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Nano Bite: February 2011

Welcome to the February Nano Bite, the monthly e-newsletter for the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net).
What's New? 
 Valentine's Day (and the new seasonal activities calendar)
Valentine's Day is February 14th. Haven't made plans yet? May we suggest Sweet Self-Assembly, a program focused on using self-assembly techniques to create edible macrocapsules. So this Valentine's Day, take your big date over to the local science center and make your own self-assembling ice cream toppings! 
- The Children's Museum of Houston recently posted a video blog post Molecular Gastronomy that includes step-by-step instructions for the Sweet Self-Assembly program.
- While you're there, check out the Children's Museum of Houston blog with over 40 other videos featuring Mr. O!
 
Maybe you've had Valentine's Day planned for months, and now you're looking ahead to Earth Day? The new seasonal activity calendar is posted on nisenet.org. We've suggested activities to go with holidays and events throughout the year. Please let us know if you have other suggestions for additions to the calendar!
 
→  2011 NanoDays Digital Kits are Available for Download
The Digital Kit is now available to download for free on nisenet.org. If your organization was not eligible for a physical kit, or you'd like to send the materials to some of your NanoDays partners, download the kit now!
There are a number of additional resources available to help support your NanoDays events:
- The revised NanoDays Planning Guide to assist in planning your events.
- The NanoDays Promotional Material Package to help promote your event.
NISE Net Publicity Photos for marketing and creating NISE Net-related materials.
 
 
What Else?
 
→ Making Stuff
There is still one more episode of Making Stuff, showing Wednesday nights on PBS. If you missed any of the past episodes, you can watch them online at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/making-stuff.html

For those of you Jeopardy! fans out there, Making Stuff will be a full category on the program airing Friday, February 4th.
 
→ Association of Children's Museums (ACM) Pre-Conference Workshop
On May 18th, the Children's Museum of Houston will host the NISE Net pre-conference workshop "Implementing Nano in Children's Museums" as part of ACM Interactivity 2011. Travel scholarships are available for this full-day, hands-on workshop introducing nanoscale science and technology and the NISE Network as well as providing tools, methodologies and resources to present nano to your audiences. Space is limited and registration is first come, first serve.

For more details go to: http://www.nisenet.org/events/acm/association-childrens-museums-acm-interactivity-2011
If you have any questions, please contact Aaron Guerrero at [email protected] or 713-535-7226.

 
 Spreading the Word: Why Science Outreach Matters
At the Materials Research Society meeting in Boston, materials scientist Amy Moll of Boise State University argued that researchers have an obligation to spread the word about their work to a general audience in this video interview.
 
 
 NISE Net on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn
Ever wondered how you could find out about the latest NISE Net shenanigans in 140 characters or less? Want to tout your friend-status with NISE Net? Or perhaps just keep it professional - publicly? Meet up with us on TwitterFacebook, and LinkedIn! You'll get links to nano news and media, and the opportunity to digitally schmooze with other nano-minded individuals and organizations. More fun than you can shake a carbon nanotube at!
     
Nano Haikus
We received two Haikus from Michael Flynn expressing his hopes and fears for nanotechnology:
Miracle fibers
Weave a new reality
Built from the ground up
Too Small to be seen
This toxin is nanoscale
Can't tell if it spilled
 
Questions? Haikus? Contributions to the newsletter? Contact Eli Bossin at [email protected]