NanoBlog

The CK-12 Foundation produces open source text books on STEM subjects. I noticed that they have two nanotechnology text books for high-school students in both student and teacher editions. The teachers edition has the lesson plans included.

• Nanosense Teachers edition
• Nanoleap Teachers edition

The New Journal of Physics has posted its 2011 highlights issue and the articles are currently available as open access. Topics include atomic and molecular physics, optics and imaging, quantum optics, condensed matter, plasma physics, surface science, thin films, surface science, high energy particle physics, nanophysics, and quantum physics.

NIOSH has SBIR grants available for research into the safety aspects of nanotechology. A summary of the announcement can be found at OSHonline and the full announcement can be found at NIH website.

Wiley publishing has just published the new journal of Advanced Optical Materials. The articles are presently open access.

IOP Science Journal of Semiconductor Science and Technology has a special issue on Non-polar and semipolar nitride semiconductors. The articles are open access.

Chris Toumazou professor of biomedical engineering at imperial college gives this wonderful talk at TEDMED 2011. His team developed a silicon chip that can detect genetic mutations in saliva in about 20 minutes. He demonstrates a single use collection and application device that places the extracted DNA onto a chip that has been programmed to look for a specific mutation. Plus the chip can also biologically amplify the sample. The chip is placed into a USB stick an plugged into a laptop for power and to read out the results of the test. Professor Toumazou said that biological systems are analog in nature and follow the Boltzmann current flow laws that current in a transistor follow. This technology and others are being commercialized by Toumaz which was founded by the professor.

NISE Net is sponsoring Nanodays March 24 to April 1, 2012 a nanotechnology festival of educational programs on nanotechnology. Events will be held all across the country at participating institutions. A digital kit is also available with lessons on graphene, hydrogel, thin films, nanoparticles, DNA, nano gold, and nanophotonics (nanostructures that make butterfly's blue).

The Society of manufacturing Engineers is hosting the Nanomanufacturing Conference and Exhibits March 28-29, 2012 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. The key note speech Challenges in High Volume MEMS Manufacturing will be given by Dr. Mark da Silva, Product Development Team Leader of the Micromachined Products Division of Analog Devices.

The Japanese Journal of Applied Physics (JJAP) has posted a special 50th anniversary special issue on solid state devices, materials, & superconductivity. The issues (Vol 53, issue 1 & 2) are open access.

Biologist E. O. Wilson is working on a digital text book on biology. It's really a prototype for a digital education. It's a fabulous idea too. Imagine a tablet that contained everything you needed to know for a undergraduate and graduate degrees in any subject. You could pass it down to future generation in the family. If success, it will be disruptive. There is every indication that the book will be successful given the samples on the website. With Harrison Ford and David Attenborough as narrators, I can't wait. E. O. Wilson is known as the Lord of the Ants for his work on the book The Ants and is also the name of a very good PBS documentary. You might say ants developed one of the first social networks.