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Abstract:
Hoping to galvanize high school juniors and seniors to pursue science and engineering careers, NanoBusiness Talent hosted a nanotechnology bootcamp June 14-17 in conjunction with several of the nation's top scientists at the Center for Nanoscale Materials (CNM) atArgonne National Laboratory in Argonne, Ill.

Nanotechnology boot camp inspires future generation of scientists

Argonne, IL | Posted on June 25th, 2010

Hoping to galvanize high school juniors and seniors to pursue science and engineering careers, NanoBusiness Talent hosted a nanotechnology bootcamp June 14-17 in conjunction with several of the nation's top scientists at the Center for Nanoscale Materials (CNM) at Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne, Ill.

Twenty-five students from Illinois, North Carolina and Colorado participated in hands-on laboratory experiments, demonstrations and lectures by CNM scientists. They learned about the fundamentals of nanotechnology, including micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS), self assembly and protein synthesis. They also conducted experiments such as synthesizing gold nanoparticles, which could ultimately be used in novel cancer therapies and diagnostics.

The NanoBusiness Talent Program is a nonprofit dedicated to connecting high school students with leading nanotechnology innovators by arranging educational opportunities and internships. Funded through a grant by the Department of Energy, the NanoBusiness Talent Program's mission supports President Obama's push to make U.S. students more competitive globally in science, technology, engineering and math.

"The students at the camp had a unique opportunity to learn about nanotechnology directly from the leading scientific staff at the Center for Nanoscale Materials," says NanoBusiness Talent Program Director Lesley Hamming, PhD. "Not only did the scientists generously share their knowledge with the students, the passion they exuded for their work was infectious. The teenagers benefited immensely from gaining exposure to technology and training not otherwise available to students until college or graduate school."

Of the 25 students that attended the camp, 12 were selected to participate in 8-week summer internships at nanotechnology start-up companies. Participating companies include: Advanced Liquid Logic (Morrisville, N.C.), Protochips (Raleigh, N.C.), Appealing Products (Raleigh N.C.), BD Technologies (Research Triangle Park, N.C.), Questek (Evanston, Ill.), Nanophase Technologies (Romeoville, Ill.), Ohmx (Evanston, Ill.), NanoIntegris (Skokie, Ill.,), Nanosphere (Northbrook, Ill.), MemPro Ceramics (Broomfield, Col.) and Zettacore (Englewood, Col.). The internships began this month.

Nanotechnology is the science of manipulating matter at the nanoscale—1/100,000 the width of a human hair—to create new materials and products with applications for medical treatments, energy production, pollution reduction and access to clean water.

"NanoBusiness Talent is a great program for people with a strong scientific background who want to further their understanding of modern science and technology," says participant Katherine Hobbs, 18, of Raleigh, N.C. "Nanotechnology is an exciting new field that we'll be hearing a lot about in the future."

Interviews with and photos of the students participating in the nanotechnology bootcamp are available upon request.

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About NanoBusiness Talent
The NanoBusiness Talent Program connects future scientists and high-tech companies by arranging summer internships for high school students at nanotechnology companies. Students develop their scientific acumen while working closely with scientists and entrepreneurs. Talent fellows are chosen from among the top junior and senior high school students for their passion for science and their potential to contribute significantly to research and innovation in emerging technology as they move forward in their careers. The NanoBusiness Talent Program was founded in 2008 by members of the NanoBusiness Alliance. For more information, please visit www.nanobusinesstalent.org.

About the NanoBusiness Alliance:
The NanoBusiness Alliance is the voice of the nation's nanotechnology business community. As a not-for-profit association dedicated to promoting the commercialization of nanotechnology and helping companies bring affordable, life-improving nanotechnology products to market, the Alliance actively represents its members in Washington D.C. in order to create a positive policy climate for nanotechnology; on Wall Street to focus attention of the global financial community to this high-potential sector; and through regular NanoBusiness conferences, speaking engagements, and membership communications. The NanoBusiness Alliance helps national political leaders understand the implications of nanotechnology in the economy, employment, energy, the environment, and human health and safety.

It connects emerging nanotechnology companies with investors and economic development organizations that can help those companies grow and develop. The Alliance is based in Chicago, with offices in Washington D.C., New York, Connecticut and Colorado. For more information, please visit www.nanobusiness.org.

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