Wearable Devices: Nanotechnology For Your Health

Fourteen Kenan Fellows will be immersed in the work of the NC State Advanced Self-Powered Systems of Integrated Sensors and Technologies (ASSIST) research team. ASSIST creates wearable devices that will be extremely valuable both for providing better data for environmental health research and for individual health monitoring. These researchers are developing nanomaterials and nanostructures for devices that operate on the smallest amounts of energy, can be easily worn and wirelessly transmit data.

You will begin your externship with an introduction to the main areas of ASSIST’s research led by faculty as well as orientation to nanoscale science concepts, instrumentation, data collection and analysis. These hands-on sessions, led by ASSIST Team researchers, will prepare you to engage in a four week team design challenge.
Working in teams, you will design a prototype wearable device and then test its performance. You will have access to instruction and use of 3D CAD software and 3D printers as you develop your prototype. While working through your design challenge, you will also work closely with a faculty research mentor and their team to understand and engage in their more in depth work. Finally, as you participate in twp weeks of collaborative professional learning with the entire cohort of 2014-15 Kenan Fellows you will establish lifelong professional and personal relationships with other passionate educators.
As part of your summer externship, you will learn about ways nanotechnology can be used to improve the quality of healthcare. Armed with new knowledge and access to experts in the field, you will develop curriculum that integrates your experience with this innovative and exciting research and is aligned with your content standards. This experience will allow you to return to the classroom equipped to inspire the next generation of research scientists with relevant, hands-on experiences based on real world, applied science.