Micro Nano Technology Education Center

Normandale Vac Tech Program - VACT 1010
2024-03-11 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
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Course shows as ONE-day, but it is a full 8 weeks for the first one and 5 weeks on the second one. Read details below.
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Normandale is offering another section of the 8-week, fully online “Foundations of Vacuum Science” (VACT 1010, 2 credit) class. This class starts on Monday, March 11 and finishes by May 10. Registrations for that class are still being accepted. The cost of tuition and fees is waived if a person registers to take the class for a grade. If the VACT 1010 class is taken for a grade, the only out-of-pocket cost is for the purchase of the class workbook (~$30). Individuals can also register to audit the class. The cost to audit the class is ~$500 which covers tuition, fees and the workbook.

Normandale is also offering a section of the 5-week, fully online “Concepts of Rough Vacuum Systems” (VACT 1293, 1 credit) class. This class starts on April 1 and finishes by May 10. Registrations for that class are also still being accepted. The cost of tuition and fees is waived if a person registers to take the class for a grade. There are no additional costs associated with taking the VACT 1010 class. Individuals can also register to audit the class. The cost to audit the class is ~$250 which covers tuition, fees and the workbook.

Please share this information about the upcoming VACT 1010 class with your colleagues and network. Contact Tim Lapanne (Timothy.Lapanne@normandale.edu) for more information about the class and how to register.

J ATE Writers Group
2024-03-11 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-04-08 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-05-13 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-06-10 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
In each J ATE Writers Group session, we’ll have a guided conversation with a published Author from a peer-reviewed journal like J ATE. We highlight authors who publish articles in peer-reviewed journals, like J ATE, so that they can share their story and writing process with you. We want to give authors a voice to share their tips and tricks about how to write peer-reviewed journal articles.
The J ATE Writers Group meets: 2nd Monday of the month at 10am PST
Complete this Writers Invite Form to Signup.

J ATE Readers Group
2024-03-11 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-04-08 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-05-13 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-06-10 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
The Journal of Advanced Technological Education (J ATE) is pleased to host the J ATE Readers Group. The J ATE Readers Group is a monthly online meeting to review and discuss a peer-reviewed journal article. You might call this the J ATE journal club. Come join the J ATE Readers group to learn about peer-reviewed publishing, gain insights about how journal articles are written and meet with other like-minded peer-reviewed journal article readers.
The J ATE Readers Group meets: 2nd Monday of the month at 12pm PST
Visit this Invite Form to signup.

J ATE Reviewers Group
2024-03-16 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-04-20 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-05-18 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-06-15 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
The J ATE Reviewers Group is crucial in the J ATE environment. Our reviewers are essential to providing quality papers that share our most relevant research and professional community conversations. Our reviewers discuss the fundamentals of our approach to serving our readership. Review elements are discussed in this group and carried through to our publication process. We are dedicated to working with faculty and staff who review or are interested in the journal reviewing process. We bring together first-time reviewers with experienced reviewers to help mentor them toward what makes a constructive and impactful article review. We discuss challenges and barriers to reviewing journal articles and how to eliminate or work more efficiently with them.
The J ATE Reviewers Group meets: 3rd Friday of the month at 9am PST
Complete the J ATE Reviewers Group Invite form.

Innovations Conference
2024-03-17 08:00 - 2024-03-20 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Hyatt Regency Orange County, 11999 Harbor Blvd, Garden Grove, CA, 92840
The Innovations Conference, now in its 27th year, is the foremost convening for professionals dedicated to improving and enhancing teaching and learning, leadership and management, and the community college experience. This international event provides a forum for collaboration among academic experts and thought leaders, while granting participants exclusive access to the most inventive and inspirational community college programs from around the world.
Conference Tracks:
Leadership and Organization
Learning and Teaching
Student Support and Development
Workforce Preparation and Development
The League for Innovation in the Community College will be held March 17-20, 2024 in Anaheim, California. All conference events will take place at the Hyatt Regency Orange County.
Register by December 31, 2023 to Save

University of Minnesota: Micro and Nanotechnology Health & Safety Workshop 2024
2024-06-04 08:00 - 2024-06-06 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States
Do you teach courses involving fine powders, aerosols, colloidal dispersions, and/or
nanotechnology? Are you unsure of how to handle these materials safely in your lab or
classroom? Do you want to teach your students how to work safely as they begin their careers?
Then this workshop is for you!
MNT-EC is again offering a Micro/Nanotechnology Health & Safety Workshop in partnership
with the University of Minnesota Division of Environmental Health Sciences and the Minnesota
Nano Center. The workshop will be held in-person on the University of Minnesota campus in
Minneapolis from Tuesday, June 4, 2024 through Thursday, June 6, 2024. Sessions will run
from 8:30am to 4:30pm each day.
The Micro/Nanotechnology Health & Safety Workshop will introduce the principles and practices
of working safely with microscale and nanoscale materials, how to teach those principles and
practices to students, and how to apply safe practices in instructional settings. The following
topics are planned for each day:

Day 1: Identifying micro/nanomaterial health and safety hazards
Day 2: Measuring and handling micro/nanomaterials
Day 3: Managing micro/nanotechnology hazards in instructional settings and workplaces

All travel expenses will be reimbursed by the Micro Nano Technology Education Center, and attendees will also receive a $500 stipend.

Please RSVP below to register for this in-person workshop. As of May 8th, there are only 8 seats remaining.

Water, Water Everywhere - Nanotechnology Applications (Zoom Workshop)
2024-06-04 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
Presenter: Deb Newberry
June 4, 2024
11:00 am to 1:00 pm PACIFIC
REGISTER HERE
Water is essential for every function in living systems. Water is being impacted by multiple negative factors. True statements, and researchers are working to solve the issues with getting clean water to 8 billion people.
Nanotechnology concepts are being applied not only to detect toxins and measure the quality of water but also to purify polluted water and sources. The science and technology that is driving these developments is dependent upon multiple concepts from traditional physics and chemistry concepts. In this workshop, applications of nanotechnology for water sensing and purification will be explained and used as examples of how nanoscience concepts can be introduced into tradition high school and college level courses. Examples of activities and potential experiments will be covered.

Image Credit: Photo by Amritanshu Sikdar on Unsplash

Biomimicry: Lessons from Nature (Zoom Workshop)
2024-06-12 11:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
Presenter: Deb Newberry
June 12, 2024
11:00 am to 2:00 pm PACIFIC
REGISTER HERE
The exponential increase in nanotechnology research and equipment had led to a new level of understanding of the world around us. That understanding is resulting in new applications and products.
These include glaucoma detection based on the structure in a butterfly’s wing, shark skin structures applied to airplane wings that reduces air friction and increases fuel efficiency and small stations that pull water out of desert air. The research and multiple applications rely on macro level traditional science concepts as well as phenomena that only occurs at the nanoscale. This workshop will investigate several examples of nature’s applications of nanoscale phenomena and how researchers are applying that knowledge to new products and applications. Education content applicable for integration into traditional science courses will be presented.

Image Credit: Photo by Michal Mrozek on Unsplash

HI-TEC: High Impact Technology Exchange Conference 2024
2024-07-29 08:00 - 2024-08-01 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 2345 McGee Street Kansas City, MO 64108, 2345 McGee Street, Kansas City, MO, 64108, United States
HI-TEC 2024 will be held at the Sheraton Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 29–Aug 1 (Mon–Thur). Pre-conference events will be held July 29–30 (Mon–Tue). This year’s venue is located near the shops, restaurants, and entertainment of Crown Center and has a direct connection to Kansas City’s historic Union Station.
Overall conference info here.
Registration details here.

Workshop FULL: Using Arduino Microcontrollers in the Classroom
2024-07-29 08:30 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 2345 McGee Street Kansas City, MO 64108, 2345 McGee Street, Kansas City, MO, 64108, United States
Workshop is FULL. Registration Closed.

The MNT-EC workshop “Using Arduino Microcontrollers in the Classroom” will be held on July 29 from 8:30 am to noon as a pre-conference workshop at the HI-TEC conference in Kansas City. There are still a few remaining spots open and participants must also register for the HI-TEC conference to attend the half day workshop.

More details here on the HI-TEC Pre-conference page for Monday, July 29.
As noted above, Participants will need to register for the conference to attend. HI-TEC Registration details can be found here (or from the link above as well).

Journal Writing Workshop - September 2024
2024-09-10 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
Join us for an intensive 3-day workshop to prepare community college faculty to submit papers to peer-reviewed journals. This online workshop is led by Peter Kazarinoff, MNT-EC co-PI and faculty at Portland Community College. We will cover how peer-reviewed journals work, as well as how to write, submit, review, edit and publish in peer-reviewed journals to advance in your career. Stipends available for qualified faculty.
Workshop Dates/Time: Tues Sept 10, Wed Sept 11, Thurs Sept 12 2024 10am-12noon PST
Online over Zoom

Register here and you’ll find additional workshop details linked from the invite form.

