Event: NanoDays, March 27-April 4, 2010
NanoDays 2010 – March 27-April 4, 2010
Application deadline for physical kit: Nov. 1 – Dec. 15, 2009
sponsored by the NISE Net (Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network
NanoDays is a nationwide festival of educational programs about nanoscale science and engineering and its potential impact on the future. NanoDays events are organized by participants in the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net), and take place at over 200 science museums, research centers, and universities across the country from Maine to Hawaii.
NanoDays activities often bring university researchers together with science museum educators, creating unique learning experiences. NanoDays engages people of all ages in a miniscule world where materials have special properties and new technologies have spectacular promise.
Many NanoDays celebrations will combine simple hands-on activities for young people with events exploring current research for adults. One popular activity involves visitors working together to build a giant balloon model of a carbon nanotube. (Real carbon nanotubes, which are 1/50,000th of the width of a human hair, have extraordinary strength and unusual electrical properties that make them useful in electronics and materials science.
Other NanoDays activities demonstrate different, unexpected properties of materials at the nanoscale — sand that won’t get wet even under water, water that won’t spill from a teacup, and colors that depend upon particle size.
Some NanoDays participants host public forums, discussions about the risks and benefits of particular appllications of nanotechnology. Many participating universities host public tours of their laboratories that work with nanoscale science and technology.
How to participate:
Being part of NanoDays is easy: host one (or several!) events about nanoscale science and engineering during NanoDays, March 27 – April 4, 2010. We can help you with materials and ideas. All we ask in return is that you fill out a report telling us about your events.
Last year, over 150 NanoDays events were held across the country, including hands-on activities and demos, speaker events, theater presentations, art shows, lab tours, lectures, deliberative forums, and science cafes. Through NanoDays, the NISE Network aims to reach audiences across a diverse geographic distribution, people with disabilities, and under-represented audiences in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).
What can you do for NanoDays?
You can host a day or a week of activities on the theme of nanoscale science and technology. The NISE network has developed a host of resources to help you, including products in our online catalog and our NanoDays kits.
How to apply for a NanoDays Kit: There are two kinds of NanoDays kits: the physical kit and the digital kit. Both kits provide the same information about hands-on activities, and include guides and tips to help you stage your NanoDays events. The physical kit contains all materials and supplies for each activity and includes physical signage; digital kits include downloadable guides and printable signage files.
To receive or download a NanoDays kit, you will need to fill out an online application.
Kits and Eligibility: Please read eligibility guidelines to determine which one of the kit options you should apply.
Physical Kit: Eligibility: Physical kits are designed for informal science educational institutions (such as museums and research center outreach programs) within the United States. Contents: 2010 planning guide, marketing materials, posters, hands-on activities with supplies, books, and a banner. See a complete list of contents.
Digital Kit Eligibility: Free online download is available to anyone who registers on nisenet.org, particularly for international locations outside the United States, K-12 educators, libraries, and other educational organizations. Many of the activities use inexpensive, readily available supplies. Contents: 2010 planning guide, marketing materials, hands-on activity guides with supply lists. See a complete list of contents.
Reporting Requirements: If you host or co-organize a NanoDays event, we request that you report back to the Network about your experiences. We report his to the National Science Foundation; it also help all of our partners learn from each other and improve our ability to engage the public. We’ll provide a link to an online reporting form on nisenet.org.
Timeline: Applications for the physical kit will be accepted from November 1 through December 15, 2009. Please apply online as soon as possible. We have a limited number of physical kits. The NISE Network will distribute the NanoDays 2010 kits beginning in Jan. 2010.
About NISE: The Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net) is a national community of researchers and informal science educators dedicated to fostering public awareness, engagement, and understanding of nanoscale science, engineering, and technology.
Filed under: K-12 Outreach Programs
