Every year on Oct. 9, Northwestern University’s Atomic and Nanoscale Characterization Experimental Center (NUANCE) celebrates National Nanotechnology Day with NUANCE Fest, an event commemorating the nanometer scale.
A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter (10-9 meters). At this scale, researchers investigate how materials behave and interact at the atomic and molecular levels. NUANCE Fest invites the Northwestern community to explore this research firsthand.
The event begins with tours of NUANCE’s various laboratories, led by the researchers who work in them. One featured facility was the Electron Probe Instrument Center (EPIC). The lab’s manager, Tirzah Abbott (who is also a Ph.D. student), led the tour.
“One of the most meaningful parts of it is just meeting people and getting to know the community a little bit,” Tirzah said. She described the event as “kind of like the wedding, where you see all the family members come together.”
A highlight of the event was the image contest, where researchers submitted images captured using their lab equipment, showcasing the artistry in their scientific work.
Luis Fernando, the winner of this year’s contest, submitted an image of nanostructured electrodes titled ‘Into the µnknown’ that he colored arctic blue to make them appear like ice crystals.
Luis emphasized the importance of making science accessible to the broader community.
“If people get interested in nanoimaging, there will be more people doing research,” Luis said. “It’s really cool that we can make it into an art contest that people can relate to or feel compelled by science in a way that is more aesthetic.”
By the end of the event, nearly a hundred attendees gathered in the hall for the image contest: from undergraduates and Ph.D. students to post-doc researchers, professors and just anyone curious about the work happening at NUANCE.
Arami Chang, a Ph.D. student, described how outreach is an important part of the center’s culture.
“A huge part of NUACE and our lab’s culture is participating in outreach events like this and promoting nanotech research, which is why a lot of us students volunteer at this event,” Chang said.
For visitors like Amelia Anitescu, a McCormick freshman, the event offered a chance to discover their academic interests.
“You get to learn what you are interested in and what it actually means in the world,” Anitescu explained. “I say I am interested in materials science, but I don’t actually know what that is. I know what I learn here is going to be very useful in the future and what I want to do.”
