LHU senior Bradley Golder explains the features of the university's state-of-the-art scanning electron microscope to visiting high school students.

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Lock Haven University welcomed 66 area high school students and 5 teachers to their annual Nanoscience Open House on November 19.

Participating students represented three area high schools.

Bucktail High School: Amanda Kile, Taylor Pompili, Becca Werts, Maddie Lucas, Roxanne Donley, Gordy Houser, Jarrett Davis, Karlye Gentzyel, Natalie Cool, Ryan Krebs, Tiffany Peters and Megan Whitty. They were accompanied by teachers Shelly Budinger, LHU class of 2003, and Benjamin Toner, LHU class of 2006.

Central Mountain High School: Kaitlyn Brickley, Jordanna Confer, Rani Chapla, Danielle Duck, Sarah Hackenberg, Danyel Hess, Kristen Hinds, Emily Holladay, Alyssa Hoy, Carson Karichner, Aaron Kelley, Tyler Kelly, Marshall Lawvere, Caitlyn Levi, Alexis Lingenfelter, Catrina Lykens, Brent Nardella, Nathaniel Powers, Katelynn Reeder, Brennan Register, Sam Rockwell, Rachel Salmon, Leah Schwartz, Ashley Seyler, Patrick Shaw, Valerie Shawley, Brook Shortledge, Ellie Sikorskas, Kylie Sikorskas, Brandon Townsend, Stephanie Walizer, Chelsea Young and Dustin Young. They were accompanied by teachers Laurie Hendricks and Jim Merinar, LHU class of 1990.

South Williamsport High School: Julie Bower, Chelsie Burch, Alexa Campbell, Zachary Campbell, Maria Cioffi, Cain Dudeck, Serena Engel, Justine Franzi, Aubrey Heckrote, Jillian Jackson, Brandon Johnson, Geneva Johnson, Kayla Keen, Aleksander Keller, Sarah Lamade, Michael Miele, Bradlee Mix, Samantha Reasner, Alexus Stewart, Katlyn Troisi and Hannah Whipple. They were accompanied by teacher Matt Eisley, LHU class of 2000.

Dr. David White, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, gave welcoming remarks, following which Dr. Jackie Whitling, professor of chemistry, gave an overview of Nanotechnology. With the assistance of current students in all of LHU’s science disciplines, visitors were able to see demonstrations of how the study of Nanoscience has application in all of the sciences. Dr. Whitling, Dr. Carina Howell, associate professor of biology, Dr. Anamika Gopal, assistant professor of physics, and Dr.Krish Pillai, assistant professor of computer science, coordinated the demonstrations in chemistry, biology, physics, and computer science.
Among the demonstrations was the LHU scanning electron microscope (SEM), which is used by students in all the science disciplines. The state-of-the-art SEM costing nearly $157,000 was partly funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation in 2009.
Another highlight of the day was a tour of the nanotechnology laboratories by Dr. Marian Tzolov, associate professor of physics and Dr. Indrajith Senevirathne, assistant professor of physics. LHU student ambassadors led visitors on a tour of the LHU campus.

After lunch in Bentley Dining Hall, LHU students presented physics and chemistry demonstration shows in Ulmer Planetarium.
"A highlight of the Nano Open House program is a segment where the high school students are given the opportunity to interact one-on-one with the Nano undergraduates," observed Dr. Anura Goonewardene, professor and chair of Department of Geology and Physics and the director of the Nanotechnology program.

Nanotechnology is the study of science on the nanometer scale and can encompass anything from microelectronics to nanoelectronics to medicine. LHU’s cutting edge program is partly funded by grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and the National Science Foundation.