Welcome to the August Nano Bite, the monthly e-newsletter for the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net).
What's New?
→ Planning for Mini-Grants
The NISE Net 2014 Mini-Grant application will open by September 1. Planning to apply? You can check out the list of past recipients here for more ideas. We'd also encourage you to join us on August 13th at 1pm eastern for an online brown-bag Q&A and brainstorming session focused on the mini-grants.
→ Online Brown-Bag Conversations
In the coming months, the NISE Network will continue to offer a series of online brown-bag conversations focused on helping NISE Network partners share their work and learn from others in the Network.
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Mini-Grants 2014 Brainstorming and Guidelines - Tuesday, August 13, 10 am Pacific/1 pm Eastern: Have a great idea that you want to turn into a NISE Network mini-grant project? You're not alone! We average 70 applications for the mini-grants program each year, and each year it becomes more difficult to choose projects to pursue with such a high-quality submission pool. Please join us for a brainstorming session for the 2014 mini-grant application cycle. We will discuss the mini-grant program and offer you the opportunity to converse among colleagues and your regional hub leader about your project ideas. We welcome previous mini-grant awardees with advice for future applicants to also join in this conversation. Bring your ideas, proposals and suggestions, and get ready to discuss how to refine your ideas for the strongest project application possible! To sign up for this conversation, go to: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1272607/Online-Brown-Bag-Conversation-Mini-Grants-2014-Brainstorming-and-Guidelines
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If you missed last month's brown-bags on Nano in Consumer Products or Partnerships to Reach New Audiences, recordings are available at: http://www.nisenet.org/events/online-workshop
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Keep an eye out in the coming months for brown-bags on Nano for School Groups, a followup to the Universal Design for Public Programs Workshop, and Nano in Food. Details on past and future brown-bags can be found here: http://www.nisenet.org/events/online-workshop.
Wondering how many people will come into contact with the NISE Net mini-exhibitions? Or what visitors are learning from the mini-exhibition? The Summative Study of the Nano mini-exhibition was just posted to nisenet.org. The study took place during the spring and summer of 2012. After being observed during their Nano mini-exhibition experience, 455 visitors across six different partner institutions participated in surveys and interviews with NISE Net evaluation team members. Check out the summary of findings - as well as the complete report: /catalog/evaluation/public_impacts_mini-exhibition_study_year_8_summative_evaluation
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One finding from the study was that visitor dwell times at the mini-exhibition were over 4 times greater than the field average:
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The average time spent by a visitor group within the Nano mini-exhibition was 6:07 (min:sec), and the median time was 4:00. Dividing the standard square footage of 400ft for the mini-exhibition footprint by the median dwell time leads to a Sweep Rate Index (SRI) of 100, which is approximately four times greater than the field average (Serrell, 1998; Yalowitz & Bronnenkant, 2009). Even if the mini-exhibition is installed in a larger space, the SRI is still well above average (at 500sq ft., the SRI is 125, still more than three times greater than the field average).
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Animations on the Nano Scale: Australian animated videos on nano scale (Part 1) and nano properties (Part 2).
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NANO Supermarket Exhibit and Website: Go to the NANO Supermarket to explore speculative nanotech products that may hit the shelves within the next ten years: medicinal candy, interactive wall paint, programmable wine and more.
What Else?
→ Planning Ahead for the ASTC 2013 Annual Conference
The NISE Network will have many activities and professional development opportunities at the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) annual conference. For details, go to: /events/astc/astc-annual-conference-2013
Partner News
→ Port Discovery in ACMs Hand to Hand
The latest Association of Children's Museums (ACM) Hand to Hand includes an article titled "Bringing Nanoscience to the Community" about Port Discovery's ever-expanding involvement in the world of nano, and their partnership with the University of Maryland's Materials Research Science and Engineering Center.
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Stanford Scientists Break Record for Thinnest Light-Absorber: Scientists have built the thinnest, most efficient absorber of visible light on record, a nanosize structure that could lead to less-costly, more efficient solar cells.
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This New Device Can Sterilize Medical Tools Using Solar Power Alone: A smithsonian.com Surprising Science blog post about a newly developed device, called a solarclave, that harnesses the power of the Sun - along with the unique characteristics of specific nanoparticles - to sanitize medical equipment and other instruments without any need for an external electricity source.
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Nano and Laser Technology Packed into Small Device Tests Antibiotic Treatment in Minutes: Researchers have built a matchbox-sized device that can test for the presence of bacteria in a couple of minutes, instead of up to several weeks. A nano-lever vibrates in the presence of bacterial activity, while a laser reads the vibration and translates it into an electrical signal that can be easily read.
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This Mona Lisa Replica is Thinner Than a Human Hair: A team of researchers has created the "Mini Liza," a 30-micron thick version of the Mona Lisa. The project shows that complex chemical reactions can be applied on a microscopic scale, which could have implications for the production of nano-tech devices.
Nano Throughout the Year
Nano Haiku
Nanoparticles
Make more steam using sunlight,
Clean scalpels and poop
This haiku by Vrylena Olney refers to the two potential uses of the solarclave from the article above: sterilizing medical equipment and sterilizing human and animal waste to reduce the spread of disease.
Questions? Haikus? Contributions to the newsletter? Contact Eli Bossin at [email protected]