Nanoscience for Energy Research and Development
Dr. Steve Smith
Department of Physics, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
June 12th at 8:00 p.m.
Abbot Hall Room 138
Modern science is increasingly called on to engage in research with significant impact on the needs of society at large. One area which seems to occupy the minds of most people today, and is agreeably of high importance, is the cost-efficient production and storage of energy. Unfortunately, most technologies relating to this are well developed, and engineering breakthroughs in the cost and/or efficiency of energy sources do not appear forthcoming. Of the current energy technologies, solar energy and bio-fuels are the least developed, and therefore may have the greatest potential for significant advances. However, significant gains in our understanding of the processes involved, and in our ability to construct new materials and devices, will be required. In this talk, I will describe how nanoscience and nanotechnology may play an important role in furthering the development of these technologies. I will survey some of the accomplishments of nanotechnologists in imaging and manipulating matter one atom at a time, and how these accomplishments may lead to cleaner, cheaper alternative energy in the future.
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology for Middle and High School Teachers
June 11 - 13, 2008
A three-day continuing education workshop this summer will offer professional development for science teachers in middle and high schools. By 2015, the U.S. government estimates, there will be a need for 2 million nanotech workers. Yet, no nanoscience curriculum exists in the middle or high schools of North Dakota. PHYS 900, Our Nanoworld: Introduction to Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, will provide an overview of the new field of nanoscience for science teachers in all disciplines who want to introduce this field into their classes.
The program will include an evening public lecture on nanoscience by a nationally recognized speaker and a visit to the Center for Nanoscience Technology Training at the North Dakota State College of Science. Teachers need not have any background in nanoscience. The workshop is designed for teachers with a wide range of experiences in different science fields. This is a great opportunity to learn about this new field of science that the U.S. Government has identified as the third-highest national funding priority.
This 2-credit workshop is offered through the Professional Development for Educators Program of the Division of Continuing Education, UND, and will run June 11 through June 13 at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND. Tuition due June 11th is $100.00 and also includes a nanoscience experiment kit that will go with teachers back to their schools. A National Science Foundation award will cover the cost of tuition and lodging (UND housing) to eligible participants. For more information about how to become eligible, please, contact Juana Moreno. To pre-register, contact the Department of Continuing Education at (701) 777-4814 or toll-free at 1 (866) 261-3677.
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