A team of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder has taken its expertise on the road again to Denver area schools in an effort to help spark interest in the sciences.
Dubbed the "Science Squad," the five CU-Boulder participants lead hands-on science activities with K-12 students, help teachers set up laboratories and workshops and serve as mentors to the students.
Since 1989, The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has awarded CU-Boulder $5.6 million in three separate grants to strengthen undergraduate science programs and K-12 outreach efforts in the biomedical sciences. CU-Boulder has contributed more than $200,000 to help fund the initiative.
The Hughes Initiative supports programs designed to increase the number of students interested in biological or medical careers -- especially minorities and women -- and to strengthen biology education.
Throughout the academic year, Science Squad members take their expertise in various fields of science to Denver area schools where they help students gain practical learning experience. The Science Squad reaches approximately 15,000 students a year, said Lisa Romero de Mendoza, Hughes Initiative program coordinator.
Since interest in the sciences usually blossoms long before students reach college age, Science Squad members hope the outreach effort will inspire at least some budding researchers, she said. "We want the students to know that women and minorities are involved in professional scientific research, and that the opportunities are there for them," she said.
One of the newest Science Squad projects developed for high school students is called the "Electric Slide." The project allows students to learn about the electrical activity of the human heart through electrocardiogram readings.
The hands-on experience introduces students to components of an EKG reading while explaining the correlation with heart function. It is one of several programs offered by the Science Squad this year.
Others include "Animal Survival," "Rewiring the Brain," "Underground Danger" and "Goin' Nuts with Nutrition." Members of the Science Squad help area school teachers enhance their science classes in a fun and educational manner, Romero said, benefiting students and teachers alike.
"For teachers, trying to stay current and up-to-date on the latest information is difficult, especially in science," said Romero. "The Science Squad helps bring some of that information directly to their classrooms, so not only do students learn, but so do teachers."
Lea Stenerson, a master's student in the CU kinesiology department, is a second-year member of the Science Squad and is planning a career in higher education. She teaches programs with an emphasis on nutrition and body functions such as blood pressure and heart function.
"I love teaching and I love my field," Stenerson said. "This seemed like the perfect opportunity to interact with high school and junior high students while hopefully sparking some interest in the sciences."
For more information on the programs offered by the Science Squad or the Hughes Initiative, contact Lisa Romero de Mendoza at (303) 492-8230 or visit the Hughes Initiative web site at .