My 5-year-old daughter and her best friend are future nanotechnology scientists. Or at least that’s what they said yesterday after exploring the Museum of Discovery’s nanotechnology exhibit. It’s a large statement for a small child, but explaining the tiny subject in a big way is exactly what the exhibit did – not to mention lots of hands-on fun. Yesterday kicked off “Nano Days,” four days of presentations, lab classes and interactive demonstrations that enhance the present exhibit.

The UALR Nanotechnology Center partnered with the museum for the events, presenting current research projects and hands-on activities, along with coloring sheets, stickers and more. Dr. Enkeleda Dervishi, a research associate in the center, is serving as the “ambassador,” leading the presentations with the assistance of UALR nanotechnology Ph.D. students Alokita Karmakar, Meena Mahmood and Lamya Saeed. Dervishi said that the young museum attendees have been interested in the research and asked lots of questions.

The group will continue presentations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m Saturday. It is a partnership that is educating and entertaining school groups and individuals of all ages. Yes, I said all ages. To my surprise, even my little Brooklyn and her buddy Nora understood aspects of nanoscience. They simply thought they were playing, but anyone else could see that their little brains were working too.We started our adventure by building an imaginary nanobot – a tiny robot. The girls decided they instead had made a “nano dancing fish.” They really loved the hands-on activity “Creating Nanomaterials Through Self Assembly.” I read them the instructions, and they followed by separating the red and blue “nanoparticles.” Then they watched how the nanoparticles spontaneously arranged themselves “under certain conditions” (or for the demonstration’s sake, with the push of a button). This was a highlight of the afternoon – spinning the red and blue shapes and watching them magically self assemble into a new arrangement. Every little scientist loves a big orange magnifying lens. Brooklyn and Nora were shocked (“WHOA!”) to observe the tiny particles in the smallest test tube and see how many it took to fill up the largest one. The nanotechnology exhibit is the museum’s first exhibit to include audio learning in both English and Spanish. The girls decided to listen to both languages! After plenty of learning and giggles, we stopped by the UALR Nanotechnology Center booth, where the best friends stocked up on coloring pages, stickers, bookmarks and more. Whether these future nanotechnology scientists realized it or not, they were learning – learning about science and the fun that one can have at a museum. Perhaps some day these girls – or some of the hundreds of students who will visit “Nano Days” – will don latex gloves (“they feel so funny”) and white lab coats while conducting cutting edge research in a lab like the UALR Nanotechnology Center. Until then, we’ll have to keep visiting the Museum of Discovery. Here’s a few more photos from our adventure: