LOW-COST SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE AND MULTIMEDIA TEACHING MATERIALS FOR HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE

AMERICA IS FALLING BEHIND IN SCIENCE TEACHING. YOUNG STUDENTS' INTEREST IN SCIENCE MUST BE STIMULATED TO MAINTAIN THE INTELLECTUAL VIGOR AND ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS OF THE NATION. WHO HAS NOT BEEN FASCINATED BY A SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE (SEM) PICTURE OF A FLY, OR ANT, OR GRAIN OF POLLEN WITH EVERY BRISTLE IN PERFECT FOCUS? AN APPROPRIATELY SIMPLFIED AND LOW-COST SEM, WHICH PRODUCES FASCINATING DEMONSTRATIONS, CAN ENGAGE STUDENT INTEREST AND INTRODUCE THEM TO THE DISCOVERY PROCESS AND A WIDE RANGE OF SCIENTIFIC MATERIAL IN PHYSICS, OPTICS, ELECTRONICS, VIDEO, BIOLOGY, MATERIALS SCIENCE, AND MICRO-ELECTRONICS. RESEARCHERS ARE IMPROVING UPON AN EXISTING PROTOTYPE FOR SUCH A SEM, AND DEVELOPING ACCOMPANYING MULTIMEDIA TEACHING MATERIALS, TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO HIGH SCHOOLS AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE.