Olga supports innovative healthcare solutions as a technician at Tenaya Therapeutics, specializing in gene therapy development. She describes the collaboration involved in her work, the technical skills that allow her to thrive in a fast-paced environment, and the fulfillment of contributing to life-changing medical advancements.
Show Notes
Olga works at Tenaya Therapeutics. Hear how Olga earned an associates degree from a community college biotechnology program to secure a well-paying job that impacts health and helps people. Olga talks about her work, the hardest part of community college, and has advice for folks just starting their careers.
The Talking Technicians podcast is produced by MNT-EC, the Micro Nano Technology Education Center, through financial support from the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education grant program.
Opinions expressed on this podcast do not necessarily represent those of the National Science Foundation.
Join the conversation. If you are a working technician or know someone who is, reach out to us at info@talkingtechnicians.org.
We will be updating this page with more resources, but for now, click this form to sign up for this wonderful opportunity from the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office. Below is a summary of their email.
Part of the cowling for one of the motors for a B-25 bomber is assembled in the engine department of North American [Aviation, Inc.]’s Inglewood, Calif., plant digital file from original transparency.
Palmer, Alfred T., photographer. Created / Published 1942 October.
Click the Google Form link right above to be paired with a scientist who will talk about their exciting career paths and how they use nanotechnology to solve problems. First-come, first-served, so sign up now for a one-hour virtual session in March. Inspire your students and add value to your teaching experience with this exciting opportunity!
We want to acknowledge the significant impact of Black and Women scientists and leaders on the world and on American culture as we celebrate Black History Month and Women’s History Month.
Feel free to drop us a note with any additional Black History Month resources we can include (my email address was in the latest email inviting you here). Special thanks to Professor Maajida Murdock for her tip to share the list from Interesting Engineering.
UPDATE: My link to the Library of Congress is not showing even though I thought I placed it in the photo meta data. Well, here it is: Poor People’s March 1968.
Please DO NOT MISS the special invitation below for K-12 teachers for Women’s History Month from the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office. It promises to be amazing. Scroll down to see the details and the Google form link.
If you need photos for your classroom, check out three Black History Month galleries on Unsplash — a copyright-free image site. You can read about their license details here.
Women’s History Month 2023 for Nanotechnology and Science
We will be updating this page with more resources, but for now, do not miss this wonderful opportunity from the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office. Here is a summary of their email (which I can send to you, in full, if you email me – hint it is in the last email that got you here).
Celebrate Women’s History Month in a unique way by inviting a female nanoscientist or nanoengineer to virtually visit your classroom!
Click the Google Form link right above to be paired with a scientist who will talk about their exciting career paths and how they use nanotechnology to solve problems. First-come, first-served, so sign up now for a one-hour virtual session in March. Inspire your students and add value to your teaching experience with this exciting opportunity!
Welcome to Random Small, our collection of stuff that is happening each month at the Micro Nano Education Technology Center – MNT-EC. Yes, there is a bit of a theme these last two issues around the ocean. That will shift next month as we go explore Climate Change here on earth. We did Space in December (link below), if you missed it with our NASA post.
Plus, read the next section if you want to know more about how we can help you grow your online and social media presence.
This month, let’s cut to the chase (pun intended) with this wickedly cool scholarship opportunity –FOR- Teachers/Educators to head to the Bahamas and the island of South Bimini (just across the Gulf Stream). Learn more about the Bimini Shark Lab and its Teacher Course.
Editor’s Note: I met Doc Gruber, the founder of the Shark Lab, two decades ago while on Bimini doing a wild dolphin research project. I had a passion for sharks after many years of diving and he welcomed me into his lab for an afternoon. He passed away a few years ago, but his constant enthusiasm and dedication to protecting this often misunderstood fish became his legacy to science.
Also, the shark has inspired many nano and micro research projects — from its skin structure for movement/drag purposes to attaching nanoparticles to skin, to attack bacteria, among many others. Science educators will have all sorts of stories to help people understand sharks and their contribution to science. Let us know if you apply.
Students! Don’t worry, we have plenty of scholarship goodness for you right here. Screenshot shows how to get there in two clicks if you do not want to click the link above, which goes to the exact same place. Note: We add scholarships all the time and are happy to hear from you if your school has one for the Microtechnology Nanotechnology students here.
MNT-EC Community Social Media Push
Some of you do not like to participate, that is okay. We understand. This post is for those of you who do. I promise I am about to answer the age-old question – “What’s in it for me?” in about 30 seconds.
I have been working on a new section here on Think Small and it is about our favorites.
We want your quotes, your internet favorites (memes, even), your favorite newsletters, your favorite photos (micro, nano, materials, classroom projects), your favorite links, and maybe even your own brilliant favorite thoughts.
