National Center for Learning and Teaching in Nanoscale Science and Engineering

The National Center for Learning and Teaching in Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NCLT) is a world-class learning center for teaching nanoscale science and nanotechnology. The NCLT was founded in October [Page 573]2004. It began with an emphasis on experiential education, and the education is patterned after the National Society of Experimental Education (NSEE) capacity building methods.

The NCLT faculty learn to teach through inquiry and design of nanoscale materials and applications. Students also enter into the methods of inquiry and design through cooperative experimental methods. To further its educational goals it has instituted a core curriculum that is an integrated program with five component areas: learning research; nanoconcept, course, and learning technology development; professional development; resource dissemination, networking and community building; and evaluation and assessment. Each of these educational areas is matched by an operational unit that leads and coordinates studies and projects for that area. Because different projects often cross over one or more of the operational units, a series of work circles has been established for managing each project. NCLT sees this method as a kind of matrix operational structure, which is supported by its cyberinfrastructure.

Thus new research environments for supporting data acquisition, storage, management, integration, data mining, and data visualization or other information processing services are part of the cyberinfrastructure and also integrated into the Internet. Its cyberinfrastructure is able to efficiently connect computerized data and players so that new interpretations of data can more efficiently be developed into novel scientific theories or knowledge. The NCLT operational units and work circles are composed of faculty and students. Overall they work in diverse disciplines as part of NCLT's Integrated Program. Some faculty and students are at NCLT facilities, but many are at NCLT partnering institutions. Managerial oversight is provided by the NCLT's Leadership Council.