A workshop for teachers and camps for middle and high school students are excellent science education outreach efforts.
Virginia Tech Science educators had a busy summer hosting a workshop for teachers in June and four science camps aimed at middle and high school students in July.
The college’s annual Professional Development Workshop for high school teachers of grades 9–12 had attendees learning about biology, nanoscience, data science, carrying out experiments with slimy mold and Legos, and using electron microscopes to see images of nano- and microplastic pollutants found in a nearby stream. The workshops are free for teachers.
Students participated in four camps: Explore Science, with two separate camps for middle schoolers and high schoolers, ExploreData Science, Explore Physical Science, and Explore Life Science.
Among the highlights was three days of “statapults” that had students using catapults to launch balls, and then collect observational data as part of Explore Data Science. Pat Tracy, a friend of the college and wife to the late Robert Tracy, a professor in the Department of Geosciences, has generously supported several outreach initiatives, including the teacher workshop and funded scholarships for youth summer camps.