Podcasts? We want ‘em. Ologies just hit my radar and I’m digging it. Hat tip to Christine Girtain, NJ Teacher of the Year for that one!
YouTube channels? Yes, please.
Web pages you have been saving in your bookmarks? Send ‘em over.
I think you get the idea.
Submit any and all of those ideas and if we can use them, we will. We would love to add you to the list and promote the work you’re doing. We cannot promise we will publish what you send, well, because some of you are a bit crazy and might submit the wildest things that are not safe for work. Just sayin’. That’s the caveat/disclaimer — we can’t guarantee we will use what you send us. But we’ll try. Or we’ll call your Mom and tell her to tell you to tone it down. 😉
We are doing a major social media push in February and March. We’d love for you to be part of it and boost your own presence, too. When you get in touch, please include the links to your social profiles.
Seriously now, what’s in it for me?
So, what’s in it for me?
Well, sweetheart, we’re going to put your name up in tiny LED lights, that’s what’s in it for you. We have a network of folks who are quite active online and many of them believe in the idea, as I do, of lifting one another up. A small group of us are going to be doing that moving forward. Join up now.
This is a call to action in case you didn’t catch it. If you’re active on social media, on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram, or even some of the others, we want to help increase your Social profile and presence. So drop us a line with the above faves and we’ll do our best to highlight and Shout Out the cool things you’re working on.
You can simply reply to the email newsletter and we’ll get your input. Or drop a note or comment on the MNT LinkedIn page.
David is a technician at NanoScience Instruments, where he works with advanced tools used in cutting-edge research. He explains the precision required in his role, the technical challenges of working with specialized equipment, and how his contributions drive progress in nanotechnology and other scientific fields.
Show Notes
David works at NanoScience Instruments. Hear how David went from working with computers to working with advanced nanotechnology characterization and fabrication instruments. David talks about how important completing a 1-year certificate from Rio Salado Community College was to his professional journey.
The Talking Technicians podcast is produced by MNT-EC, the Micro Nano Technology Education Center, through financial support from the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education grant program.
Opinions expressed on this podcast do not necessarily represent those of the National Science Foundation.
Join the conversation. If you are a working technician or know someone who is, reach out to us at info@talkingtechnicians.org.
Thanks to those of you who have supported and lifted up the MNT-EC site and this news section, for sharing on social media and telling your peers about us. Lots of you are spending more time on our MNT-EC LinkedIn page and that’s, well, incredibly awesome. See a couple of images from the page just below.
We’d like to tell you about our favorite email newsletters and celebrate two of our partners this month:
Greentown Labs in Massachusetts is the nation’s leading incubator/accelerator for startups solving the climate crisis through entrepreneurship and collaboration. Their newsletter is a powerful curation of what’s happening in climate tech, materials, nanotechnology, and way more. The most recent newsletter profiles that the Prince and Princess of Wales paid them a visit.
Kavli Nanoscience Institute knows how to put together a nano-packed newsletter each quarter. You definitely want to subscribe to this one. It is their cool image just below that also served as a LinkedIn post with links to a photo gallery here on Think Small. You should check out the 2022 news roundup from Kavli here.
Based at Arizona State University, NCI Southwest serves as the Southwest hub of the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) and encompasses six collaborative research facilities. Their newsletter is loaded with info from the ASU NanoFab, the Eyring Materials Center, Advanced Electronics and Photonics (AEP) Core Facility, the Center for the Life Cycle of Nanomaterials (LCNano), the ¡MIRA! Center at NAU, and the User Facility for the Social and Ethical Implications of Nanotechnology.
This image from Kavli Nanoscience Institute (1,200+ views and 31 visits) and below that, one from a Hong Kong 3D printing startup captivated your attention (1,700+ views and 36 visits — glad to know we have some ocean lovers in our midst).
And here’s the Hong Kong 3D Printed Coral Reef startup image on CBS News.
Again, both of these posts are on our LinkedIn Page.
Do you have some images you would like to share?? Drop me a note: TJ@MicroNanoEducation.org
Ginny works at Serviceminder, blending technical expertise with client-focused problem-solving to deliver exceptional service. She discusses her journey into the role, the importance of understanding client needs, and how technicians can thrive in positions that bridge technology and customer service.
Show Notes
Ginny works remotely for a company called Serviceminder. Ginny explains her journey from community college to working in the tech industry. Hear how both technical skills and interpersonal skills are important in Ginny’s work. Ginny also talks about her experience at community college and how it shaped her career.
The Talking Technicians podcast is produced by MNT-EC, the Micro Nano Technology Education Center, through financial support from the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education grant program.
Opinions expressed on this podcast do not necessarily represent those of the National Science Foundation.
