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‘NanoSpace’ Website Wins Center for Digital Education Best of the Web Award
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute scientists’ efforts to increase science literacy in children recognized with prestigious award

Troy, NY (September 13, 2013) – Scientists and professors of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Nanotechnology Center have been selected as the recipients of the Center for Digital Education’s 2013 Best of the Web award, for their free, innovative and educational NanoSpace® website. The award recognizes and honors outstanding K-12 and higher education websites.

“Educational institutions are constantly tasked with creating quality websites and applications to deliver services and enhance learning,” said Kim Frame, executive director of the Center for Digital Education. “This year’s winners are cognizant of this challenge and have developed innovative models to increase learning and promote achievement via the use of technology. The Center congratulates them for creativity and dedication toward excellence!”

NanoSpace®, the Molecularium® Project’s online science “theme park” encourages kids in 5th-8th grades to explore the world of atoms and molecules with free games, activities and short animations in a fun-filled amusement park and learning environment. Visit http://nanospace.molecularium.com.

“The fact that Rensselaer was presented with the Best of the Web award for NanoSpace inspires all of us in our Nanotechnology Center to continue our commitment to increasing science literacy in children,” stated Richard W. Siegel, Ph.D., Director of the Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center. “NanoSpace serves as a model for how highly technical information can be communicated in a simple, accessible form that children can understand – and enjoy,” he added.

More than 25 games and animations entice kids to learn more about atoms and molecules in NanoSpace. Visitors can try to beat the clock in the “Periodic Memory Game” and click-and-drag atoms to construct molecules in “Build’em.” Answer multiple-choice questions in Who wants to be a Quidecillionaire?, and hope the answer is correct before you fall down to the bottom rung again. Five new animations feature the Molecularium computer “Mel” talking to his young friends about atoms and molecules, polymers, and even understanding DNA as “The Software of Life.”

The Best of the Web awards recognize and honor outstanding education websites. The awards are open to all U.S. education institution websites including K-12 districts, schools, colleges, universities, teachers, multi-class, parent and student websites. The Center for Digital Education (CDE) is a national research and advisory institute specializing in K-12 and higher education technology trends, policy and funding. CDE advises the industry, conducts relevant research, issues white papers, and produces premier annual surveys and awards programs.

About The Molecularium® Project
The Molecularium® Project is the flagship outreach and education effort of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Nanotechnology Center. Its mission is to expand science literacy and awareness, and to excite young audiences to explore and understand the molecular nature of the world around them. This is done through compelling stories, experiential learning and unprecedented visualizations in immersive and interactive media.

The Molecularium® Project includes both free, interactive web-based activities and games in NanoSpace® as well as Giant Screen and Digital Dome shows designed to excite and educate children about atoms and molecules. The Project’s online portal is www.molecularium.com.

  • Molecules to the MAX! is a 3D Giant Screen Adventure for family audiences. The film has played in IMAX and other giant screen theaters throughout the U.S. and around the world and has been translated into Chinese, Japanese, Arabic and Spanish. The 40-minute large screen 3D feature film was released in 2010. A DVD of the film is scheduled for release in the coming months.
  • Molecularium – Riding Snowflakes is an award-winning Digital Dome Experience that takes young audiences into the magical, musical world of atoms and molecules! This 23-minute immersive show for digital domes and planetariums was released in 2005, and has since played around the world in several languages.

CONTACT:
Candice Warltier at 773-991-1210; cwarltier@communication-strategies.com