May 12 2009
Rising seventh and eighth graders in the local region will have an opportunity to examine evidence like a crime scene investigator, launch a rocket and much more if they participate in the free Summer Science Day Camp at West Virginia University sponsored by WVNano.
The five-day camp is set for June 22-26 at locations throughout the WVU downtown campus. Each day’s activities run from 1-5 p.m. and will focus on topics such as magic with chemistry, forensics and biometrics, nanotechnology, robotics and energy and propulsion/geology. The only cost to participate is transportation to and from camp.
The Summer Science Day Camp is sponsored by WVNano, West Virginia University's focal point for discovery and innovation in nanoscale science, engineering and education that is supported through the National Science Foundation, WVU and the state of West Virginia. WVNano’s central objective is to advance the research environment and diversify West Virginia's economic base through cultivation and growth of vigorous research in targeted areas of nanoscale science and engineering.
Nanoscience is the science of the extremely tiny. “Nano” is from the Greek for “dwarf.” At “nanoscales,” materials possess very different properties giving them very unique abilities. So, nanoscience is the attempt to learn about and use those special properties in the creation of novel products for a range of different industries.
But the purpose of the Summer Science Day Camp is more wide ranging than nanoscience, said Sergei Urazhdin, assistant professor of physics.
“With the camp, we hope to get kids interested in science at an early age, especially at the middle-school level when so many students are just beginning to find their true interests,” Urazhdin said.
Urazhdin, who won a CAREER award last year that sparked the idea to create the science day camp, said that the event is part of WVNano’s overall effort to push science to K-12 students in the region.
Students will be accepted to the camp on a competitive basis. Only 15 to 20 slots are available.
To apply, students are asked to complete a brief application form, available at http://wvnano.wvu.edu/summercamp/ and send in a recommendation letter from a science teacher along with a one page essay describing why they would like to participate. All application materials must be returned no later than May 25.
For more information, e-mail Jen Robertson at [email protected] or call Sergei Urazdhin at (304) 293-3422 ext. 1472 or e-mail [email protected].