Vrylena Olney's blog

NanoDays is next month, and the NISE Net has a number of training materials that might be useful for those new to presenting nano content to public audiences:

Anders Liljeholm, a program developer at OMSI, wrote to me about a challenge in translating our materials into other languages.

Many of our partners have indicated that they do classroom activities of some type, so I'm going to be highlighting a few examples of partners incorporating nano into classroom programs. Please let us know what you've been doing with NISE Net or nano materials for K-12 audiences! Email Rae Ostman at rostman at sciencenter dot org.

Image by Michael Wyszomierski

With the end of the year and decade just ahead of us, lots of people are looking back and compiling their top ten lists (for example, here, here, here, here, and here).

Many of our partners have indicated that they do classroom activities of some type, so I'm going to be highlighting a few examples of partners incorporating nano into classroom programs.

image by James Sarmiento

Designer snowflake video courtesy Kenneth Libbrecht of CalTech, www.snowcrystals.com

NanoDays 2008 at the Museum of Science, Boston

Our friends at the Woodrow Wilson Center's Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) recently unveiled an iPhone application version of their Consumer Products Inventory. Launched in 2006, the inventory catalogs manufacturer-identified nanotechnology-based consumer products, letting you browse by category, country of origin, manufacturer, or search for a specific product.

Another haiku by Mike Falvo of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill:

We Struggle to show
The size of a molecule.
Kids wait patiently.

Thanks, Mike!

Photo from the NISE Net Annual Meeting by Emily Maletz Graphic Design

At the NISE Net Annual Meeting last September, we asked participants about their favorite nano educational experiences. Many talked about how exciting it is when researchers connect with the public. Here are a few examples of favorite experiences: