The grand finale of the USA Science and Engineering Festival takes place on October 23-24, 2010 with a two-day EXPO on the National Mall and surrounding venues in Washington D.C. The expo will include over 1,500 fun, hands-on interactive activities and 75 stage shows for all ages and interests. Participating organizations include over 750 companies, universities, museums, research labs, federal agencies, professional societies, community groups and science outreach organizations. NISE Net will be there – presenting activities with the Materials Research Society. Amy Moll (Boise State) submitted this description and theme for the joint NISE Net/MRS booth: The Nano Age. The historical ages have been named after materials - the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age and the Silicon Age. Come discover what new materials research might name the next historical age. As nanoscience and nanotechnology become more and more important, the next age might just be the Nano Age. Visitors at The Nano Age will be able to explore forms of carbon through hand-held models and takeaway buckyballs, help build a giant carbon nanotube balloon model, and experiment with the hydrophobic properties of plants, "nano"sand, and nanofabrics. The booth will be staffed by collaborators from the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC); The Institute of Functional Nanomaterials, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras; University of Wisconsin-Madison Materials Research Science and Engineering Center; University of Maryland, College Park, Materials Research Science and Engineering Center; and the James Madison University Department of Physics. Come visit The Nano Age at booth 227 on the Mall, between 3rd and 4 Streets NW! Other NISE Network collaborators will also be present at the Festival Expo. WBGH will be demonstrating new activities from their upcoming Making Stuff series. (Jen- insert details). Stage shows at the Festival include the Museum of Science's theatrical comedy performance The Amazing Nano Brothers Juggling Show, playing live in the National Museum of Natural History on Saturday, October 23rd (12:00 noon and 4:00 pm), and Sunday, October 24th (12:30 pm). You can find additional details about the festival at http://www.usasciencefestival.org
