Student Participation

Organizations:

Nittany Chemical Society (NCS)

The NCS is an undergraduate chemistry interest group, and is an undergraduate affiliate of the American Chemical Society (ACS).  Visit the NCS website for more information.

Alpha Chi Sigma (Nu chapter)

AXE is a chemistry and science fraternity, and is an undergraduate affiliate of the American Chemical Society.  Visit the AXE website for more information.

Chemical Education Student Interest Group

Undergraduate and graduate students interested in K-12 or college level chemical education can network and be involved in projects with others that have the same interests.  For more information contact Dr. Jackie Bortiatynski at jackie@chem.psu.edu.

Science LionPride

Students in the Eberly College of Science can get involved with this fantastic group, providing tours of campus, raising money for THON, and much more.  For more information contact President Roma Amin at rza5033@psu.edu or visit their website at http://php.scripts.psu.edu/clubs/up/sciencelionpride/index.php

Events:

PLEASE NOTE:  volunteering at an event can be used to help fulfill the following requirement for entrance to the major in elementary and secondary education:

"Documentation of at least 80 hours of volunteer or paid education work experience with learners of the age group the candidate plans to teach. At least 40 of these age-appropriate 80 hours must be with learners whose cultural, social, or ethnic backgrounds differ from the candidate's own."

Upcoming Events:

• American Wizard Chemical Demonstration Competition 2012
  Tentatively February 19, 2012, TBA
  

The PSU Chemical Education Interest Group is seeking undergraduate and graduate students interested in participating in the 7th Annual “American Wizard” competition!  Partner with a faculty member or graduate student and win a fabulous prize!  See the description above, and email our Outreach Contact for more information. 

Interested students can submit an Interest Form to be considered for participation in the contest.

• Science Exploration Day, Mount Nittany Middle School
  April 14, 2012, 10 AM - 3 PM
  

Exploration Day is a celebration of the spirit and opportunity and Science at Penn State.  This interactive science event brings together many families and members of the Penn State community.  Student volunteers will present chemistry and science activities and interact with children and families.

• NCS Haunted Lab Tour 2012
  
  

The Nittany Chemical Society student group sponsors a fantastic Halloween Demo Show along with a Haunted Lab Tour of Whitmore Building in partnership with chemistry faculty and staff.  This year's show is "Superhero Science", and is being run in concert with an afternoon Halloween BOOt camp presented by Science U Staff and volunteers.  Contact our NCS president Stephanie Baima at sjb5234@psu.edu or check out the NCS website.

• Family Science Night, Bellefonte Middle School
  
  

Our volunteers bring interactive chemistry activities meant for the whole family to the Bellefonte Middle School every fall.  Past projects have included sparkle paintings, fizzy bath bombs, and crystallized holiday ornaments.  Let's motivate some kids to study chemistry!

• American Chemical Society Local Section Meeting and Career Workshop, University Park Campus
  
  

The Central PA Local Section will be hosting a meeting on November 18th at 6:30 pm on the Penn State University Campus that will focus on graduate student professional development and career information.   The November meeting will be the first of two such informational sessions.  The second session will take place in Spring 2011 with a date to be announced.

• 7th Grade Science Tour from Clifton Springs NY
  Friday April 2, 2010, 7-8:30 PM and Saturday April 3, 9 AM - noon
  

Student volunteers helped with this middle school field trip from New York state.  Forty 7th graders arrived by bus on Friday night to stay at a local hotel; we planned a PSU scavenger hunt ending at the creamery for that evening. On Saturday morning at 9 AM half of the group did some fun chemistry experiments in Whitmore Building, while the other half visited the Earth and Mineral Science Museum and Art Gallery.  The groups then switched.  Student volunteers participated as guides in the scavenger hunt, Instructors in the chemistry lab, and guides to and from the EMS Museum and hotel.

• Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Fair, Park Forest Middle School, State College
  Wednesday April 7, 11 AM – 3 PM

The staff at Park Forest Middle School in State College have asked for “Engaging activities, literature, discussion on teaching and working in the STEM fields, especially woman and minority representatives”;  student participants performed hands-on activities to recruit students for STEM career paths.  Transportation was provided, and shifts from 11 AM to 1 PM and 1 PM to 3 PM were available.

• American Wizard Demo Competition
  Friday April 16, 2010, 6 - 8 PM
  

The PSU Chemical Education Interest Group sought students interested in participating in the 4th Annual “American Wizard” competition.  The competition is a lecture demonstration contest created to foster interactions between faculty and undergraduate students in the Department of Chemistry. The format for the contest is similar to that of “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance”.  This pop-culture format is an entertaining way to promote the understanding of chemical principles and the development and improvement of demonstrations in the undergraduate classroom.   You and a faculty coach will select and develop a short chemistry lecture demonstration.  The presentation can be an enhanced version of a demonstration currently used in the chemistry classroom or it can be completely new idea.  You are expected to understand the chemical principles behind the demonstration and you are also expected to work with the stockroom and chemistry lecture demonstrator to prepare the necessary materials for practice sessions and the contest performance. You will perform your lecture demonstration within the 5 minute time period before an expert panel and an audience of your peers on the night of the competition. This past year emeritus chemistry faculty members Dr. John Lowe, Dr. Roy Olofson, Dr. Peter Jurs, and Dr. Bob Minard were the members of our esteemed American Wizard Panel.  The expert panel shares their comments at the conclusion of each presentation.  The panel also ranks each presentation based on the following criteria: educational value or how well it demonstrates a scientific principle, safety and practicality, can it be performed in many settings, and finally how entertaining was the demonstration. The audience is then allowed to vote for their favorite presentation and the contestant with the highest combined ranking wins the title of “American Wizard” for the next academic year along with a fabulous prize!

• Science Exploration Day, Bryce Jordan Center
  Saturday, April 17, 2010, 10 AM - 3 PM
  

Exploration Day is a celebration of the spirit and opportunity and Science at Penn State.  This interactive science event brings together many families and members of the Penn State community.  Student volunteers will present chemistry and science activities and interact with children and families.

• 4th Grade Science Tour from Altoona, PA
  Friday, April 23, 2010, 10 AM - 1 PM
  

Student volunteers helped with this elementary school field trip from Altoona, PA.  This field trip was for 80 4th graders, with activities from 10 AM – 1 PM on Friday.  Our schedule included chemistry lab experiments involving dry ice and liquid nitrogen, a bag lunch on the Willaman Bridge, a Beaver Stadium and Sports Museum tour, and ice cream from the creamery.  Student volunteers participated as Instructors in the chemistry lab, or guides to get the group around campus.

• DNA Day, HUB Ballroom
  Monday, May 3, 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM
  

320 students from Bald Eagle Area School District visited our campus for a nationwide activity called DNA day, and they wanted to know what it's like to be a college student!  We needed graduate and undergraduate students that were willing to sit on a panel, tell their experience as a college student, and answer questions from potential future PSU students. 

• Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts Children’s Day Outreach
  Wednesday,  July 7, 2010, 8 AM - 4 PM
  

Arts Fest is a State College tradition, as is Children and Youth Day at Arts Fest.  The chemistry department and MRSEC always set up a tent full of interactive science activities designed for children, and student volunteers are always welcome!  Activities this year included liquid nitrogen ice cream, plastic bag reactions, bubble experiments, and acid-base indicator paintings. Come join the fun next year!