Mission: Materials Science

The Penn State Center for Nanoscale Science, in partnership with The Franklin Institute science museum and Masterminds Agency in Philadelphia, has developed an interactive website called Mission: Materials Science with informal educational content exploring a fundamental overarching concept of materials science: Materials have unexpected behaviors that lead to new, innovative technologies.

The mission of this interactive website is to disseminate high-quality educational content about materials science, specifically to:

•     Promote public awareness and relevance of materials science through a creative and compelling narrative concept that will define materials science and help audiences understand why and how it impacts our lives.
•     Increase public awareness of current materials science by highlighting emerging research, novel applications, and diverse scientists in the MRSEC community.

Targeted to children ages 8-13, the site will serve as an educational resource featuring

1. DIY activities that can be accomplished safely with items found commonly in the home, and
2. "Scientist in Action" videos that portray stories told by real scientists about current research applications that are taking place.
3. Connections to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for educators to reference when using the activities in formal classroom settings
4. "Meet the Scientists"; this page introduces all who worked to design and develop the activities and highlights the fact that scientists are real people, too!

In addition to Penn State graduate students and faculty, contributions to the content were also made by both PREM partners - Cal State LA and North Carolina Central University, and MRSEC colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania.

To launch your own mission, go to:  https://www.missionmaterialsscience.com/