NanoDays Report: Forum, Museum of Life and Science
About the NanoDays event(s)
Description:At the Museum's Lab, up to six visitors at a time were able to sit down at a counter and, with the help of the Lab facilitator, complete a NanoDays kit activity. The Lab was open 5 ½ days during the NanoDays celebration for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon.
We also held a public forum on Nanotechnology and Alternative Energy
Type of Events:Forum
What worked well with NanoDays:Visitors enjoyed the hands-on participation that the kits offered. Visitors especially enjoyed opportunities like the buckyball and liquid crystal sensor that allowed them to “make and take”. Another plus was that the majority of visitors were able to take away the point that nano = really, really small.
What wasn't as successful:I felt as if the NanoDays kits did not emphasize the applications of nanoscience. I am not sure whether visitors left wanting to know more about nanoscience. Visitors loved the activities, but I do not think the kits captured all the excitement that the nanoscience field had to offer.
What would be done differently next year:Adding a short 5-7 minute nano presentation to be given every half hour in the Lab would help add more substance and could help visitors leave with a bigger picture of what nanoscience is all about. With the remaining time in the half hour people would do the NanoDays kit activity for the day.
Changes made to what NISE provided for NanoDays to better fit the institution:The kits were modified so that three sets of visitors could do the experiment at once in the Lab.
What the NISE network could have done to make NanoDays more of a success:A short, general script (3-5 minutes in length) that gives a brief overview to nano that facilitators/presenters could give before any program (for example, the NanoDays kits) would have been very helpful. What does NISEnet think are the key essentials that are needed to introduce the general public to nano before they delve into a specific nano topic?
Photos
Basic facts about the NanoDays event(s)
Dates
- NanoDays - March 29, 2008
- NanoDays - April 1, 2008
- NanoDays - April 2, 2008
- NanoDays - April 3, 2008
- NanoDays - April 4, 2008
- NanoDays - April 5, 2008
Location: Durham, NC
Contact person: Brad Herring
Title: Director of Nanoscale Informal Science Education
Department: Innovation and Learning
Professional Category: education outreach
Organization: Museum of Life + Science
Type of organization: Museum
Event organizers and participants:
Brad Herring - Director of Nanoscale Informal Science Education
Kate DeAlmedia - Lab Facilitator
Troy Livingston - VP for Innovation and Learning
David Berube, NC State University. This collaboration began with NanoDays 2008
Gail Jones, NC State University. We have worked with Gail on previous events
David Berube, NC State University
Marketing:
Mainly over the internet (Graig's List, List-serves) , museum member newsletters, and some local newspapers
Audience
Type of public served
- Invited Group - Adults
- General Public
- School Groups
| Type of audience | Numbers of participants (approximate) |
|---|---|
| Total number of participants | over 900 people participated in the Lab activities over the course of the week and 13 people attended the forum |
| Adults | No information available |
| Children | No information available |
| Persons with disabilities | No information available |
Additional information about audience: No information available
General comments about audience: No information available