VINSE Outreach

  How can tiny structures in your favorite berry turn sunlight into electricity? On Monday, May 4th, VINSE welcomed students from White County High School to the Blackberry Solar Cell Lab for an interactive dive into solar energy and nanoscience. Students crafted working solar cells using blackberry juice and… Read More

VINSE was excited to participate in TWISTER (Tennessee Women in Science, Tech, Engineering, and Research) at the Adventure Science Center on Saturday, February 7th. The Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (VINSE) hosted three hands-on activities to showcase nanoscience and give over 100 high school girls a glimpse… Read More

While much of the campus enjoys spring break, VINSE NanoGuides welcomes 50 students from three middle Tennessee high schools: Cookeville, Greenbrier, and Springfield. They’re here to take part in our Blackberry Solar Cell hands-on lab to learn how nanoscale materials affect renewable energy technologies. Students made their own dye-sensitized solar… Read More

What role does design play in controlling fluid motion? Today, VINSE welcomed 16 students from Hillsboro High School for an interactive experience in the Cleanroom Microfluidics Lab. The visit introduced students to the VINSE cleanroom, a room with the cleanest air in Middle Tennessee, where they explored microfluidics with hands-on… Read More

The Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, represented by Sarah Ross, has received the Community Partnership Excellence Award from Vanderbilt Compliance Services in recognition of its longstanding commitment to collaboration, education, and responsible community engagement. The award honors programs that exemplify meaningful partnership in higher education. In its official… Read More

How can differences in designs alter the behavior of the fluid? On Thursday, February 12, 2026, VINSE welcomed 16 students from Lebanon High School to our Cleanroom Microfluidics Lab. They went inside the VINSE cleanroom, home of the cleanest air in Middle Tennessee, and found out with hands-on activities! The students… Read More

How do design choices impact the way fluids move? On Friday, February 6th, VINSE hosted 7 students from Summit High School in the Cleanroom Microfluidics Lab. During their visit, students entered the VINSE cleanroom, containing the cleanest air in Middle Tennessee, and participated in immersive, hands-on learning! They created microscopic… Read More

What secrets can a “crime scene” reveal if you know where to look? On Thursday, January 15th, VINSE welcomed 16 students from Giles County High School to our Forensics Lab for a hands-on investigation into the science behind solving mysteries. During the program, students tackled a whodunnit-themed challenge using… Read More

  Can you measure electricity generated by simply shining light on a solar cell? On Wednesday, November 19, VINSE welcomed 15 students from Station Camp High School to the Cleanroom Solar Cell Lab. Inside the VINSE… Read More

On Wednesday November 5th, VINSE welcomed 15 students from White House Heritage High School to our Forensics Lab. Imagine arriving as the first detective at a murder scene – how do find the hidden clues? The students became forensic scientists for the day, using a range of advanced spectroscopy… Read More