Hands-on Workshops
Thanks to NSF grant DUE-2000725, NACK offers multiple hands-on workshop. Whether you need introductory information to the world of nano, are ready to implement nano-concepts into your classroom, or are interested in implementing a full nanotechnology program at your institution, these are great cutting-edge knowledge, professional development opportunities at no cost to you!
Upcoming Workshops
2024 NACK Hands-on-Site Workshops
These workshops present overviews of the world of nanotechnology. Participants will learn about the growing applications of nanotechnology in many areas and the basics of nanofabrication processes. The three-day workshops are broken down into daily lectures and lab sessions on nanofabrication in the cleanroom.
Target audience: Post secondary and secondary science and technology educators with a desire to create additional learning opportunities for their students.
Dates/Locations:
• June 12-14, 2024 at SUNY Erie Community College, Williamsville, NY
• July 15-17, 2024 at Salt Lake Community College, Salt Lake City, UT
• August 5-7, 2024 at Penn State CNEU, State College, PA
Possible Topics: Cleanroom safety, Vacuum, Evaporation, Metrology, Lithography, SEM, AFM, Etching, CVD, and ideas on how to implement these into your lessons, courses, and programs.
Additional workshop details, hotel information, and finanical support details* will be included in your confirmation email.
*US persons will be eligible for a travel stipend and registration fee waiver.
Deadline: May 3, 2024
Deadline: June 7, 2024
Deadline: June 28, 2024
2025 Workshop
Low Cost Nanotechnology Hands-on Workshop
Sponsored by MNT-EC, this 3-day workshop (May 12-14, 2025) will feature hands-on nanotechnology lab activities in a teaching cleanroom. In some cases, low-cost alternatives that can be used for both outreach and education have been developed. These low-cost alternatives will be demonstrated and discussed with workshop attendees.
Presenters: Zachary Gray, Treylor Shirley, Vishal Saravade
Dates: May 12-14, 2025
Location: Penn State Campus, State College, PA
Additional workshop details, hotel information, and financial support details* will be communicated in your confirmation email.
*US citizens will be eligible for a travel stipend.
Deadline: March 28, 2025
Archived Recordings
Introduction to Nanotechnology for Educators
How small is a nanometer? What makes nanotechnology so special, interesting, and unique? How is nanotechnology impacting us today and into the future? How do we see what we cannot see? How do we make things at the nanoscale? What education and career paths are available in nanotechnology? Learn the answers to these questions and more at our Intro to Nanotechnology for Educators Workshop.
Nanotechnology is at the frontier of chemistry, biology, biophysics, materials science, engineering … just about any STEM discipline. Electronics, energy, construction, medicine, agriculture, consumer products, and even fashion are all benefiting from innovations at the nanoscale. STEM education cannot ignore this integral avenue of research and career advancement. Discover activities and content you can use to create your Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-aligned lessons or workforce development programming.
Session topics include:
• What is nano? – A basic understanding of nanotechnology and why it matters.
• Properties and phenomena – Unique properties that can be found at the nanoscale and how they can be different than what we think of as “normal”.
• Fabrication – How does one fabricate products at the nanoscale?
• Characterization – Looking into some of the more common instruments used in nanotechnology.
• Applications – Some of the ways that nanotechnology is being used to help our everyday lives.
• Opportunities – What additional information and resources are available for the nanotechnology community.
Nano-Educators Topical Seminar Series
Please join us for a more in-depth dive of select nanotechnology topics, including resources and tips on how to share these ideas with your students. This series consists of 16 self-contained topics.
Session of the topics are listed below:
• Optical Lithography
• Wave-Based Characterization
• Plasma Technology
• Microelectromechanical Systems
• Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy and Ebeam Lithography
• Transmission Electron Microscopy
• Microfluidics
• Nano-medicine