Join the conversation. If you are a working technician or know someone who is, reach out to us at info@talkingtechnicians.org.
Image 3 was taken with an optical microscope. (Steven Wood, Painter Lab, Kavli Nanoscience Institute, Caltech)
…
Images 1, 2 and 3: Images of the same quantum transducer device. Fabricated using eight layers of electron beam lithography and five different material platforms. Images 1 and 2 were taken with the Zeiss Orion helium ion microscope.Images 1, 2 and 3: Images of the same quantum transducer device (Closeup). Fabricated using eight layers of electron beam lithography and five different material platforms. Images 1 and 2 were taken with the Zeiss Orion helium ion microscope.
Thanks for reading our monthly email update, if that’s how you found this post. If you found us by digging into our website and the Think Small news and blog section, we are so glad you found us. “Random Small” is a monthly catch-all post for the latest happenings here at the Micro Nano Technology Education Center and in our wider, bigger community of scientists of all types.
You probably noticed two distinct images — one of an astronaut (just above), and another of a website logo for Skype a Scientist.
First, in the monthly MNT Update, I mentioned how NASA technology often gets transferred outside of NASA into commercial enterprises that license it for new products. This article, Feeling Hot, Staying Cool, is a powerful example of how that works. It highlights the work of a new company, London-based Fifty One Ltd, which is “using a temperature-controlling material developed in part under an SBIR from Johnson Space Center for spacesuit gloves, Fifty One of London is making clothes to alleviate the symptoms of menopause.”
Since women make up half the world’s population, there is a lot of need and opportunity (as in billions of people) for materials scientists to work on these phase change materials to find solutions.
In fact, NASA has an entire microsite dedicated to technology transfer calledSpinoff and it includes an annual report, of sorts, that highlights the many advances that power our world.
By the way, if you are not yet subscribed to our email community, please visit this signup page. We would love to have you join us, contribute to our efforts, and connect.
Let’s jump to Skype A Scientist because it is so fun and energetic and something you can use in your classrooms or perhaps sign up to help out. From their website: “The mission of Skype a Scientist is simple, yet impactful: to make science accessible and fun through personal connections with scientists. We are an educational entity with a focus on connecting the general public with scientific disciplines in fun and meaningful ways, making science education available and engaging for everyone…”
The Skype A Scientist Instagram page is worth a follow, too. Here’s a sample YouTube videos of a wonderful talk with a brain scientist at the University of Washington. Love Sydney’s enthusiasm. Plus, we’re hoping to interview Dr. Sarah McAnulty, Squid Biologist, and Executive Director of Skype A Scientist.
Sydney Floryanzia is a first-year Ph.D. student in the department of chemical engineering at the University of Washington (UW). Her research involves investigating the blood-brain barrier, drug delivery to the brain, and therapies for degenerative brain diseases.
There are two new scholarship opportunities for STEM-oriented students. These will be added to our Micro Nano Scholarship page later this week, but to give you the absolute latest, cutting edge, head start information we’re putting them here and on our MNT LinkedIn Page (which you seriously might want to follow, but no pressure, of course. Not much pressure…).
The DOD Historically Black Colleges and Universities & Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) Summer Research Internship Program is an annual summer research program offered to current students and recent graduates who studied STEM disciplines at HBCU/MI.
Heather combined her technical expertise and entrepreneurial spirit to start her own company. She shares the challenges and rewards of building a business, how technical skills gave her a foundation for innovation, and her advice for technicians interested in creating opportunities for themselves.
Show Notes
Heather worked in IT after community college then decided to start her own business using no-code / low-code tools. Hear what it’s like to run your own business after earning a community college degree. Heather talks about the technical and soft skills she uses to run her business and bring value to her clients. Heather’s journey is inspiring and shows how far you can go with a 2-year degree.
The Talking Technicians podcast is produced by MNT-EC, the Micro Nano Technology Education Center, through financial support from the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education grant program.
Opinions expressed on this podcast do not necessarily represent those of the National Science Foundation.
Join the conversation. If you are a working technician or know someone who is, reach out to us at info@talkingtechnicians.org.
![Part of the cowling for one of the motors for a B-25 bomber is assembled in the engine department of North American [Aviation, Inc.]'s Inglewood, Calif., plant digital file from original transparency. Palmer, Alfred T., photographer. Created / Published 1942 October. In honor of Women's History Month.](https://micronanoeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/service-pnp-fsac-1a35000-1a35300-1a35314v.jpg)
![Rosa Parks at the 1968 Poor Peoples March at Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, [Washington, D.C.]](https://micronanoeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Rosa-Parks-1968-_service-pnp-ppmsca-53500-53545v-2.jpg)
