Expanding outreach with portable SEM for K-12 math/science.
Last year MRSEC graduate students at the University of Arkansas brought cutting edge microscopy to local middle-school students and allow them to explore the world of nanoscience in real-time. This year our focus expanded to regional high-school students. The microscope is a portable scanning electron microscope (SEM). The SEM allows the students to explore the world of the “nano”.
The LCMRCconducts collaborative research with Cal Poly Pomona, a Hispanic
Serving Institution. Cal Poly Chemistry Juniors work in the Department’s
research laboratory for two quarters during the AY, then continue their
research full time at the LCMRC labs in Boulder during the summer. Cal Poly
students are able able to take advantage of
the dynamic atmosphere and interdisciplinary expertise of the LCMRC and use
their superior research facilities.
A new Materials Science From CU program, Light and Energy, enables
students to compare the amount of energy needed to illuminate different types
light bulbs. Seen in this photo during
the annual STEMapaloozza event held in
Denver, Center graduate student Chenhui Zhu encourages a middle student to generate the power
to light an array of incandescent light bulbs.
Cool and Creative Chemistry is one of the interactive classes of the LCMRC Materials Science from CU K-12 outreach program. MSFCU presentations, designed by Center
faculty and students, have been
presented to 65,000 Colorado children over the past 10 years. The photo was taken during a presentation at
Super Science Saturday at the Steelworks Museum of Industry & Culture in
Pueblo, Colorado. Photo: John Jaques/Pueblo
Chieftain
A group of MRSEC researchers, staff, and graduate students visited the Boston Museum of Science on July 15, 2009 for a day of public demonstrations and presentations to encourage thought and discussion about polymers. The Ventures in Science Using ArtLaboratory (VISUAL) program had an ongoing exhibit of images at the Museum from May through August, and coordinated a presentation to teach the audience about materials and capture their attention using visually striking images gathered during the course of MRSEC research at UMass.
May 2009 marked the University of Maryland MRSEC’s 12th Annual Middle School Student Science Conference, co-hosted by the American Institute of Physics.
Modern electronics, e.g. a smart phone, relies heavily on science and engineering: semiconductors (diodes, transistors), magnetism (hard drives), photoelectric effect (digital camera), photon generation and lasers (LEDs, CD/DVD drives), light polarization (LCD), etc. The immediacy and applicability makes electronics a great tool for teaching science and technology.
The goal of CRISP professional development workshops is to improve the quality and diversity of STEM education for science teachers in neighboring urban school districts. CRISP offers inquiry-based workshops which utilize CRISP specialized research facilities to emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of materials science and nanotechnology. Workshops have been offered to more than 100 participants to date.
Nearly 500 K-12 students from NYC schools visited NYU MRSEC laboratories for science demonstrations as part of the MRSEC Scientific Frontiers Program
Developed class modules for 70 9th graders in the Urban Assembly Institute for Math and Science for Young Women, an all-girls school in Brooklyn for the underrepresented and underprivileged
Science demonstrations, in Spanish, for more than 80 students at Don Pedro Albizu Campos elementary school, which primarily serves economically disadvantaged Hispanic student
The list of potential curricular connections and activities that can be done with a wind tunnel in middle school is almost endless. This project incorporates simple geometry, weather, lab skills, metric measurement, as well as having the students work through the design process and actually construct and test their creations. The project bridges math and science wonderfully with real world applications that the students can get excited about and really understand. The interactive approach of this project can not help but enhance a student’s learning.
Expanding outreach with portable SEM for K-12 math/science. 
The LCMRCconducts collaborative research with Cal Poly Pomona, a Hispanic
Serving Institution. Cal Poly Chemistry Juniors work in the Department’s
research laboratory for two quarters during the AY, then continue their
research full time at the LCMRC labs in Boulder during the summer. Cal Poly
students are able able to take advantage of
the dynamic atmosphere and interdisciplinary expertise of the LCMRC and use
their superior research facilities.
A new Materials Science From CU program, Light and Energy, enables
students to compare the amount of energy needed to illuminate different types
light bulbs. Seen in this photo during
the annual STEMapaloozza event held in
Denver, Center graduate student Chenhui Zhu encourages a middle student to generate the power
to light an array of incandescent light bulbs.
Cool and Creative Chemistry is one of the interactive classes of the LCMRC Materials Science from CU K-12 outreach program. MSFCU presentations, designed by Center
faculty and students, have been
presented to 65,000 Colorado children over the past 10 years. The photo was taken during a presentation at
Super Science Saturday at the Steelworks Museum of Industry & Culture in
Pueblo, Colorado. Photo: John Jaques/Pueblo
Chieftain
