Sustainable Outreach

Abstract

Over the past decade numerous institutions have developed programs geared toward providing scanning electron microscopy capabilities for use by teachers and educators in K–12 classrooms. Perhaps the longest continually running outreach effort began at Iowa State University in the mid-1990s. Termed Project ExCEL, the Extended Classroom for Enhanced Learning, this effort employs a web-operable SEM, termed the WebSEM, which was developed in cooperation with RJ Lee Group. Lessons have been conducted in a number of states around the U.S., as well as several international locations. Several other sites also exist; perhaps the most successful at maintaining a steady user base and marketing itself is Bugscope at the University of Illinois. A summary and listing of other sites most easily found by a simple web search is included in reference.