Nanoscale Science and Engineering Education Programs at theNational Science Foundation

摘要

The talk will begin with an overview of the National Science Foundation (NSF), with arnspecial focus on its role in science education in the United States. A brief discussion willrnfollow describing some of the critical issues in science education in the U.S. and NSFrnprograms that attempt to address these issues.rnThe primary emphasis of the presentation will be on a very recent initiative: thernNanoscale Science and Engineering Education Initiative. There are four components ofrnthis initiative: Centers for Learning and Teaching in Nanoscale Science and Engineeringrn(NCLT); Informal Science Education in Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NISE);rnNanotechnology Undergraduate Education (NUE); and Instructional MaterialsrnDevelopment in Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NIMD).rnThe goals of each component will be described with special attention the largest-scalerncomponent, the NCLT. Some of the questions to be addressed are:rn? What are the NCLTs expected to accomplish?rn? What was the primary motivation for the focus on Centers for Learning andrnTeaching?rn? What is the value added that might motivate another country to try a similarrnapproach?rn? What is the overarching rationale for large scale centers?