Dear Colleagues, NanoDays will be held April 16-17. A key activity this year will be putting together some "research tables” showcasing a few of the research themes at Birck; the goal is to have not just a bunch of disconnected activities but something that ties things together thematically with what goes on in Birck and gives students an idea of where research can lead. The organization of this activity will be led by a few grad students, whose tasks would be to: - Work with a group of other volunteers (likely undergraduate students) to teach them about a research topic so that they are able to talk about this research to the visiting students. A challenge will be to interpret and communicate the research to 4th – 8th grade students, making it understandable and relevant to their own lives. - Look through the NanoDays kit activities (we have a database that lists them all) to identify which ones relate to the research — We will be sure to include these activities. - Eventually — look for connections between this research project and other research projects highlighted at NanoDays. Find a way to communicate these connections to the young student visitors. Benefits: this is a mentoring position that can be listed on a resume, is outreach, and also a good practice in communicating research. *Please reply to this email if you are interested in being a leader for the themed research tables. * Also, if you have any comments/suggestions on how to improve NanoDays (or what you especially liked about it in previous years), please let us know. NSAC Officers