Explore the website!
The Final Four activities have been launched!
www.missionmaterialsscience.com
The Penn State Center for Nanoscale Science, in partnership with the Discovery Space science center in Central PA, completed the interactive website project called Mission: Materials Science with informal educational content exploring a fundamental overarching concept of materials science: Materials have unexpected behaviors that lead to new, innovative technologies.
The mission of this interactive website is to disseminate high-quality educational content about materials science, specifically to:
- Promote public awareness and relevance of materials science through a creative and compelling narrative concept that will define materials science and help audiences understand why and how it impacts our lives.
- Increase public awareness of current materials science by highlighting emerging research, novel applications, and scientists in the MRSEC community.
Targeted to children ages 8-13 and their families, the site will serve as an educational resource featuring (1) DIY activities that can be accomplished safely with items found commonly in the home, and (2) videos that portray stories told by real scientists about current research applications that are taking place. Additional site elements will include assets that complement the educational content and visual appeal of the site. This digital format is being developed and evaluated by The Franklin Institute with a site structure that can be easily expanded as best practices are identified for development of new activities through collaboration between scientists and educators.
Initial content and the site's design was created in partnership with staff at The Franklin Institute science museum and Masterminds Agency in Philadelphia. Videos were produced in collaboration with staff at WPSU public media. Additional scientific educational content contributors included researchers connected to the Penn State materials science community such as our PREM partner at North Carolina Central University, a microfluidics lab at our prior PREM partner California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA), and researchers engaged with the University of Pennsylvania MRSEC.
If interested in learning more about forging a partnership, please contact Kristin Dreyer (kad4 @ psu.edu).
