An Overview of the NISE Network

Reviewers said... The NISE net has done an impressive job the first five years of building a large core group to create a strong network.... unique in the scope of its mission, scale of membership and impact on ISE professionals and audiences. The results of the last five years... in many ways exceeded expectations.... the goals for the next five years are equally ambitious. The network has only begun to realize its potential and deserves support... to continue developing its full potential.

Renewal has been approved! Years 1-5: ended September 30, 2010 Years 6-10: began October 1, 2010 NISE Network Funding Status

Presentation Overview NNI and the NISE Network Network Community Educational Products Evaluation and Research How to get more involved

NNI and the NISE Network Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network The NISE Net is a national community of researchers and informal science educators dedicated to fostering public awareness, engagement, and understanding of nanoscale science, engineering, and technology.

What is Nano? Nano is: Small: 1 billion nanometers in a meter Different properties at this scale Manipulating matter in different ways can lead to exciting breakthroughs in: Medicine Computing Energy Materials technologies

Shift in Focus Years 1-5: Building the network Years 6-10: Engaging the public through the network

NISE Network Advisors Robert Westervelt, Harvard University Sandip Tiwari, Cornell University Rick Borchelt, USDA; Johns Hopkins University Ahmed Busnaina, Northeastern University Vicki L. Colvin,, Rice University Gail Jones, North Carolina State University Andrew Maynard, University of Mich. Clark Miller, Arizona State University Ainissa Ramirez, Yale University James T. Yardley, Columbia University

Network Structure in Years 6-10ProjectManagement Vrylena Olney Vrylena Olney Administration Vrylena Olney Research Kirsten Ellenbogen Website Catherine McCarthy Evaluation Christine Reich EducationalProducts Rae Ostman Public Engagement Steering Content DEA Rae Ostman Veronica Garcia-Luis Exhibits Catherine McCarthy NanoDays Margaret Glass Programs Rae Ostman Community Catherine McCarthy Catherine McCarthy RISE Steering Larry Bell Hubs Regional & Children’s Museums Hubs Catherine McCarthy

NISE Network: Goals Network community: increase capacity in the field Support partners in engaging the public Support institutions in forming partnerships Educational products: engage the public Develop and distribute educational products Raise public awareness and understanding of nano

NISE Network: Strategy NISE Network ISE organizations Research centers Network community partnerships practices and knowledge resources and materials workshops and training Educational products programs exhibits media tools and guides InputsOutputsOutcomes Increase capacity in the field to engage the public in nano Engage the public, increasing awareness and understanding of nano

Network Community

Network Community: NanoDays Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network

Network Community: Strategy Broad Reach Partners Tier 3 >300 Core Partners Tier 1 ~14 Nano-infused Partners Tier 2 ~100

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry Lawrence Hall of Science Sciencenter Science Museum of Minnesota Children’s Museum of Houston The Franklin Institute Museum of Life and Science INTERNATIONAL ASTC CHILDREN’S MUSEUMS Children’s Museum of Houston Lawrence Hall of Science Network Community: Structure

Network Community: Role of Regional Hubs Share NISE Network resources Support the infusion of nano content to increase public impact Encourage further involvement in the network Connect informal science educators and local researchers

Network Community: RISE steering group Supports development of Researcher - Informal Science Educ Partnerships Center to center partnerships and individual scientist involvement in ISE Advocacy, tools, professional development, consultation

Network Community: Plans for 6-10 Regional site visits Capacity building mini-grants Promotional materials for partners Variety of professional development for informal science educators and for researchers

Professional Development

Network Community: Professional Impacts Pyramid more intense, greater impact funded partners NanoDays presenters, online workshop attendees, conference session attendees, nisenet.org users, NanoBite newsletter recipients less intense, lesser impact Tier 1: 14 organizations 100 people active at a time Tier 2: 100 organizations 300 people active at a time intensive workshops & network wide meeting participants Tier 3: many organizations 5,000 people by year 10

