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Community Outreach

NanoDays - Saint Louis Science Center
Washington University Graduate students from the laboratory of Dr. Younan Xia, Dr. DaRen Chen, Dr. Yinjie Tang, and Dr. Lan Yang, along with Research Engineer Kristy Wendt and Principal Scientist Yujie Xiong from the Nano Research Facility (NRF) participated in NanoDays at the St. Louis Science Center April 3-4, 2009. The two-day public outreach program featured hands-on exhibitions presented by regional scientists from academic institutions and local industry.

On Saturday, elementary students participated in an NRF-featured exhibition, assembling an eight-foot tall balloon carbon nanotube model while learning about elemental properties such as conductivity and bonding, as well as nanotechnology applications. During assembly, students were encouraged to climb inside the nearly-complete balloon nanotube rendition while teachers and school group leaders studied the accompanying poster and finished tying off the last of the balloons. A complimentary exhibition featured a confocal microscope with floral specimens, introducing elementary students to the differences between micro-scale and nano-scale, while hands-on SEM placards encouraged students to guess the featured subject matter.

The purpose of the exhibition was to make student of all ages, their teachers, and the public aware of nanotechnology and how it is used in the world today. The Nano Research Facility booth representing Washington University also focused on helping teachers incorporate this technology in their classrooms. NRF has already been invited back to participate in next year’s NanoDays that will be held sometime in the Spring of 2010.

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