SCIENCE OUTREACH

November/December 2023

Volume 12

Connecting and Enhancing Community Engagement

Science Outreach will facilitate mutually beneficial and sustainable relationships between Princeton University Science educators and researchers. Science Outreach serves as a nexus connecting faculty, students, and postdocs with youth, schoolteachers, nonprofit organizations, and the broader community with the goal of increasing engagement, participation, equity, and inclusion in STEM fields. Science Outreach supports Astrophysical Sciences, Center for Statistics and Machine Learning, Chemistry, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Geosciences, Mathematics, Molecular Biology, Physics, Princeton Neuroscience Institute, and Psychology.

Science Outreach Fellows

In the Community

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County 2023 STEM Conference

On November 9th, the Science Outreach Fellows participated in the Boys and Girls Club STEM Conference. The Fellows conducted a plasma physics activity that was interactive. Over 200 students attended the conference and the students reported rave reviews for all hands on activities.

Pictured above: (left to right) Sriya Kotta, Davis Hobley, Justin Shields (Psychology Major), and Aryan Gupta. Not pictured but also attended Natasha Greenstein and Yousef Kassem.

Urban Promise Trenton

Camp Truth

Urban Promise is a youth building community organization with two locations in Trenton, NJ. Their mission is to provide urban youth and teens with a chance to build the skills necessary for academic achievement, life management, and holistic growth. The Science Outreach Fellows will engage in weekly ongoing hands on activities at Camp Truth. On November 13th, the Fellows (pictured above left to right) Daniel Tu, Emma Petzold, Jazmin Rivera, and Meghana Bhupati made florescent glow sticks with the students.

Tutoring at HomeWorks

Science Outreach Fellow Nirel Amoyaw is an ongoing Science and Math tutor at HomeWorks. HomeWorks is a free, community-based, after-school residential program that provides academic and identity-driven leadership enrichment activities to marginalized high school girls. Princeton University alum Natalie Tung is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Homeworks.

The Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County Attend Syren Performance

Syren Modern Dance performed TickTock, an exploration of the nature of time, featuring movement, music, and narration by astrophysicist Paul M. Sutter. Invited by Science Outreach, students from the Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County attended the performance at the Choi Glass Box Theater in Yeh College. Enjoyed by all, the performance was masterfully presented.

Science Outreach Volunteers

Science Outreach volunteers, Megan Mazzatenta, Hannah Wiswell, and Israel Bonilla attend Camp Grace, a second Urban Promise location in Trenton.

The team has engaged students in weekly hands-on activities about how clouds form, how bubbles burst, and how airfoil generates lift.

There are 20 students in 1st - 8th grades. Activities take place on Tuesdays, from 4:45 pm - 6:00 pm. Science Outreach can purchase supplies and provide information about Lyft transportation.

If you would like to volunteer at Camp Grace, please fill out the link to select a date(s).

· Tuesday, February 6

· Tuesday, February 13

· Tuesday, February 20

· Tuesday, February 27

· Tuesday, March 19

· Tuesday, March 26

· Tuesday, April 9

· Tuesday, April 16

· Tuesday, April 23

· Tuesday, April 30

Click Here to Sign Up

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

Science Saturdays at Three Local Libraries

In collaboration with the Trenton Public Library, the Ewing Library, and the Lawrence Library systems, Science Outreach will host Science Outreach Saturdays for students in 2nd - 8th grades. Science Outreach Saturdays will take place once a month. If your lab or group would like to sign up to share a hands-on, engaging science activity with students, please indicate your interest by using the sign-up button below. Science Outreach will cover the cost of your materials and provide Lyft transportation if needed. You will be contacted to confirm a date and location. Please sign up no later than December 20, 2023. Assignments will be made in January 2024.

Trenton Free Public Library

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Saturday Science Dates

2024

Saturday, January 27
Saturday, February 24
Saturday, March 23
Saturday, April 27

Lawrence Public Library

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Saturday Science Dates

2024

Saturday, February 10
Saturday, March 9
Saturday, April 13
Saturday, May 11

Ewing Public Library

10:00 am - 11:30 am

Saturday Science Dates

2024

Saturday, February 17
Saturday, March 16
Saturday, April 13
Saturday, May 11
Saturday, June 22

Campus Partner Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers Needed

HOLIDAY LECTURE 2023

Saturday, December 9 (9:00 pm - 1:00 pm)

Volunteers are needed to help with registration, give out t-shirts and demo kits to the kids, and assist the audience when needed.

If interested, please email Janine (nunes@princeton.edu). Volunteers should arrive by 9 am in the Brush Gallery outside the A02 lecture room in McDonnell Hall. If you're only available to help at one of the lectures (either morning or afternoon), that's fine; please include that information when you respond. There will be coffee, a light breakfast in the morning, a light lunch between lectures for the volunteers, and free volunteer t-shirts (while stocks last). The organizer will contact all volunteers closer to the event with additional details.

Community Events

Share with your networks!

Climate Change Talk

Zachary Labe, postdoctoral research associate and NOAA affiliate, gave a public talk on climate change at the NJ State Museum on November 18. The event was free and open to the public.

If you or your lab are in the community, please reach out to Science Outreach to share your information.

December 19, 2023

Astronomy on Tap takes place at Trenton Social on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. Trenton Social is located at 449 S Broad Street, Trenton, NJ 08611

For more information

email AstronomyO nTapTrenton@gmail.com

REACH OUT TO SCIENCE OUTREACH

If you would like to volunteer for any upcoming Science Outreach opportunity, please click the volunteer box below. Volunteers are frequently needed for new outreach opportunities at area schools and community programs.

Let's Keep Track Of Your Community Outreach

If you, your lab or your department facilitated an outreach opportunity, please complete the tracking form and upload a photo from your event. We will feature your opportunity in the next edition of the Science Outreach newsletter.

Science Outreah Tracking