Art as an Avenue to Science Literacy: Teaching Nanotechnology through Stained Glass

Nanoscale science and engineering (NSE) and nanotechnology are emerging fields that have captured the attention of scientists and engineers, as well as mainstream media. However, the general public is relatively unaware of NSE, and schools (both K-12 and undergraduate institutions) rarely include nanotechnology as part of their curriculum. To help fill this gap in public and student understanding and to engage a broad base of learners, a suite of interdisciplinary activities connecting nanotechnology and stained glass artistry was created. The suite of activities has been successfully adapted for use in a wide range of educational settings (e.g., museums, K-12 classrooms, outreach events) for diverse audiences (e.g., children, high school students, members of the general public) to achieve a range of learning objectives. Copyright © 2010 The American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.