IMR staff recently hosted a group of high school students from COSI Academy, an exploration program for high school students interested in STEM and STEM related careers. Run through the Center for Science and Industry (COSI), Columbus’ science museum, the COSI Academy connects students with professionals in the areas of engineering, biotechnology and health and medicine through site visits to local science-based corporations, organizations, and universities, guest speakers, and hands-on activities.
Twelve students toured the Nanotech West Lab facility on April 8, including its cleanroom and Materials Innovation Lab, and learned about different career paths in STEM fields. Nanotech West Lab is Ohio State’s nanofabrication research facility and the largest and most comprenhesive micro- and nanotechnology user facility in the state of Ohio. The lab is home to more than 50 large pieces of user accessible material synthesis, fabrication and metrology equipment and research capabilities include e-beam lithography, nanolithography, device fabrication, MOCVD epitaxy, device processing, and clean room processing.
IMR Member of Technical Staff Aimee Price discusses nanotechnology with COSI Academy students in the Materials Innovation Lab – courtesy of the Center for Science and Industry (COSI)
This outreach event was well received by the COSI Academy students and their chaperones, and our staff enjoyed the opportunity to share their work with the next generation of scientists. Students particularly enjoyed the monochromator demonstration by Nanotech West engineer Dave Hollingshead, and seeing the plotter in action on the feature wall of the Materials Innovation Lab.
Senior Technology Integrator Kari Roth explains the Materials Innovation model being developed through IMR’s Materials and Manufacturing for Sustainability program – courtesy of the Center for Science and Industry (COSI)
All photos courtesy of the Center for Science and Industry (COSI)