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Nano Bite: February 2009

Welcome to the February Nano Bite, the monthly NISE Net e-newsletter.

What's new in the network? 

  •  The Digital NanoDays kit is now available for download from nisenet.org.  It contains digital files with instructions and graphics to deliver eight hands-on nano activities, five demos and presentations, digital files for the "Zoom into a Human Hand" and "Zoom into a Nasturtium Leaf" interactive media pieces, a NanoDays planning guide, a forums planning guide, and more.  Fill out an application at www.nisenet.org/nanodays/2009 to download the kit.
  • A few copies of the physical kit and refill versions of the NanoDays 2009 kits are also still available. You can request a kit at www.nisenet.org/nanodays/2009

What else?

  • Sharing Program Adaptations
    Sarah Maine
    from the Brookhaven National Laboratory Science Learning Center posted an interesting adaptation to the energy and nanotechnology program. Check out her comment, as well as other suggestions for adapting the program, at http://www.nisenet.org/catalog/programs/energy-nanotechnology
  • Video Contest
    The American Chemical Society's Nanonation is holding a video contest asking, "What is 'Nano'?" If you have thoughts on what is nano, where it's headed, how it's best visualized, or how to explain it to your friends, send in an original video before March 15th and you could win $500 in cash. Find out more information on ACS's website or by emailing [email protected].
  • NanoDays High-Visibility Program Suggestions
    If you are looking for an inexpensive, high-visibility activity, check out the Balloon Nanotubes program at www.nisenet.org/catalog/programs/balloon-nanotubes.
  • Featured NISE Network Partners
    The Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown, PA recently hosted two Senior Science Monday workshops in January using activities from the NanoDays kits and an adaptation of the introduction to nano presentation. The workshops were 45 minutes long and were at capacity with about 50 people each. The workshop consisted of a 25-minute introductory presentation followed by 20 minutes spent exploring a number hands-on activities. Ruth Brown, a Science Educator at the Da Vinci Science Center, gave the presentation, and was joined by two additional educators to facilitate the hands-on activities. Overall, Brown felt the workshop was a tremendous success.

    Based on their experience last year, Da Vinci staff successfully revised the format for these programs to have a longer presentation, and she encouraged the audience to participate in the activities facilitated by several educators. From previous Senior Mondays, Da Vinci staff have found that seniors' organizations prefer doing activities in the hours right after lunch. Staff also said that the key to marketing these events for seniors in their area is working with the seniors' organizations, marketing the programs as a series of events, and beginning to work with the organizations well in advance.

    For more information on Seniors Mondays, check out www.davinci-center.org/seniorsmondays.html or call 484.664.1002 extension 112. You can also follow up with Ruth Brown, Science Educator, at [email protected].  

Nano Haiku for February:

Space Elevator
Take me up into the sky.
It's a long way down.