NCMN MEMBERS CELEBRATE RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGHS IN MATERIALS & NANOSCIENCE !

at the Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience
 

After School Program

 
After School Program with Dr. Christian Binek After School Program Culler After School 2012 Culler After School 2012

Faculty members, and NCMN students and staff presented an 8 week Nanoscience After School Program to junior high students at Culler Middle School. The one hour presentations were given to students who had limited knowledge of nanoscience. Information included videos, hands-on activities, giveaways and discussions of nano applications which provided a broad overview of nanoscience/nanotechnology as a field with many career opportunities. Students were able to gain a comprehensive understanding through activities that introduced them to the unique properties at the nanoscale. Professors participating were: Steve Ducharme (Physics), Christian Binek (Physics), Yunshen Zhou (Engineering), Rebecca Lai (Chemistry), Eva Franke-Schubert (Engineering), and graduate student Chris Marin (Cheung group-Chemistry).

 

Sunday with a Scientist

 
Sunday with a Sicentist - Dr. Ducharme Sunday with a Scientist at Morrill Hall Sunday Afternoon with a Scientist Explainations are one on one at Sunday with a Scientist

The Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience partners with the University of Nebraska State Museum as part of their Sunday with a Scientist series. Some presentations have highlighted the nanoscience work of our Center’s scientists while educating kids and families. Dr. Stephen Ducharme (Physics & Astronomy), Dr. Linxia (Mechanical Engineering), Dr. Rebecca Lai (Chemistry) and their colleagues have shared scientific information about LED’s, tissue mechanics, and DNA, in a fun, informal way through hands-on demonstrations and a variety of activities.  An average of 200-250 people attended these events.

 

Bright Lights Engineering Camp

 
Bright Lights E-Camp Bright Lights E-Camp Bright Lights E-Camp Bright Lights E-Camp

NCMN faculty presented hands-on activities and information about nanotechnology at the College of Engineering's Bright Lights Engineering Camp held July 12-16. Prof. Eva Franke-Schubert (Electrical Engineering) and Prof. Stephen Ducharme (Physics & Astronomy) taught 6-8 graders about ferrofluids, nanostructures, solar cells, electron microscope, nanoparticle capacitors, and quantum dots.

 

Lincoln Childrens Museum

 
Adults are curious too Volunteer Tathagata Mukherjee draws a crowd Pouring the Nano Ice Cream Mixture into SS bowl Tathagata Mukherjee entertains curios young audience

Children explored the very small world of nano and enjoyed a sweet treat at the Lincoln Children's Museum. NCMN teamed up with Department of Physics & Astronomy students, to demonstrate how to make "nano" ice cream and gave away free samples to over 200 children & parents visiting the Museum. The ice cream was made from cream, sugar, and vanilla just like regular ice cream, but went through a special freezing process using liquid nitrogen that froze the ice cream mixture FAST into very small (nano) sized crystals. Graduate Student, Tathagata Mukherjee (shown above) works with the Prof. Christian Binek group at UNL.

 

Big Red Stars

 
Dr. Binek's sound wave-slinky demonstration Dr. Binek's Flute demonstration Dr. Binek with Guitar and flames demonstration Screen presentations

Big Red Stars is a special recognition program designed to honor outstanding eighth-grade Nebraska students.  Every spring these students are nominated by their school guidance counselors and receive an award for their excellence in school and community involvement. NCMN faculty member, Christian Binek, inspired about 125 Big Red Star students to learn the physics of waves through a variety of interactive activities including a giant slinky, flutes, and flames controlled by an electric guitar.  

 

NCMN/Bright Lights NanoCamp

 
Bright Lights E-Camp Eva Schubert demonstrates at Bright Lights Bright Lights E-Camp Bright Lights E-Camp

Students, 6-9th grade, participated in a weeklong NanoCamp held June 25-29 where UNL faculty and graduate students, NCMN & Bright Lights staff, future science teachers and the Department of Physics & Astronomy all worked together to present an amazing mini-course about nanotechnology at UNL. Topics and supporting activities included synthetic polymers, carbon nanotubes, self-assembly, DNA, ferrofluids, stem cells, nanocomposities, alternative energy,  and of course nano ice cream! Resources and more information about the camp can be found at Nanocamp Presentations 2012.

 

Junior STEM Fellows Program

Junior STEM Fellows Program 2012 Junior STEM Fellows Program 2012 Junior STEM Fellows Program 2012, Stephen Ducharme Junior STEM Fellows Program 2012

NCMN partnered with the College of Education and Human Sciences to provide inquiry science lab experience for 7th and 8th grade students with an interest in science.  Students worked with a scientist for about 2-1/2 hours doing a lab activity related to their area of research but age-appropriate. Students engaged in actually “doing” research as well as seeing research being done in scientists’ labs.  Running concurrently with the Junior STEM program were related workshops for the teachers and principals accompanying these students.

Saturday Scientist

Saturday Scientist 2013 Saturday Scientist 2013 Junior STEM Fellows Program 2012, Stephen Ducharme Saturday Scientist 2013

NCMN partnered with the UNL Physics and Astronomy department during their annual Saturday Science series held during February for Lincoln Public School 5th graders. NCMN Undergraduate Fellows Emily Hubl, Parise Reynolds, Purity Muhia, and Fernando Urias-Cordero shared information and giveaways about nanoscience with about 200 students at the event.