For the past three years, the National Center for Learning and Teaching in Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NCLT) has held professional development programs on nanoscale science and engineering across the nation, and we will be running the program again in the summer of 2009.  The program offers science teachers opportunities to work with nanoscale science and engineering researchers, science and engineering educators, and learning tool experts in content understanding, curriculum development, and hands-on laboratory experiments with nanoscale phenomena.  Some examples of activities that are covered in the program include size and scale, forces, self-assembly, carbon nanotubes, scanning probe microscopy, biosensors, quantum dots, nanomagnetism, and lithography.

The following topics during the summer and year-round activities are emphasized:
(1) Learning material and curriculum development, implementation, and assessment
(2) Mechanisms for introducing nanoscale science and engineering in the traditional content-area specific classroom.

Involvement in the program includes a $1000 stipend for attending the summer institute, room and board, and instructional materials.  Additional compensation is provided for follow-up activities including a stipend,
travel reimbursement, and instructional materials.

More information can be found on the website www.nclt.us or by contacting Kelly Hutchinson at ncltpd@purdue.edu. This program is a great opportunity to introduce new, exciting, and cutting-edge science and engineering in the current science curricula.