Network Community: Professional Development Regional meetings (Years 7, 9, 10) Network wide meetings (Years 6, 8, 10) National & pre-conference workshops (1-2/yr) Online workshops (2 per year) Tools, guides, and resources Science communication and inquiry for scientists and college students

Educational Products

Educational Products Strategy: Public Outreach Pyramid shorter, less intense experiences longer, more intense experiences forums, summer camps cart demos, presentations tabletop exhibits, exhibits, NanoDays events partner products (DragonflyTV, NOVA Making Stuff) NISE Net public web portal page, videos on YouTube thousands millions tens of millions

Educational Products: Programs Public programs (demonstrations presentations, videos) Group programs (after school, school group, camps) Adult programs (science cafes, media) Training resources, tools, and guides for prof audiences

Educational Products: Exhibits Exhibits on display at OMSI, MOS, and Arkansas Discovery Network Portable tabletop exhibits at OMSI Mini-exhibition under development, copies will be distributed in 2012

Educational Products: NanoDays 200 physical kits, 470,000 visitors in physical kits for 2011 application deadline: Dec 10 Digital materials online January 2011

Educational Products: Website for professionals for the public Professional site: Catalog of educational products New links to external products News and events Member directory Social networking links

Educational Products: Website Catalog > 200 products Programs Exhibits Media Tools and guides Evaluation reports

Public Engagement Goals Awareness and Understanding

Content Map: 4 Big Ideas Nanometer-sized things are very small, and often behave differently than larger things do. Scientists and engineers have formed the interdisciplinary field of nanoscale science and engineering by investigating properties and manipulating matter at the nanoscale. Nanoscience, nanotechnology, and nanoengineering lead to new knowledge and innovations that weren’t possible before. Nanotechnologies have costs, risks, and benefits that affect our lives in ways we cannot always predict.

Content Steering Group Advisors Ira Bennett, Arizona State University Nelson Cardona Martinez, University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez Nancy Healy, Georgia Tech University George Lisensky, Beloit College Juan Lopez-Garriga, University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez Andrew Maynard, University of Michigan Clark Miller, Arizona State University Cynthia Needham, ICAN Productions Julie Nucci, Cornell University Idalia Ramos, University of Puerto Rico Humacao Dietram Scheufele, University of Wisconsin-Madison Shawn Stevens, University of Michigan Aldrin Sweeney, University of Central Florida Michael Thompson, FEI Inc. Jameson Wetmore, Arizona State University

Public Engagement: Inclusive Audiences Define audiences and learning strategies Universal design Spanish language translations Resources for professionals

Evaluation & Research

Evaluation Inform the work of the network –Improving educational products during design and development –Improving network operation –Improving professional development Strengthen evaluation capacity through team evaluation Assess and monitor impacts –Public Learning –Professional capacity –Network reach across audiences and organizations

Research in Years 6-10 Research studies to provide the field with new knowledge and understanding Development of the network Change in educational practices How people learn about nano Combining science and society in educational products

Get More Involved

How to Get More Involved 1. Use the Website networking tools Update your profile on the website: Sign up for the monthly NanoBite newsletter Connect with people in your region Join our social networking sites:

How to Get More Involved 2. Host a NanoDays Event: December 10 th deadline for physical kit application January 2011: digital kit materials available online Continue to use your NanoDays materials throughout the year

How to Get More Involved 3. Participate in a professional development opportunity: May 2011: Association of Children’s Museums post-conference workshop Online workshops (2 per year) Future years: regional workshops Future years: more national workshops

How to Get More Involved 4. Try something new: Lots of different program formats and content in the Catalog Mini-Grants beginning in 2012 to help you to integrate nano educational programming into your existing offerings Collaborations between universities and museums

How to Get More Involved 5. Help us help you Talk to us! We listen and try respond to your feedback and needs

THANK YOU! To all our partners - we could not do this work without you!

This presentation is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this presentation are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.