Pulse of the Planet is broadcast over 252 public and commercial stations around the world and on the Armed Forces Radio Network, reaching over one million listeners weekly. This great science outreach program featured VTSuN members on numerous occasions and you can listen to the individual 2-minute episodes by clicking on the links below:
Ebola virus transmission
A series on the transmission of Ebola virus via the air route aired in December 2014 featuring VTSuN professor Linsey Marr:
1. Ebola - Unlikely Airborne
2. Ebola - Unexpected Vector
Nanotechnology
A series on nanotechnology was originally broadcasted in November 2014 featuring VTSuN associate director Marina Vance:
1. Ancient Nanotechnology
2. Small Is Not Enough
3. Nano Medicine
4. Nano Inventory
Geoengineering
An episode with the VTSuN co-director Mike Hochella, Nanoparticles - Ocean Fertilization aired in March 2013.
Nanoparticles in the environment
A series entitled "How Toxins Move" was broadcasted June - August 2007, featuring Mike Hochella and Kelly Plathe ('10 PhD from the Hochella group):
1. Clark Fork River
2. Hours in the Library
3. Headwaters
4. Restoration
5. Comparison
6. Shelved
7. Samples
8. Found It!
The VTSuN Blog blog is hosted by Virginia Tech's Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program and is covers the following topics:
1. Communicating our research on sustainable and environmental nanotechnology to a broad audience.
2. Explaining nanotechnology and nanoscience concepts, instruments and techniques.
3. Issues that commonly pertain life in academia, such as conferences, outreach events, and work-life balance.
We teamed up with three other environmental nanotechnology organizations (NanoEarth, CEINT, and SNO) to participate in the 4th USA Science & Engineering Festival, the largest and only national science festival. We estimate that we engaged in one-on-one contact with at least 1,500 to 2,000 visitors of all ages at our Environmental Nanotechnology booth! In total, the festival probably had over 300,000 visitors.
Nine people participated in this event:
Hossein Abtahi (PhD student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech)
Temi Adegboye (graduate student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Howard University)
Taylor Bradley (undergrduate student, Howard University)
Deondre Glover (undergraduate student, Howard University)
Cara Herwig (undergraduate student, Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech)
Andrew Pfaff (undergraduate student, Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech)
Mohan Qin (PhD student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech)
Marina Vance (VTSuN associate director)
Haoran Wei (PhD student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech).
Read our blog posts about this experience:
We participated in the Virginia Science Festival for the second year with a hands-on exhibit entitled "Nanotechnology is everywhere!" Our booth was set up in the Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech on September 26, 2015.
Eight of our faculty and graduate students participated in this event: James Dale (PhD candidate, geosciences), Weinan Leng (VTSuN research scientist), Rui Maia (PhD student, geosciences), Johan Foster (associate professor, material science and engineering), Haoran Wei (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering), Maryia Munir (postdoctoral associate, civil and environmental engineering), Marjorie Willner (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering), and Marina Vance (VTSuN associate director).
Read our blog posts about this experience:
The Virginia Science Festival, Blacksburg: Nanotechnology with fun!
We visited an Elementary School in Blacksburg, VA and talked to all 3rd graders about nanotechnology (about 70 kids!). First, our co-director Dr. Peter Vikesland introduced the topic and showed the student some everyday products that employ nanotechnology, and then VTSuN members facilitated a number of hands-on experiments that demonstrate nanoscale properties. In the end, everyone left with lots of new knowledge and an Oreo cookie. This visit took place on April 16, 2015.
Several of our faculty and graduate students participated in this event: Ron Kent (PhD candidate, civil and environmental engineering), Marjorie Willner (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering), Weinan Leng (VTSuN research scientist), Peter Vikesland (VTSuN co-director), and Marina Vance (VTSuN associate director).
VTSuN joined the Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization (SNO) in an exhibitor booth at the 11th Annual National Sustainable Design Expo. This event was held on April 11-12, 2015 at Oronoco Bay Park in Alexandria, VA.
Four of our faculty and graduate students participated in this event: James Dale (PhD candidate, geosciences), Chang Liu (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering), Haoran Wei (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering), and Marina Vance (VTSuN associate director).
Read our blog posts about this experience:
VTSuN students presented a booth Virginia Tech's third TEDx event on November 20, 2014.
Several of our faculty and graduate students participated in this event: Hossein Abtahi (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering), James Dale (PhD candidate, geosciences), Rui Maia (PhD student, geosciences), Jake Metch (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering), Gargi Singh (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering), and Marina Vance (VTSuN associate director).
Read our blog posts about this experience:
VTSuN participated in the Very First Virginia Science Festival. Our booth was set up in the Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech on October 4, 2014.
Several of our faculty and graduate students participated in this event: Param Pati (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering), James Dale (PhD student, geosciences), Laura Reese (MS student, biomedical engineering), Jake Metch (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering), Rui Maia (PhD student, geosciences), Andrea Tiwari (research associate, civil and environmental engineering), and Marina Vance (VTSuN associate director).
The festival brought over 6000 visitors including many children and their parents.
Read our blog posts about this experience:
VTSuN and SNO (The Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization) participated in the 3rd bi-annual USA Science and Engineering Festival held in Washington, D.C. April 24 - 26, 2014.
Three of our graduate students participated in this event: James Dale (PhD student, geosciences), Hannah King (MS student, geosciences), and Sarah Ulrich (PhD student, geosciences).
The festival brought together over 700 exhibitors ranging from universities, non-profits, and government agencies and labs, to private aerospace, medical, computer, and even toy companies. According to festival organizers, “More than 325,000 people celebrated science over 4 days!”
Read our blog post about this experience:
VTSuN participated at Kid's Tech University in February 22, 2014. We held a booth with hands-on activities on nanoscience and nanotechnology for 450 children ages 9 - 12 and their parents.
Seven of our faculty and graduate students participated in this event: Ron Kent (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering), Hannah King (MS student, geosciences), Becky Lahr (PhD candidate, civil and environmental engineering), Weinan Leng (ICTAS research scientist), Rui Maia (PhD student, geosciences), Marina Vance (VTSuN associate director), Marjorie Willner (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering).
Read our blog post about this experience:
VTSuN students presented a booth Virginia Tech's second TEDx event on November 9, 2013.
Several of our graduate students participated in this event: Carol Johnson (PhD student, geosciences), Becky Lahr (PhD candidate, civil and environmental engineering), Marjorie Willner (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering), plus Ray David (PhD student, civil and environmental engineering and member of the MULTISTEPS IGEP).
Read our blog post about this experience: