Baylor profs celebrate National STEM Day with visits to local schools

Baylor researchers have expertise in a wide variety of areas. Students at three area public schools got to learn that firsthand last week, when BU faculty and students visited with elementary, middle and high school-aged scientists to highlight National STEM Day through hands-on learning activities.

In recent years, Baylor has brought some of its outstanding faculty and their students to local schools for National STEM Day to make science come alive and encourage kids to think about college and careers in the STEM fields. It’s a mission that aligns with the day itself, which celebrates discovery and innovation that sparks interest in future science careers.

This year, three Baylor professors and their students showed how science actually connects to things students see every day, and demonstrated that the techniques students can try now in the classroom are actually found in high-level laboratories:

* Dr. Dan Peppe, associate professor of geosciences, led 5th graders at Connally Elementary School through a series of stations that allowed students to design structures that can withstand earthquakes, and to see what the rocks and minerals they see in their yard can tell them about the area.

* Dr. Aaron Wright, the Schofield Endowed Chair in Biomedical Sciences, led students at Tennyson Middle School through a chromatography project in which they broke down dyes commonly found in candies and other foods they enjoy.

* Dr. Elyssia Gallagher, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, also took students at La Vega High School through a chromatography project, showing them how this connects to research in high-level labs like her own.

For parents and teachers with students who show an interest in science, Baylor has shared the chromatography lesson plan with detailed instructions and a list of materials parents can find to make it happen it home.

“We love being able to connect our students with Baylor professors and students and learn from their focused expertise in the STEM fields,” says Kassidi Johnson, an assistant principal at Connally Elementary. “The STEM fields represent the future, and it’s important for our students to see what’s out there whether as a college student or a career.”

On National STEM Day and throughout the year, it’s always exciting to see the discoveries Baylor professors and their students bring to life, and it’s meaningful to see students in area schools experience that as well.

Sic ’em, current and future STEM leaders!