Sadly, I’m still having problems with the latest WordPress installation but I am hopeful that it will be resolved at some point.

I just received my NISE (Nanoscale Informal Science Education) Net newsletter for April and noticed that NISE Net is linking to some nano talks that were given at one or more TED (Technology Entertainment Design) conferences. There are five talks in all. Two were given by Paul Rothemund about DNA origami (folding); two talks were given by George Whitesides on self-assembly and low-cost medical diagnostic tools, and there’s one talk by Michael Pritchard about a nanotech water filter. You can find links to the talks on this page.

Ever fantasized about leading a country for a few hours? NanoVenture, a board game for 15 years and up, let’s you do precisely that. From the NISE Net NanoVenture catalog page,

“NanoVenture: The Nanotechnology Board Game” explores the connections between science, specifically nanotechnology, and society. In this game, players become leaders of a new country. The leaders are challenged to make decisions regarding their country’s use of nanomaterials and nanotechnology for industrial expansion, military applications, economic security and basic scientific research, while maintaining a high approval rating from the citizens of the country. These decisions require players to carefully analyze the interplay of technological advances, regulations, public perception and risk, while also learning about the emerging field of nanotechnology.

The game was developed (this is a mouthful) by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Materials Research Science and Engineering Center Interdisciplinary Education Group. You can get more information about the game here.

The last item I’m highlighting is a call for proposals for a Congress on Teaching the Social and Ethical Implications of Research (deadline: June 1, 2011). The congress is being held at Arizona State University. From the congress About page,

There is an increasing push to offer scientists and engineers new forms of education in the social and ethical implications of research. Because this trend is relatively new, there are no cohesive curricula or recognized sets of best practices. But SEI education is happening in a wide variety of spaces including: laboratory training sessions, science museums, online modules, study abroad experiences, and the classroom. A number of research groups and individuals across the country are currently developing their own approaches to delivering this material to scientists and engineers. This Congress will bring together a wide array of these educators to share the programs, materials, assessment methods, and experience they’ve already developed as well as serve as an opportunity to collaborate on new strategies to help scientists and engineers understand the social and ethical implications of research. The Congress will be held a few blocks away from and immediately after the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Nanoscience and Emerging Technologies (S.NET) (See: http://www.cns.ucsb.edu/snet2011). There is no registration fee for the Congress. For additional information, please e-mail: SEICongress@asu.edu.

Sadly no nano haiku this month.