The department of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Colorado at Boulder has been awarded $28,000 to advance an educational outreach program intended to draw more females, minorities and economically disadvantaged students into studying chemistry and biochemistry.
The three-year grant from the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation will be used to further support the Cool and Creative Chemistry program, which was launched in January with support from the CU-Boulder Outreach Council.
Cool and Creative Chemistry was designed by CU-Boulder's Science from CU program and the Chemistry and Biochemistry Club. The outreach program puts on chemistry demonstrations and provides chemistry curricula for teachers and students throughout Colorado, particularly those in rural and inner-city schools.
"This project is a great way for CU-Boulder chemistry, biochemistry and chemical engineering faculty, graduate and undergraduate students to share their knowledge and enthusiasm about science with students and teachers throughout Colorado, and introduce them to the wonders of chemistry," said CU-Boulder chemistry Professor David Walba, the grant's recipient.
Studies have cited a deficiency of skills and understanding among K-12 students in science, mathematics and technology, especially female and minority students, who often lose interest in the middle school years, according to CU-Boulder science educator Christine Morrow.
"Delivering scientific concepts in an engaging and relevant manner is key to reaching these young students and inspiring them to continue with their studies in science," Morrow said.
In a segment of the project already developed, students learn some common applications of chemistry such as how chemical reaction energy is used to fuel living things. The hands-on demonstrations introduce students to metabolism and respiration, photosynthesis and bioluminescence, according to Morrow.
The project also will help teachers develop physical science curricula and eventually will include Web-based instruction.
Walba is a researcher in the Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, an interdisciplinary research unit at CU-Boulder that is one of the nation's leading liquid crystal research centers. The center is funded in part by a National Science Foundation Materials Research Science and Engineering Center grant.
The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation is a nonprofit foundation based in New York that grants awards to academic and other institutions to work toward the advancement of chemistry and chemical engineering.
For more information call (303) 492-8640.