Immersive virtual learning environments for nano science education: A paradigm shift - art. no. 63280

Advances in microscopy and optical lenses have opened a 'window to nature' that allows us to see how the building blocks of our world interact at the atomic level. This scale of science encompasses all the sciences and demands collaboration between physics, chemistry, biology, engineering and information technology, as wells as the talents of simulation and modeling software technicians. Career paths are expanding exponentially with each passing year of new discoveries but guidance counselors at the high school level are still uninformed about the nano scale of science. They need to be included in the teacher training sessions in order to advise students on the subjects required to enter a university and excel in the integrated fields of science and math. All future STEM careers will require an expanded knowledge base in the various applications of nanotechnology for manufacturing. Foreign students are much better prepared for entry into the university level of learning as they are required to master three mathematic and three science courses per year throughout the high school curriculum while United States National Standards only require one math and one science course per year throughout high school.