Contact: janet@micronanoeducation.org

Webinar: Infusing Semiconductors and Nanotechnology Simulations in Curricula for Workforce Development
2024-09-17 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
Join nanoHUB next week for the webinar, Infusing Semiconductors and Nanotechnology Simulations in Curricula for Workforce Development.
In this webinar, Professors Zachary Gray and Vishal Saravade of Pennsylvania State University will share their results and lessons learned from student feedback on nanoHUB simulation tools. Eight nanoHUB simulations were selected to fit with six nanotechnology-related courses in Summer 2024.
This webinar is primarily geared toward instructors, though anyone interested in the topic is welcome to attend. Please feel free to share this invitation with anyone who might find it relevant.
Date/Time: Tuesday, September 17, 2024 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. EDT
Register Here
Infusing Semiconductors and Nanotechnology Simulations in Curricula for Workforce Development
Dr. Zachary Gray, managing director for the Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization (CNEU) at Penn State
Dr. Vishal Saravade, assistant teaching professor at The Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization at Penn State

NanoEducators Quarterly Forum - September 26, 2024
2024-09-26 15:30 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
NanoEducators Quarterly Forum
Sep 26, 2024 03:30 PM (Pacific Time)
REGISTER HERE
At this session, we will welcome Lillian Huynh Ngo, community college student and intern at nano@Stanford; Dr. Peter Kazarinoff, from Portland Community College; and Dr. Jim Marti, from the University of Minnesota, who will share their experiences in nanotechnology and discuss possible career paths with a training in nanotechnology.
This panel discussion will showcase potential careers for students interested in different degree levels, such as a technical degree, a bachelor’s degree, and a graduate degree.
NOTE: If you want to learn more about this great group, plus check out extra resource links for educators/teachers, click over to the Nano.gov email which lists out the info available.

Save the Date: Best Practices and Innovations in CTE Conference 2024
2024-10-09 08:00 - 2024-10-11 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Hilton Portland 921 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97204, 921 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR, 97204
The Best Practices and Innovations Conference is an annual event co-hosted by the NCLA and the Administration Division of the Association for Career and Technical Education® (ACTE®). This event is specifically focused on the professional development for administrators of both secondary and post-secondary career and technical education programs and institutions.
October 9-11, 2024 in Portland, Oregon

2024 ATE PI Principal Investigators Conference October 23-25, 2024
2024-10-23 08:00 - 2024-10-25 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert St NW, Washington, DC, 20008, United States
Click here for the conference page. Registration deadline is September 26, 2024.
The American Association of Community Colleges, with the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF), will host the 31st National ATE Principal Investigators’ Conference on October 23-25, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
The conference will bring together more than 850 NSF ATE grantees and their project partners to focus on the critical issues related to advanced technological education. Key people working on ATE projects across the country participated in the event. Conference participants represent community colleges, business and industry, secondary school systems, and four-year colleges covering projects in a wide variety of areas, such as information technology, engineering technology, micro- and nanotechnologies, chemical technology, biotechnology, and others.
2024 ATE Principal Investigators’ Conference
Connect. Collaborate. Innovate.
ATE for the Future
October 23-25, 2024
Omni Shoreham Hotel
Washington, D.C.

UPDATE: Read about the MNT-EC team presentations here on This Week in Small.

Materials Day 2024
2024-10-29 08:00 - 2024-10-30 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
Block off Oct. 29-30 on your calendar for the 2024 Materials Day, Penn State’s marquee event for the materials research community. This year’s theme is “Convergence of Materials, Data, Manufacturing, and the Human Dimension.” With this theme in mind, the event will feature keynote speakers, breakout sessions, graduate student poster sessions, industry-sponsored tabletops, lunch, and several networking opportunities.
Register HERE

J ATE Writers Group 2024-2025
2024-11-15 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
The Journal of Advanced Technological Education invites prospective writers to join the monthly J ATE Writers Group session. (See YouTube link below.)
In these group meetings, you’ll participate in a guided conversation with a published author. We highlight authors who publish articles in peer-reviewed journals, like J ATE, so that they can share their stories and writing processes with you. We want to give authors a voice to share their tips and tricks about how to write peer-reviewed journal articles. All of our sessions are recorded to share with our audience.
J ATE Writers Group Lead: Tony Brown, Forsyth Technical College.
Date/Time/Timezone: 3rd Friday of each month, 12noon PST – 1pm PST (3pm-4pm EST) Nov 2024-June 2025
Register/Join the J ATE Writers Group (Google Form)
Contact: writersgroup@atejournal.org for more information.

▶️▶️▶️ If you are interested in hearing any of our previous interviews, visit the MNT-EC YouTube channel J ATE Writer’s Group Playlist.

