Ternstyle

Nanoprobe Network @ the University of Pennsylvania

The Nanoprobe Network is a free, non-profit, web-based community for scanning probe microscopy scientists, researchers, educators, and students in industry, academia, and research labs around the world. Nanoprobe’s goal is to provide an interactive web space for the exchange of information, ideas, techniques, protocols, images, software, and discussions.

In order to unite it’s community, and do it cost effectively, Nanoprobe required the integration of multiple pieces of free open source web software. Nanoprobe serves its community’s multi-faceted internet based needs by combining WordPress, Mediawiki, Vanilla 2 Forums and a number of third party plugins and modules written for the open source web software installed. Ternstyle suggested, programmed, integrated and deployed Nanoprobe’s collective web application.

Nanoprobe has four main dimensions of its website. Firstly, and primarily, the site is a blog. In order to unite its community Nanoprobe focuses on new content and the ability for its members to comment on and interact with its content. The ability to categorize and search through articles and archives is of the utmost importance.

Secondly the site is a wiki or an encyclopedia of information. This aspect of the site was created to make it very easy for Nanoprobe’s community members to be able to quickly interact with factual information pertaining to their field.

Thirdly the site is a repository for software and shared files. The community members are able to exchange computer applications as well as images, video, or any other files that might help other individuals in the microscopy field.

Lastly the site is a forum. The forum itself is multi-faceted. Nanoprobe not only intended to post forum topics which could be read and commented on over time. Nanoprobe also intended to host live forums where any member of the site could meet on a set date to discuss predetermined topics. This meant that a light-weight forum solution needed to be deployed.

Ternstyle, graphically designed and programmed Nanoprobe’s layout and templates, developed the integration between all the software involved, chose and installed the plugins involved, wrote many of the wordpress plugins involved from scratch and continually maintains every aspect of Nanoprobe’s website.