Danville grant aimed at helping teachers learn more on nanotechnology

By Staff

Published: August 11, 2008

A grant from federal government will help area teachers learn more about nanotechnology.

The Institute for Advanced Learning & Research received a $191,593 grant from the U.S. Department of Education for professional development opportunities, according to a news release.

The grant provides money for the Institute to coordinate nanotechnology-themed programs so that students from kindergarten through 12th grade are exposed to the emerging science of nanotechnology.

“It is critical that our students have early and consistent exposure to emerging science and technology fields if they are to be competitive in the 21st century knowledge-based economy,” Julie Brown, the Institute’s director of academic and outreach programs, said in the release.

U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode helped with landing the grant for the Institute.

“I am glad that I was able to help secure this grant for the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research so that teachers in the Danville area can become ‘best practice’ experts in the field of nanotechnology and prepare their students for the possibility of pursuing careers in this area of the 21st century economy,” Goode said in a prepared statement.

The Institute will work with Northwestern University’s Materials World Modules program, the University of Virginia, Penn State University and Virginia Tech, along with other nanoscience experts,

to develop a teacher-training program.