On October 20, 2006, the UMN MRSEC hosted 450 participants from the Minnesota FIRST Lego League “Nanoquest” competition. FIRST Lego League is an organization, which “introduces children around the world to the fun and experience of solving real world problems by applying math, science, and technology”. The Third and Fourth grade students were treated to tours of the University’s Characterization Facility and Nanofabrication Center and presentations on all things “nano” by 12 participating MRSEC faculty members and their research teams. The 450 participants came from rural, suburban, and urban schools and included roughly one-third female and 20% minority students. The visit was the subject of a frontpage article in the Minnesota Daily.
