 Use nanotechnology as a tool to excite students’ interest in science and technology  Utilize “Teach the Teacher” programs to reach large numbers of students.  Through workshops and courses give teachers the knowledge and tools to introduce nanotechnology content seamlessly into their present courses.  Encourage teacher creativity through experiment modules that illustrate nanotechnology concepts while being consistent with current subject-driven activity and educational standards.  A guiding principal is reduction of barriers between students and faculty, faculty and industry Top Contributions: 1.Presented 33 one-day nanotechnology workshops 2.Reached more than 300 teachers in 30+ school districts 3.Classroom lessons given to more than 750 middle and high school students “Transforming the Tri-State Philadelphia Region: A PFI In Science & Technology Education” NSF# Years of Award: 3 Dates: 03/15/08 – 02/28/11 Top Challenges: 1.Teacher’s willingness/ability to incorporate lessons in their classes 2.Teacher’s willingness/ability to schedule company visits 3.Reluctance to change curricula Picture or Logo from your project here Program Activities:  BioNanomatrix  Innova Materials  iCeutica  Carbon Nanoprobes  NanoSelect  Minus-Nine  Endo Pharmaceuticals  Y-Carbon  LifeSensors  NanoBlox Key Attributes of our Innovation Ecosystem: Questioning & Curiosity: Nanotechnology content stimulates students’ inquiry, a major component of today’s instruction. The mass of material available for student follow-up, particularly on the Web, is substantial. Relates real world applications to Nanotechnology roots (things like computer hard drives and LED lighting) Risk Taking: Since there is a paucity of nanotechnology material currently available in textbooks, teachers who opt to offer nanotechnology content are working outside the “box.” Openness:  Teachers have developed and shared lesson content.  Teachers have shared best classroom instruction practices. Collaboration Across Fields: We have found that teachers in the following fields have taken nanotechnology workshops and courses and have interacted:  Mathematics  Chemistry  Biology  Physics  General Science  Technology Placing Partners in “New Environments” & “Playgrounds”:  Company partners visit schools and make presentations that include technical, business, and career content  Teachers visit company laboratories  Teachers and students get opportunity to view instrumentation not ordinarily available. Things like a particle size analyzer or powerful microscopy is not ordinarily found in high schools. Leading/Inspiring for Surprising or Unexpected Results  Program receptivity across a wide range of school districts  Ease of implementation varying from school to school  National Science Foundation Partnerships For Innovation Grantee’s Meeting April 25-27, 2010 Arlington, VA.. PFI  Workshops and courses A Look into the Nano World Introduction to Nanotechnology  Modular approach since changes in curricula are often difficult to implement  Workshop and course include take-with laboratory experiment material for each teacher.  “Tele-experimentation” capability; computer access for students in their classroom to sophisticated instrumentation, such as focused ion beam microscopes, through which they can image atoms, optical absorption spectroscopy, and laser scattering- based nanometer particle-size analyzers.  Videoconferencing capability so that students in the classroom can interact on a real-time basis with university and corporate partners.  Lesson plans for each of the nanotechnology lesson modules to encourage teacher participation. Use of the plans will enable the teachers to quickly integrate the material in their classrooms. Brief Project Overview: Teachers at a workshop performing an experiment demonstrating new optical properties of nano-size Au PI: James K. Murray, Jr. Department of Chemistry, Immaculata University CoPI: David E. Luzzi College of Engineering, Northeastern University CoPI: Sr. Ann M. Heath, Immaculata University CoPI: Melody R. Wilt, Chester County Intermediate Unit Senior Investigator: Barry F. Stein, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of SE PA Partners: