Spring Break
Event teaches area about nanotechnology
Organizers hope people learn more about growing field in Chippewa Valley
Nicole Strittmater
Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: News
Non-traditional junior elementary education major Tammie Johnson attended one of the elementary school demonstrations, as well as one on campus, and said while the topic is hard to comprehend, she enjoyed learning more about it.
"I think it was very beneficial to the kids. It'll be interesting to see where this all goes in a few years," she said referring to some of the applications of nanotechnology in today's market she learned about.
Examples included self-cleaning windows that use titanium dioxide nano particles. When sunlight hits it, it heats up and kills the organic matter, and then the rain cleans it, Hoffman said.
Chocolate doesn't mix well with the gum base, but using nanotechnology makes it possible, Hoffman said, and by using silver nano particles in fabric, shirts can actually eliminate bad smells, because silver kills bacteria.
Other events included a NanoRite Innovation Center open house at CVTC, complete with a tour of the Nanoscience lab and the incubation facilities that are available to businesses interested in nanotechnology.
The Material Science Center also hosted an open house.
Naomi Halas of Rice University in Texas also gave two lectures: "Playing with Plasmons" and "Merging Nanotechnology with light for Biomedicine."
CVTC nanoscience department chair Hans Mikelson, who helped organize the day, said he is happy Halas came to Eau Claire.
"I think that makes for a really great opportunity for the students to learn more about what's really going on in nanoscience," he said.
Senior Dylan Nicholls volunteered to give demonstrations during the day and said he thinks overall the events went well.
He said he wants to be a professor and enjoyed teaching people new things.
"When you can break it down … they just instantly learn something, and you can see it," Nicholls said. "People are like 'Whoa!' "
"I think it was very beneficial to the kids. It'll be interesting to see where this all goes in a few years," she said referring to some of the applications of nanotechnology in today's market she learned about.
Examples included self-cleaning windows that use titanium dioxide nano particles. When sunlight hits it, it heats up and kills the organic matter, and then the rain cleans it, Hoffman said.
Chocolate doesn't mix well with the gum base, but using nanotechnology makes it possible, Hoffman said, and by using silver nano particles in fabric, shirts can actually eliminate bad smells, because silver kills bacteria.
Other events included a NanoRite Innovation Center open house at CVTC, complete with a tour of the Nanoscience lab and the incubation facilities that are available to businesses interested in nanotechnology.
The Material Science Center also hosted an open house.
Naomi Halas of Rice University in Texas also gave two lectures: "Playing with Plasmons" and "Merging Nanotechnology with light for Biomedicine."
CVTC nanoscience department chair Hans Mikelson, who helped organize the day, said he is happy Halas came to Eau Claire.
"I think that makes for a really great opportunity for the students to learn more about what's really going on in nanoscience," he said.
Senior Dylan Nicholls volunteered to give demonstrations during the day and said he thinks overall the events went well.
He said he wants to be a professor and enjoyed teaching people new things.
"When you can break it down … they just instantly learn something, and you can see it," Nicholls said. "People are like 'Whoa!' "
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