Judith Light Feather

Judith Light Feather

President, The NanoTechnology Group Inc.

My early interests in education for K-12 were initiated in 1995 when I worked for a Space Information Group and was able to evaluate some of the educational projects at NASA JSC. During this time period I was asked to join a 'think tank' to discuss avenues of future space colonization and prepare a direction that would investigate aspects of spirituality, integrity and ethics for colonization of other planets. This direction allowed us to look at curriculum development and the current status in education for a future generation that would actually live and work in space.

Soon after the 'think tank' dissolved in 1996, I was introduced to Paul Messier from the National Learning Foundation in Washington DC, which was exploring skill levels necessary for the future workforce based on changes in technology for education. The Internet had just been introduced and the military was already using simulations for training with adaptive engines. This led to consultant work as their project coordinator to take the Agile Skills idea and develop a matrix for 21st Century education utilizing the Internet for e-learning. Funding was not forthcoming since we were ahead of the curve with only 14% of schools nationally connected to the Internet.

In 1998, I was introduced to Michael McDonald, Executive Director for the NanoComputer Dream Team Inc., who also worked with NASA-JSC. He needed an Executive Assistant to develop a Gold Team for the future of nanoscience education in grades K-12. Rice University had recently been funded for the Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology, which became our first university member to explore this new size of science. By 2002, the Gold Team grew in membership and we formed The NanoTechnology Group Inc., as A Global Education Consortium to facilitate nano science education in K-20.

This growth drew inquiries from Milind Pimprikar in Montreal,Canada, who was interested in exploring nanotechnology for space applications. Using the same matrix, we worked together to found the CANEUS Organization as a Global Consortium that included space agencies from Canada, Europe, U.S., and Japan. They also became a supporting member of our group with a goal of expanding global education and skill levels necessary for micro/nanotechnnologies (MNT)for space applications and the future of space colonization.

Our work reached global proportions immediately and by 2003, I was invited as the Keynote Speaker in Thailand for the 1st Nano Education Conference for Human Resources. In 2005, I was invited to participate in the Expert Working Group for Nanotechnology in Developing Nations with UNIDO ICS, in Trieste, Italy. From 2002-2008, I accepted invitations to review emerging technologies in Switzerland, producing Overviews of micro-nano, environmental, aerospace, defense, homeland security, and micro-mechanical technologies. Visiting the research labs of universities and corporations across Switzerland expanded my comprehension of the various aspects from education to commercialization of the integrated fields of science.

In 2007, I was nominated by Akhlesh Lakhtakia PhD, Penn State University for the Harold W. McGraw International Award for Global Awareness in Education. I am presently serving on the Board of the NanoEthics Group., and multiple boards at Lifeboat Foundation.

The NanoTechnology Group Inc., maintains two Internet sites: www.TNTG.org provides resources for every aspect of nanoscience education from curriculum to development tools for teachers. The News Division provides Informal Educational information and news for the public from research to commercialization at www.NanoNEWS.TV. I have contributed Chapters to 3 more books that were published in 2012. For more information visit our Book Review page at www.tntg.org/documents/bookreviews

About the Book

This book was written to bring new ideas to the forefront in science education. Inspiring teachers and communities to get involved to expand their knowledge base rather than waiting for the top down approach to change education.

Teachers have been teaching to the tests for the past decade and our country remains behind the nanotechnology race to the future. Workforce training will not succeed to attract students if they are not informed about the advanced technology while in the primary grades.

The book offers suggestions for a new approach to science education that allows teachers to develop the necessary classroom strategy from the global resources within the book.

It also provides resources for home schooling and students that drop out of school. All the resources are free and students can finish their education online and graduate.

Workforce training for nanotechnicians is also explained in detail to create an understanding that not all students need to be scientists to work in the field. They need hands-on technician training for the advancing technologies that will affect every aspect of their lives.

The book also discusses the importance of teaching students how to identify and evaluate the emerging technologies that are rapidly changing society.

It is the culmination of 15 years of work in the field that addresses the future of education that is now upon us full force. As a country we cannot continue to ignore the statistics of failure, nor is it ethical to ignore the science as too difficult to teach. Implementation of the resources and tools can be accomplished very quickly if the teachers and students are involved in the learning matrix decisions.