ACTE's CareerTech VISION Conference and Expo 2024
2024-12-04 08:00 - 2024-12-07 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Henry B. González Convention Center 900 E. Market Street San Antonio, Texas 78205
Click here: ACTE’s CareerTech VISION Conference and Expo. Discount Advance Rates available until October 13, 2024.
ACTE’s CareerTech VISION is the must-attend event for career and technical education (CTE) professionals. Happening Dec. 4-7 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, VISION offers comprehensive programming covering high-quality CTE in secondary and postsecondary environments and emerging trends in the field to help career and technical educators thrive in their careers. VISION provides attendees with a rich array of networking opportunities, an Expo, hundreds of concurrent program sessions, and numerous networking opportunities.

NCPN CONNECT 2025 National Career Pathways Network
2025-02-26 08:00 - 2025-02-28 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
SAVE the DATE and a CALL for Proposals for NCPN 2025
Call for Proposals ::: Proposal Deadline Sept 30, 2024
The National Career Pathways Network invites proposals for breakout sessions to be delivered at NCPN CONNECT 2025, Thursday and Friday, February 27–28, at the Renaissance Austin Hotel in Austin, Texas.
Program Strands
The world of work is changing at a breakneck pace. Skills are evolving so rapidly that students, businesses, and communities are struggling to keep up. CORD’s Framework for Career Pathways Alignment provides an organizing structure for educators, employers, and community partners to design career pathways that support students to completion. The four program strands for NCPN CONNECT 2025 sessions are aligned to the components of CORD’s Framework.
More info and register here.

Low Cost Nanotechnology Hands-on Workshop 2025
2025-05-05 09:00 - 2025-05-07 16:00 (America/New_York) | Penn State University (14 Research West Building), PA, United States
This 3-Day workshop is from May 5 through May 7, 2025; 9AM to 4PM each day, features hands-on nanotechnology lab activities in a teaching clean room.
In some cases, low-cost alternatives that can be used for both outreach and education have been developed. These low-cost alternatives will be demonstrated and discussed with workshop attendees.
Register/RSVP (required to receive more info from the presenters): Register Here
For more info, Contact Zac Gray or Renee Lindenberg.
You only need to register for the 5th and that will hold your seat for the 3-Day workshop.
Presenters: Zachary Gray, Treylor Shirley, Vishal Saravade
5/5, 5/6, 5/7 (2025)
9-4 PM Eastern
Event is In-person
What is the nearest airport for participants to fly into?
State College Airport
What nearby hotels can participants stay at?
Hyatt Place State College
Will food be provided for the participants?
Typically there is coffee in the morning, lunch is catered. Dinner is on your own.

Image Credit: Penn State University

Professional Development courses in Vacuum Technology at Normandale Community College
2025-05-22 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
NOTE: Item is added to Calendar with May 22 date, however, that is only to help you register early for the course(s) that begin after that. Check each course carefully and engage with Nancy via email below.

Normandale Community College is offering 4 of its classes in Vacuum Technology (VACT) this summer. With continued support from the NSF of Normandale’s NSF-ATE project, we are able to offer faculty the opportunity to audit these classes at no cost. Faculty who audited these classes over the past two semesters have shared that their experiences were beneficial.
The summer term starts at the end of May/beginning of June. All of the summer classes are being offered in the fully online, asynchronous (no live class sessions to attend) format.
The following VACT classes are being offered:
VACT 1010 (Foundations of Vacuum Science), 2 credits – starts June 2nd and ends by July 25th (8-weeks). VACT 1010 addresses foundational chemistry and math concepts related to vacuum science/technology applications that are used in subsequent VACT classes.
VACT 1293 (Concepts of Rough Vacuum Systems), 1 credit – starts May 27th and ends by July 3rd (5-weeks). VACT 1293 transitions concepts from VACT 1010 to the function of the rough vacuum system.
VACT 1300 (Introduction to Vacuum System Automation), 1 credit – starts May 27th and ends by July 3rd (5-weeks). VACT 1300 is a new class that was developed as part of grant work supported by the National Science Foundation. VACT 1300 addresses different types of technical documentation associated with vacuum systems and how to use it.
VACT 2290 (High Vacuum Equipment), 1 credit – starts May 27th and ends by July 3rd (5-weeks). VACT 2290 introduces the basic structure and operation of a high vacuum system and focuses on the function of high vacuum pumps.
Please let me and my colleague Tim Lapanne know if you are interested in auditing one (or more) of these VACT classes. We can help you navigate the registration process.
And if you have any questions about these classes, please do not hesitate to contact me (Nancy.Louwagie@normandale.edu).
Normandale’s current NSF-ATE grant project covers the cost of the class registration for faculty who want to audit the course for Professional Development purposes.
