Program Dates: January 15 - April 16, 2009 (Thursday evenings)

Program Coordinators:
John Hutchinson, PhD, CBEN Director for Education
Carolyn Nichol, PhD, CBEN Associate Director for Education

The Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN) at Rice University offered a spring course on Nanotechnology for Introductory Chemistry and Physics Teachers. The program is designed for high school science teachers, although middle school teachers are welcome. Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses physics, chemistry, biology and environmental sciences.

CHEM 570 helps teachers enrich their classrooms with cutting-edge developments in the exciting field of nanotechnology and helps teachers learn new pedagogical approaches to teaching science. It provides teachers with the opportunities to refresh their understanding of core science concepts and to connect with their peers.

Each class is divided into two sessions:

1] Session One: Nanotechnology Research (presentation on recent applications of nanotechnology)
2] Session Two: Concepts and Pedagogy (discourse on approaches to teaching science with examples and curricular materials) - John Hutchinson, PhD, via videoconference
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Class Schedule

January 15, 2009
1] Introduction to nanotechnology, John Hutchinson and Carolyn Nichol
2] Teaching introductory chemistry through concept development studies, John Hutchinson

January 22, 2009 (no videos on Webcast page)
1] Nanotechnology tools hands-on tour: Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

January 29, 2009
1] Nanosilver, Erika Bryant
2] Force, energy, and motion, John Hutchinson

February 5, 2009
1] Synthesis of nanorust and environmental applications, Adam Ellsworth
2] Atomic molecular theory, John Hutchinson

February 12, 2009
1] Ferrofluid synthesis, Jennifer Jamison
2] Atomic structure, John Hutchinson

February 19, 2009
1] Engineering cell behavior with nanostructured biomaterials, John Slater
2] Valence shells and covalent bonding, John Hutchinson

February 26, 2009
1] Alice's adventures in "nanotubeland": a nanotubes overview, Nikta Fakhri
2] Quantum mechanics and the periodic table, John Hutchinson

March 5, 2009
1] Gadonanotubes as high-performance magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents, Lesa Tran
2] Ionic vs. covalent bonding; intermolecular interactions, John Hutchinson

March 12, 2009
1] Plasmonic waveguiding: miniaturizing the communications industry again, Liane Slaughter
2] Radiation and molecules, John Hutchinson

March 19, 2009 - No Class (HISD Spring Break)

March 26, 2009
1] Cancer therapy through targeted delivery of nanoshells, Emily Day
2] Covalent bonding, atomic orbitals, and molecular orbitals, John Hutchinson

April 2, 2009
1] Multivalent virus scaffolds for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, Clive Chen & Andy Coughlin
2] Thermochemistry and heat of reaction, John Hutchinson

April 9, 2009
1] Directed evolution of adeno-associated virus for genetic microarray technology, Kellie McConnell
2] Thermodynamics, entropy, and the second law, John Hutchinson

April 16, 2009
1] Discussion and wrap-up
2] Misconceptions in teaching and learning chemistry; teacher-developed lecture plans, John Hutchinson