The Molecular Foundry: Outreach

• The Molecular Foundry is a National user facility serving 40+ visitors/users at any one time, and is arguably the centerpiece of Bay Area’s emerging nanotechnology boom. Approximately 50 major research projects were already approved as of the Molecular Foundry’s opening date.
   
• As an indicator of this facility’s high profile, there were 67,000 web links to the Molecular Foundry website as of the day the facility opened.
   
• Many hundreds of visitors are expected to this new facility each year. These will include public tours, students, and scientists from other institutions conducting research.
   
• Students employed at LBNL (the next generation of scientists) will be exposed to the design principles embodied in the facility.
   
• An exhibit describing the facilities sustainability features is already on display in the lobby (attached to this proposal and available online at ).
   
• “Nano*High” is a high school program operated through the Molecular Foundry. They already have held lectures relating to energy issues and have committed to doing one on energy efficiency in high tech buildings.
   
• The MF story will be used as input to a course on energy management in high-tech buildings, as well as site tours, under a new building operator vocational training being developed by LBNL and community colleges in California under a grant from the National Science Foundation.
   
• Presentations will be given at the DOE/EPA Labs21 conferences, providing exposure to hundreds of high-tech facility designers across the country.
   
• Web based energy monitoring will provide on-going energy performance information and trend analysis to a broad audience.
   
• We anticipate receipt of a LEED-Silver certification, which will be accompanied by visibility through the USGBC.