Outreach

The Microscopy and NanoImaging Facility (MNIF) is an integral part of Iowa State University, and is supported by the Office of Biotechnology, the Agriculture and Liberal Arts and Sciences Colleges, the Plant Science Institute, and the Office of the Vice Provost for Research. Being a University Facility, part of the mission of MNIF is to provide educational experiences to individuals and groups both within and outside the University. Its staff provides both informal and formal training, tours for K-12 and college groups, and conducts a biotechnology workshop twice a year, all for individuals and groups wanting to better understand the importance of microscopy in many areas of science and technology.

A large group of students from the Forest City, Iowa school system visited MNIF and learned about microscopy and how scientists explore the micro world by using sophisticated optical instruments such as the scanning and transmission microscopes. They had many questions: such as what is the smallest object one can see; and what kind of education does a person need to become a microscopist.