Remotely Accessible Instruments in Nanotechnology (RAIN) Labs
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Abstract
Remotely Accessible Instruments in Nanotechnology (RAIN) is a community of educators that aims to bring advanced technologies into K-12 and college classrooms via remote access. RAIN's mission is to facilitate the study of nanoscale science by lowering barriers for instructors to deliver relevant educational activities for younger students interested in learning about nanotechnology across traditional STEM fields. Additionally, RAIN engages the next generation STEM workforce with a connection to experts, tools and institutions where cutting-edge research is being performed. This resource is particularly vital for underrepresented and minority students, especially those attending institutions that cannot provide on-site access to advanced technologies. Currently the RAIN network consists of nineteen sites across the United States and offers its services free of charge to make STEM education more accessible to the students that would otherwise not encounter these resources. Data shows that RAIN is effective at fostering a passion for the sciences when used in K-12 thru college curricula. RAIN has prepared a series of labs that can be utilized to increase the effectiveness of your remote experience.
The RAIN labs can be accessed through nanoHUB. They include basic science labs using chemical reactions to measure percent oxygen in air, determining an unknown mineral and studying the effects nanoparticles have on mung beans. There are also nano based labs available synthesizing various nanoparticles and constructing a nano based solar cell. The RAIN Network can be accessed at http://www.nano4me.org/remoteaccess.
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