Annual Meeting

Sept. 14-16, 2009, San Francisco

Andrew Maynard gives a presentation at the 2007 annual meeting

In fall of 2009, about 200 NISE Net partners and other invited guests gathered to discuss the questions and challenges that we face in the field of nanotechnology education.

For three days, meeting participants immersed themselves in thinking about the future of nanotechnology and the future of their work together. Because nano spans the spectrum and doesn't belong to any one particular scientific discipline, part of the meeting looked broadly at how to incorporate nanotechnology education into work that science museums are already doing. Beyond that, participants shared thoughts about how to reach beyond general museum audiences to bring nanotechnology awareness to new groups of people.

Brief agenda for the 2009 meeting:

For more information, read detailed session descriptions.

Day One, Sept. 14
What's Going on in Nano Today?

Opening remarks by Dave Ucko, NSF (Listen)

Keynote: NISE Network Address, Larry Bell, Museum of Science, Boston (Listen)

Regional Hub Group Discussion 1: Plans for and Purpose of Regional Focus

Lunch, with performance of Dance of the Scales

Concurrent sessions:

• Research Round Robin: Concurrent Conversations with Six Nano Researchers
• Communicating Science Through Creative Performances

Regional Hub Group Discussion 2: Scientists in Informal Science Education

Day Two, Sept. 15
How Do We Integrate Nano into Topics and Stories We Already Cover?

Keynote: Dietram Scheufele: Framing Science for the Public (Listen)

Learning Progressions and Nano

Concurrent working sessions:

• Exploring the Art in Nano and the Nano in Art
• ISE at the Intersection of Nano and Nature
• Energy and Environment
  (Download agenda with list of showcase items and presenters)
• Tiny Fundamentals
• Why Should I Care?: Using Societal and Ethical Issues to Make Nano Relevant
• This Won't Hurt a Bit: Injecting Nanomedicine Into Public Awareness

Regional Hub Group Discussion 3: Infusing Nano Content into Current Practices

Day Three, Sept. 16
How Do We Integrate Nano Beyond Our General Audiences?

Keynote: Eric Jolly, Science Museum of Minnesota (Listen)

Concurrent Working Sessions:

• Developing Full-Body Experiences to Reach Diverse Audiences
• Engaging Science Attentive Adults in Everything Nano
• Nano Camps and After School Programs
  (Download a PDF of the presentations and other materials from the session.)
• Back-to-School Nano: What to Offer School Groups
• NanoDays and Beyond
• Beyond Text: Using Audio to Enhance Nano Learning for All
• Marketing Nano Back Home
• The Little Nano that Could: Younger Audiences and Nanotechnology
  (Download agenda with list presenters)

Regional Hub Group Discussion 4: Diversity, Equity and Access

Closing Remarks by Larry Bell