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Communicating Nanoscale Science and Engineering to the General Public

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Carl Batt
Carl Batt*
Affiliation:
[email protected], Cornell University, Food Science, 312 Stocking Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States, 607-255-7900, 607-255-8741
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Abstract

Communicating the underlying concepts in nanotechnology to the general public is challenging but essential as its impact on society increases over time. We have created a webzine called Nanooze and a traveling museum exhibition called Too Small to See to help communicate nanoscale science and engineering concepts. Nanooze was launched in 2006 and covers the basic concepts of nanotechnology along with the latest in scientific discoveries and interviews with scientists. Its mission is to excite, educate, and challenge kids age 6 to 10 years old and their teachers. Nanooze covers both the underlying science of nanotechnology and its applications. It has attracted a broad audience and has been one of the core resources to a number of national/international competitions, schools and after-school groups. Surveys of readers reveal that over 50% thought that Nanooze was cool with approximately 21% stating that they visit Nanooze once a month. During the 2006 FIRST Lego League competition, which Nanooze supported, 385,000 hits were recorded in one month indicating its broad reach. Too Small to See is a traveling museum exhibition that immerses visitors in a hands-on interactive experience in nanotechnology. This five thousand square foot exhibition is currently on a national tour after debuting at Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort. Too Small to See takes the visitor from the macroscale world to the nanoscale world through a series of interactive and video experiences using everyday objects as the focal point. Once there, the visitor can play with atoms and take on challenges that illustrate the difficulties of nanotechnology. Summative evaluation has revealed that 60% of the visitors were interested in knowing more about nanotechnology as a result of the exhibits. Over 80% of the visitors surveyed altered their viewpoint of the smallest thing that they could think of from a macroscopic object to a nanoscale object after using the exhibits.

Keywords

educationnanoscalenanostructure
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1105: Symposium OO – The Role of Lifelong Education in Nanoscience and Engineering , 2008 , 1105-OO02-06
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

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