Theory and experience emphasize that science communications between experts and nonexperts should be dialogue, not monologue. This principle guides a program of public engagement with nanotechnology at the University of South Carolina. It enables the participants to express their values and concerns to experts, and to question them. It is intended that the knowledge and confidence generated by this program will enhance the participants' ability to have active and constructive roles in nanotech policy.

To many Americans, nanotechnology remains a science of the future; most are unaware that nanoscale science is already being incorporated into products they use in their everyday lives. Informal learning environments are an ideal venue in which to not only educate the public about current applications of nanotechnology but also engage them in a discussion of its impacts. Developed through a partnership between two NSF-funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers at Penn State and Cornell Universities and The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, the “Small Wonders: Find the Nano in Your Life” program has been distributed to 20 science and children's museums around the United States. This cart-based program includes interactive demonstrations of commercially available products that use nanoscale technology, including sunblock, nanosilver food containers, and nanoiron for environmental remediation. Macroscale models enable visitors to understand the underlying science, while real products allow visitors to explore the hope, hype, and reality of each. Here, we discuss the educational goals of the program, our approach to presenting questions of both science and policy, and methods and results of visitor evaluation. This third collaborative project continues to build on a model of program development and distribution that has been highly successful at reaching a broad audience.

The Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network was formed by the Museum of Science in partnership with the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Exploratorium through a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation in the fall of 2005. Over the course of its first two years the NISE Net focused on developing prototype informal educational materials to engage the public in learning about nanoscale science and technology. Now the NISE Net if focusing on building the network and disseminating materials and knowledge broadly to facilitate capacity building, partnering, and getting nano education activities for the public to happen in over 100 sites nationwide. NanoDays in 2008 from March 29 through April 6 has been developed to focus these efforts.

The University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez and University of Wisconsin-Madison Partnership for Research and Education in Materials (UPRM-UW PREM) aims to create richer educational and research opportunities for Hispanic students in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) and increase their representation in the Materials Science community. The educational and outreach (E&O) components for the UPRM-UW PREM include interventions for high school students and teachers, and undergraduate and graduate students at UPRM. The present report focuses on activities conducted with high school and university students during the third year of the program (2006-07). Results of surveys with student participants indicate that their participation contributes positively to their learning and development in laboratory, research and professional skills, as well as increases student interest in pursuing graduate studies in MSE.

Europe aspires to become a knowledge oriented economy by 2010 in which nanoscience and nanotechnologies play an important role. However, the development of skills and competencies in the workforce will be critical in realising the benefits offered by nanoscience and nanotechnologies. The Nanotechnology Masters Recognition Scheme aims to support technical higher education by addressing the challenges of education in nanoscience and nanotechnologies particularly at the masters' level. The paper provides an overview of the education and professional development systems in Europe with specific examples from the U.K. The paper also underlines how the scheme addresses the challenges of skills and competencies development within the European context through information dissemination, identifying gaps and professional needs, encouraging professional development, and supporting through various different measures.

Communicating the underlying concepts in nanotechnology to the general public is challenging but essential as its impact on society increases over time. We have created a webzine called Nanooze and a traveling museum exhibition called Too Small to See to help communicate nanoscale science and engineering concepts. Nanooze was launched in 2006 and covers the basic concepts of nanotechnology along with the latest in scientific discoveries and interviews with scientists. Its mission is to excite, educate, and challenge kids age 6 to 10 years old and their teachers. Nanooze covers both the underlying science of nanotechnology and its applications. It has attracted a broad audience and has been one of the core resources to a number of national/international competitions, schools and after-school groups. Surveys of readers reveal that over 50% thought that Nanooze was cool with approximately 21% stating that they visit Nanooze once a month. During the 2006 FIRST Lego League competition, which Nanooze supported, 385,000 hits were recorded in one month indicating its broad reach. Too Small to See is a traveling museum exhibition that immerses visitors in a hands-on interactive experience in nanotechnology. This five thousand square foot exhibition is currently on a national tour after debuting at Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort. Too Small to See takes the visitor from the macroscale world to the nanoscale world through a series of interactive and video experiences using everyday objects as the focal point. Once there, the visitor can play with atoms and take on challenges that illustrate the difficulties of nanotechnology. Summative evaluation has revealed that 60% of the visitors were interested in knowing more about nanotechnology as a result of the exhibits. Over 80% of the visitors surveyed altered their viewpoint of the smallest thing that they could think of from a macroscopic object to a nanoscale object after using the exhibits.

The “UPRH-PENN Partnership for Research and Education in Materials” (PREM) is sponsored by the Division of Materials Research of the National Science Foundation and since 2004 it has contributed to increasing the participation of Puerto Rican men and women in materials research and education. The program integrates K-12, undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty collaborating through research and education in a partnership between the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao (UPRH) along with UPRC and UPRRP and the University of Pennsylvania Materials Research Science & Engineering Center. The UPRH-PREM has strong links with schools in the eastern region of Puerto Rico and has successfully integrated K-12 students and teachers into the program through workshops, web resources, open houses, a Summer Program and research experiences during the academic year. In an effort to integrate the wider community into the outreach efforts, from October to December 2007 PREM hosted the presentation of the Interactive Materials Science Exhibition “Strange Matter”. “Strange Matter” was designed and produced by the Materials Research Society (MRS) in conjunction with the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto. Funding for the project is being provided by the National Science Foundation and industrial partners 3M, Dow, Ford, Intel, and Alcan. The exhibition brings interactive activities that highlight the fact that materials science is all around us. This exhibition is the first and only one in the island of Puerto Rico and was presented at UPRH's Casa Roig Museum, a historic plantation house located in downtown Humacao. Local scientists complemented the exhibition with live demonstrations and talks to provide deeper explanations and motivate young visitors to study materials. To make the exhibition possible, PREM integrated UPR-Humacao administration, faculty, students, non-teaching workers, Casa Roig staff, schools, Humacao municipality, local businesses and individual citizens. Dozens of students, faculty and other members of the community were mobilized as volunteers to support all aspects of the exhibition.