On November 14, 2019, fourteen science teachers from area schools visited the Princeton Center for Complex Materials (PCCM) in partnership with the Princeton University Program in Teacher Preparation. They came to learn about materials science and how to apply it to the classroom. Educators were provided with the books “Stuff Matters” by Mark Miodownik and “The Substance of Civilization” by Stephen Sass, which will help them teach their students about the fundamentals of materials science. Additionally, teachers had the opportunity to listen and have detailed discussions during talks given by PCCM faculty and staff members, as well as graduate students.
The program’s speakers included Dr. Daniel Steinberg, Director of Education Outreach at PCCM, as well as Dr. Rodney Priestley, Associate Director of PCCM. Dr. Steinberg discussed the National Science Foundation, Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs), and interdisciplinary research in materials science. Dr. Priestley spoke about polymers and their everyday importance, as well as innovation at Princeton University. Likewise, graduate students Shafayat Hossein and Nicholas Garcia discussed their work, which includes quantum materials reserach for developing quantum computing and chemistry research, respectively.
Finally, teachers had the chance to view state of the art imaging equipment and take a tour of the University’s Imaging and Analysis Center (IAC), which was led by Dr. Nan Yao, and included in-depth discussions at each instrument with the teachers. This was followed by a tour of a Micro/Nano Fabrication Lab (MNFL) clean room, given by Joseph Palmer.
Visit our webpage for details and photos.
