The Nano Research Facility at Washington University

and the Saint Louis Science Center present NanoDays™ 2010

A nationwide festival of

educational programs and

hands-on demonstrations

about nanoscale science

and engineering and its

potential impact on the

future.

The Saint Louis Science Center hosts NanoDays™ and promotes the

event to local and underserved school districts.

Over twenty St. Louis schools participated on Friday, April 23 with assistance from the St. Louis Science

Center’s Emerging Technologies Director, Christine Roman. Picture by Vikram Singh.

Hands-on demos were provided to the Nano Research Facility via a grant

and kits provided by the Nanoscale Informal Science Network (NISE).

McKelvey scholar and NanoDays™ volunteer Becky Strubberg with NISE kits preparing for the morning.

The NISE kits promoted the NRF’s goal of providing and developing

hands-on Process-Oriented Guided Learning activities for K-12.

NRF staff Dee Stewart (left) with Kate Nelson (right) prepare for the morning with their NISE kits.

The NanoDays™ festival also offers networking opportunities for the

NRF and local school teachers.

NRF Education Manager Kristy Wendt speaks with local teachers while participating in the Nanotextiles

demonstration with NRF Administrative Coordinator Dee Stewart. Picture by Vikram Singh.

NRF staff member Kate Nelson leads the Measuring Molecules

demonstration.

Measuring Molecules uses balloons filled with a scent extract to introduce the concept of diffusion, molecules

and size.

NRF staff member Kate Nelson leads the Measuring Molecules

demonstration.

Measuring Molecules uses balloons filled with a scent extract to introduce the concept of diffusion, molecules

and size.

The Magic Sand™ demonstration led by McKelvey scholar Becky

Strubberg, was popular with kids and adults.

Magic sand is coated with a non-polar, hydrophobic layer that prevents it from becoming wet. Picture by Vikram

Singh.

Nano –Tex™ provided samples of their hydrophobic fabric for the

Nanotextiles demonstration, which students could test with water.

NRF Education Manager Kristy Wendt and NRF Administrative Coordinator Dee Stewart

NRF User Maureen McKiernan demonstrates ferrofluids (left) with

Administrative Coordinator Dee Stewart (right).

The Ferrofluid demonstration teaches the concepts of nanoscale properties, colloids, and superparamagnetics.

NRF User Maureen McKiernan and the Gravity demonstration.

The Gravity demonstration uses different-sized cups of water to show how force interaction can vary with size. The

size of the cup- and amount of water it holds- determines which force is more important, gravity or surface tension.

NRF Staff Member Kate Nelson with the Scanning Probe Microscope

demonstration

The SPM demonstration uses magnets to model a scanning probe microscope, allowing the user to “feel” a

magnetic field.

Students participate in the NISE StretchAbility demonstration.

A participant folds a “bucky ball” model provided by the St. Louis

Science Center with help from the NRF.