The UB sets up the project NanoDivulga

For the last thirty years, science and technology have been centred on conquering the inner space: to manipulate matter at the atomic level in order to profit atomsʼ extraordinary properties. In this context, nanotechnologies have appeared. Nanotechnologies are going to revolution the future and they have already offered some advances in the fields of electronics, medicine, water purification or the development of new materials, among many other applications. Nanotechnologies have emerged from an innovation process that allows controlling tiny particles, thanks to a joint effort made by chemists, physicist, engineers, doctors and biologists.

The Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), the Interactive Media Lab and the Bioethics and Law Observatory of the UB also collaborate in the project NanoDivulga.

Nanoscience and nanotechnology for secondary and upper secondary students

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are no longer the future; on the contrary, they are under a development process, they receive economic funds and a great variety of new products with numerous applications are available in the market. However, the introduction of nanoscience and nanotechnology concepts is not an easy task because most scientists only use specialized terminology, most of it in English. Therefore, it is necessary to promote teaching and dissemination activities that communicate this knowledge in a rigorous way in order to bring society, particularly secondary students, closer to nanoscience and nanotechnology.

The programme NanoEduca of La UB divulga has been created to achieve this goal. It will familiarize secondary education teachers with nanoscience and nanotechnology tools, specific language and processes and it will design activities, resources and tools to bring these concepts into classrooms. Teacher training activities are divided into two parts: the first one is mostly theoretical and it takes place on 28 Februrary; and the second is focused on practice and takes place on 5 March.

Then, in May, teachers will be able to work with their students some aspects related to nanoscience and nanotechnology: nanomaterials, measures, riks and benefits, etc. They will receive a kit that includes laboratory practices and teaching materials to teach these aspects theoretically and practically. Moreover, teachers will have at their disposal a teacher book that includes extra information, multimedia resources and experiment ideas that will facilitate the development of activities in class.

The project ends with a scientific one-day conference at the University of Barcelona, on which students will present the activities developed in class in a poster format. Experts in nanotechnology from the University will supervise it.

The project is supported by the company Biesterfeld Ibérica SLU.

In order to present the project, the workshop “Divulgació i formació de les nanotecnologies: ciència-ficció feta realitat” takes place on 27 February from 9.30 a.m. to midday at the Historic Building of the UB. The workshop, opened to any interested person, aims at discussing different aspects about nanoscience and nanotechnology in order to understand better their uses and applications to daily life.

Attendance is free, but registration is required. Please send a message to nano@ccit.ub.edu.