OMSI is part of NISE Net, a collaboration between multiple museums and research centers to advance public education about nanotechnology.
NISE Net offers a variety of opportunities for scientists and museum professionals to collaborate in bringing nanoscale science to the public. The network is being built through these active collaborations and, as a result, is creating a national infrastructure of relationships and resources to support informal nanoscale science education.
OMSI is participating in the development of museum exhibits, educational programs, and public forums for discussion. We are also participating in public events like NanoDays.
Forums
OMSI is holding several evening forums about nanotechnology, and they are free and open to the public. Registration requested.
Nanotechnology and Alternative Energy
Wednesday, April 2, OMSI Auditorium, Portland
Monday, March 7, La Grande
Tuesday, March 8, Milton-Freewater
Wednesday, March 9, Baker City
Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology in Health and Healing
Wednesday, May 14, OMSI Auditorium, Portland
You can learn more about our forums and register for one here.
NanoDays
NanoDays is a nationwide public event to increase awareness of nanotechnology, March 29?April 6, 2008. During NanoDays, new OMSI-designed exhibits will be on display, and there will be daily nano demonstrations at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in our technology and physics labs. The Science Pub topic on Monday, March 31 will be Nanotechnology: New Science for Society and the Environment, and OMSI will also host several free public forums on Nanotechnology and Alternative Energy. Visit our forums page for dates and details.
Programs
OMSI hosted a national workshop in March 2008 for informal science education institutions to figure out how to make educational programs about nanotechnology.
OMSI has developed six different demonstrations about nanotechnology as part of our work with NISE Net. You can see these demos at OMSI and at other museums around the nation. Anyone who wants to do these demonstrations will be able to find lesson plans online at nisenet.org by September 2008.
Expanding the Network
The goal of NISE Net is to have nanotechnology content present in 100 informal science education centers by 2010. For this year, OMSI is one of the expansion hubs for involving new partners. We have a map of all the institutions that have expressed interest in participating. OMSI is responsible for the western region of the network expansion.
NSF
The NISE Network is funded by the National Science Foundation. Grant Number: ESI 0532536
Exhibits
OMSI is developing and building several exhibit packages as part of the NISE Net project. Our Introduction to Nano exhibit package was showcased at the 2007 ASTC conference in Los Angeles. You can see some pictures of these exhibits below. We are currently working on developing a package of exhibits about medical nanotechnologies.
Video
Part of the Intro to Nano exhibit package is this short video introducing nanotechnology.
