Happy 2018! It’s hard to believe, but our very first Sustainable Nano blog post, Why are Nanomaterials So Special and What is the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology?, was published five years ago, on January 29, 2013! We’ve come a long way – 262 published posts, including 22 episodes of the podcast since its launch in … Continue reading
At last summer’s American Chemical Society national meeting, Dr. Margaret Schott of Northwestern University took the unusual step of giving her history division presentation as her subject, Dr. Katharine Burr Blodgett. In this episode we interview Dr. Schott about her own path in life and chemistry, as well as that of Dr. Blodgett, including the … Continue reading
The first time I used a hand-held sparkler was just a year ago. As I watched small sparks fly off of it and waved it to leave different trails of light, I wondered, “What’s in a sparkler and does it have anything to do with nanoscience?” Fire and lights have captured the curiosity and imagination … Continue reading
It’s that time of year: the time when everyone starts publishing holiday gift guides! I enjoy reading science-oriented gift lists, not only to get ideas for what to give other people (or what to ask for myself) but because they offer the opportunity to celebrate geeky creativity and ingenuity. If you’re buying things as gifts, … Continue reading
My favorite two Pixar films are Toy Story and The Incredibles. Toy Story is a wonderful movie that piqued my childhood imagination with its story of toys coming alive when no one is watching. Even to this day I make sure to treat my remaining few stuffed animals well and leave them together when I … Continue reading
Does gender bias matter? You can see for yourself thanks to an interactive app created by software engineer Penelope Hill at doesgenderbiasmatter.com. In this episode, we interview Penelope about what prompted her to create the app, some of the research behind it, and a few of the ways people in science and technology fields are … Continue reading
We’re venturing into a new medium here at Sustainable Nano: infographics! This first entry is all about the amazing eighth element in the Periodic Table: oxygen. What other topics do you want to see infographics about? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter or Facebook! Continue reading
