Nanotech 2005: A Symposium for Educators – Summative Evaluation Report

This professional development event was held on November 6 and 7, 2005 at the Museum of Science, Boston, under the direction of the Museum’s Director for Strategic Projects, Carol Lynn Alpert. This event was sponsored by the Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC) headquartered at Northeastern University, the University of Massachusetts – Lowell, and by the “Science of Nanoscale Systems and their Device Applications” NSF NSEC headquartered at Harvard University. The Symposium was intended to provide educators from middle schools, high schools and community colleges with an introduction to nanoscale science and engineering, and a toolkit of classroom teaching modules and activities. Six teams of professional curricula developers and educators led workshops, and two notable researchers addressed the participants and workshop leaders. This report provides a full analysis of the day’s events. One of the goals of the report is to provide feedback on steps that the Symposium Team can take to further deepen educators’ understanding of nanotechnology and incorporation of materials into the curriculum in future Symposia. Includes interview protocol and survey.