Tag Archives: RET

RET Participant Mark McLean Shares His Excitement for Nano-education

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Mark McLean took part in the RTNN’s RET program, Atomic Scale Design and Engineering during the summer of 2019. He worked with UNC grad student Jon Meyers in the lab of Professor Jim Cahoon. Over the summer, he learned how to see and use many of the tools that researchers use for nanofabrication and characterization. Education is a second career for McLean, and he recently discussed why he chose to teach with NC State’s College of Education. His enthusiasm for nano-education is contagious. Read more about his experience working and educating in nano here.

Educators Showcase their Nano-Research

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RTNN RET 2019 Poster Session
RET Participants share their summer research.

The RTNN hosted 11 educators this summer from Durham, Johnston, Wake, and Chatham Counties. The educators worked in small teams in research labs at NC State, Duke, and UNC as well as a start-up company, Smart Material Solutions. During their time in the program, educators were exposed to and participated in research in cutting-edge laboratories. They also had the opportunity to utilize multiple nanotechnology techniques and tools in RTNN facilities including atomic layer deposition, photolithography, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Projects ranged from the creation and analysis of thin films to the development of new filter materials. Educators also wrote innovative lesson plans linked to their research to bring back to their home institutions. The program culminated in a poster session where teachers shared their summer work and how they will use their experiences in their classroom.

For more information about the RTNN’s RET Site, Atomic Scale Design and Engineering, visit the program website. Information and application instructions for next year’s program will be available in early 2020.