanotechnology
involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at this length
scale.
Public definition
: The nanometer is extremely small.
At the nanometer scale, materials behave differently.
Nanometer:
Part of the Metric System
kilometer
km
1,000
1X10
3
meter
m
1
1X10
0
millimeter
mm 1/1,000
1X10
-3
micrometer
m
1/1,000,000
1X10
-6
nanometer
nm
1/1,000,000,000
1X10
-9
Size and Scale:
Factors of 1000
m
et
e
rs
10
0
10
-3
m
illi
m
et
er
s
10
-6
m
ic
ro
m
et
e
rs
10
-9
n
an
o
m
et
er
s
Hair: ~40 microns
Virus: 3-50 nm Bacteria: 3-5 microns
Courtesy of Dr.
Charles Tahan
1 nm = 10 Hydrogen atoms:
Nano Fun Fact
So how small is a nanometer?
?
Very,
very,
very
small
!!
Cutting It Down to Nano
You have a 15cm long piece of paper.
In order to get it under ten nanometers long, you would
have to cut it in half 24 times.
The challenge:
Lab Manual for Nanoscale Science and Technology
Formal Education
•
Primary audience: undergraduate and
graduate
•
Undergraduate Research Seminar
Series
•
Broader Context of Research
educational materials
•
Lab development
•
Lab Manual and Cineplex
•
Kits
•
NanoVenture
•
RET: Our K-12 efforts
•
Undergrad research assistants
Our kits
Critical Micelle Formation
Titanium Dioxide Raspberry Solar Cell
Synthesis of CdSe Nanoparticles
Disassembly of a Liquid Crystal Watch
Nanotechnology Lab Manual
Synthesis of Ferrofluid Nanoparticles
Decanethiol Monolayer on Silver
Organic Light Emitting Diodes
Synthesis of Colloidal Gold
Preparation of a Liquid Crystal
Nanocrystalline Phosphor Synthesis
Electrochromic Prussian Blue Films
Synthesis of Nickel Nanowires
Microfluidic Nanofilter
Preparation of a Fuel Cell
Training Shape Memory Alloy
NanoVenture:
Informal Education
•
“Sights Unseen”: Nano in
the coffee shop
•
Nano Stained Glass
•
College for Kids
•
CNT Balloons
•
NISE Net
•
Madison Children’s Museum
•
Nanotube Littlething &
Coloring Contest
CNT Balloon model at MRS
Nanotube Little Thing children’s book
Nanoscale Informal Science
Education Network
•
$40M NSF grant from many directorates
‒
NNI led (Mike Roco)
•
10 years: 2005-2015
•
UW MRSEC invited to be a subawardee
•
Two primary goals
1.
Sharing nanotech with public audiences
What NISE Net Does
•
Workshops
•
Programs
•
Forums
•
Exhibits
•
Visualization Laboratory
•
Evaluation
•
Mother Fool’s
‒
14 pieces
‒
7 image only
‒
7 “compound” images
•
Traveling
‒
TINY: Art from Microscopes at
UW-Madison
(Tandem Press and
Dane County Regional Airport)
‒
Health Sciences Library gallery
‒
Institute for Advanced Learning
and Research, Danville, VA
Jugal Gupta MRSEC, IRG 3
UW MRSEC grad student/”artist”, Lars Grabow, ponders an image at the opening.
Sights Unseen:
Sights Unseen:
Compound Image
Sights Unseen:
Assessment and Evaluation
Evaluation at numerous
points during the project
•
Image selection
•
Mock-up drafts
•
At coffee shop
Pull Probe Strip
Probe
Sample
Pull Probe Strip
P
R
O
B
E
PROBE
(a)
(b)
North
South
(c)
Materials Research Society Collaboration
•
Education Symposium
•
Education-Outreach
Professional Development
Series, began Fa08
•
Committee participation
‒
NISE Net Sub-Committee
‒
Public Outreach Committee
Research Experiences for Undergraduates
•
10-week program
‒
Laboratory experience
‒
Professional
development
•
Target students
underrepresented in
STEM fields
Research Experiences for
Teachers
(Top) RET Teacher Iris Leske presents her summer project to her RET cohort.
(Bottom) IEG post doc Tracy Puccinelli and RET Teacher Evelyn Montalvo synthesize gold nanoparticles.
•
6 weeks, full-time, on-campus
intensive professional
development program
•
Partners K-12 teachers with UW
MRSEC faculty, post docs,
students, and staff
•
Develop cutting-edge curriculum
and conduct original research
•
Professional development
-
Teachers
•
Partnership with University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez
•
Capstone Exchange Week
http://www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano
Web-Based Educational Tools
•
205,249 distinct users
last year
•
Laboratory Manual for
Nanoscale Science and
Technology
•
Nanoworld Cineplex
•
K-12 Educator Resources
•
“What is a
Nanotechnologist”
Careers in Education
•
Museums
•
Outreach
•
Teaching-focused institutions
‒
Community/technical
colleges
‒
4-year schools
•
Policy – AAAS fellowship
•
Science writing
•
K-12
Acknowledgments
MRSEC Personnel and Collaborators
•
NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Center on
Nanostructured Interfaces (DMR-0520527 and DMR-0079983)
•
NSF Internships in Public Science Education (DMR-0424350)
•
NSF Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (053253 and
ESI-0940143)
National Science Foundation
This presentation is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under the following DMR grants: #0424350 (IPSE), #0520527 and #0779983 (MRSEC); and ESI grants #053253 and #0940143 Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessary reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
