SCIENCE OUTREACH

September 2024

Volume 19

Connecting and Enhancing Community Engagement

Science Outreach was created to facilitate mutually beneficial and sustainable relationships between Princeton University science educators and researchers with K-12 students, schoolteachers, nonprofit organizations, and the broader community to increase 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.

New In Science Outreach

Sign Up to Volunteer

Science community, it’s time to sign up to volunteer for upcoming Science Outreach opportunities this semester. Please indicate your best availability to get involved. K-12 students in our surrounding community are looking for hands-on, engaging science experiences to increase their awareness and knowledge of science and STEM.

Volunteer opportunities are available at the Trenton Free Public Library, The Ewing Public Library, Lawrenceville Library, Princeton Public Library, Urban Promise, and The Boys and Girls Club.

1st Annual Princeton Science Fair

Saturday. October 5, 2024

MBOP (Molecular Biology Graduate Student Group) and Science Outreach are collaborating to host the 1st annual Princeton Science Fair on Saturday, October 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

High school students with an independent research project are invited to present their work, meet other students interested in science, and learn more about future career and academic opportunities! For more information, scan the QR code in the flyer or contact Science Outreach.

Science Outreach In the Community

Science Outreach at the Ewing Library

On September 14, the graduate students from the Molecular Biology Outreach Program (MBOP) led a group of 2nd-5th graders and their parents through a hands-on activity about strawberry DNA extraction. The students got to take home a necklace with the DNA they extracted.

Sophie Skanchy, Elisabeth Buvarp, Lauren Todorov, Halley Washburn, Julia Balch, Maria Gajic, Emily Singer, Tommy Cafiero, and Kelsey Hallinen facilitated this activity. Thank you, MBOP.

Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

STEM Conference volunteers are needed to facilitate IMAP activities with students in 4th—9th grades. This year's conference will take place on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County. STEM Conference volunteers also present STEM workshops, facilitate discussion on a STEM Career Panel, and assist throughout the day as logistics volunteers. Please contact scienceoutreach@princeton.edu for more information or sign up to volunteer using the volunteer information button below. Sign up by October 7th.

Happy Birthday, Bilbo Baggins!

On Saturday, September 21, Science Outreach, the Chemistry Department (Angie Miller and graduate students), and the Cotsen Children's Library at Firestone Library celebrated Bilbo’s birthday. Children of all ages attended a bash that included turning themselves invisible, crafting a hobbit door, cultivating a garden, stealing a coin from Smaug, and embarking on a campus quest. Students were given prize bags stuffed with goodies.

Hobbits love to eat, so this event was also a food drive to benefit the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank. All were invited to bring canned goods, cereals, nut butter, oatmeal, cooking oil, and seasonings.

Science Outreach Connecting with Campus and Community Partners

STEM Academic Outreach Group

Science Outreach along with the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, leads a STEM Academic Outreach Group. This group of campus colleagues meet throughout the academic year to build campus connections, collaborate on future outreach opportunities, and discuss ways to engage with audiences, communities and organizations. The goal of academic outreach is to expose participants, to enrichening hands-on activities and to broaden the range of communities that may contribute to and benefit from outreach engagement.

ISLAND Conference

Science Outreach Associate Director, Paryn Wallace attended the 15^th Annual ISLAND Conference 2024 (Inclusion in Science Learning a New Direction. A Conference on Disability and STEM.) The ISLAND Conference serves as a forum for access technology developers, science educators, rehabilitation professionals, and educational researchers to network and share their experiences with how they have promoted the inclusion of persons with disabilities into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields of study.

REORN Meeting

On September 12, the Office of Community and Regional Affairs hosted a Regional Engagement, Outreach, and Research Network meeting (REORN) meeting. The REORN meetings provide a space for campus colleagues to learn about current community engagement efforts, hear about new opportunities, and elevate opportunities for cross-campus collaboration, all focusing on deepening our regional impact. April De Simone was the guest speaker at the meeting and presented the work of the People’s Practicum Studio (PsP). The People's Studio Practicum brings together diverse community partnerships to bridge education, civic engagement, networks, and resources to advance initiatives reflective of a just and equitable society. PsP serves as an infrastructure for fostering informed and community-led social, cultural, and economic growth.

Volunteers Needed! Sign Up by October 7

Volunteers are needed this semester for science outreach opportunities at:

The Trenton Free Public Library, The Ewing Public Library, Lawrenceville Library, Princeton Public Library, Urban Promise, and The Boys and Girls Club!

Please click the volunteer box below if you want to volunteer for any Science Outreach opportunity. Volunteers are needed for ongoing and new outreach opportunities at area schools and community programs. Please let me know the outreach opportunity you are interested in, and you will be contacted to learn more about how you can share your science in the community.

Let's Track 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.