This award provides funding for a three year standard award to support a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science Site program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) entitled, "nano@Illinois RET: Reseaerch Experience for Teachers Site in Nanotechnology", under the direction of Dr. Xiuling Li.
UIUC proposes to develop and deliver the exciting nano@Illinois RET program, which will expose a total of 42 (14 per year) in-service and pre-service STEM teachers and community college faculty from across the nation to cutting-edge research in nanotechnology over six weeks in the summer, with four follow-up sessions during the school year. Specifically participants will be mentored and trained in broad areas of nanotechnology, while delving deeper into their chosen area of interest, including nanoelectronics, nanophotonics, nanomanufacturing, nanomaterials, or nanobiotechnology. These participants will connect their research experiences to their content areas, including physics, chemistry, biology, math, and engineering. The specific projects are motivated by grand challenges facing our society and the world in informnation technology/communications, energy, security, health, agriculture, and environment. More specifc topic areas range from scaling of current electronic devices; creating new electronic or photonic nano-devices; reducing the cost of sequencing the human genome; point of care detection of pathogens and diseases; to creating highly pervasive energy harvesting ecosystems.
The Site will leverage institutional knowledge and educational resources developed through the NSF Center for Nanoscale Chemical-Electrical-Mechanical-Manufacturing Systems (Nano-CEMMS). This Site will bring a diverse group of teachers together from three local school districts in an environment serving the University's research, teaching, and learning goals. Participants will benefit from continuous engagement with exceptional faculty and students; access to unparalleled laboratories and equpment; and well-organized, executed, and managed program components. The Site will provide an in-depth experience for teachers and extend the teacher network established through Nano-CEMMS, from elementary, middle, and high schools to community colleges.
