Started last spring by Kristy Ainslie, a graduate student in integrated biosciences, Science Lions is an outreach program in which Penn State students travel to regional K-12 schools that may not have the resources for many science demonstrations. With their own materials in tow, the Science Lions diplomats aim to educate and fascinate youths with demonstrations of chemical engineering, cell and developmental biology, geoscience and other scientific areas. About 20 graduate students have taken part in visits so far.

“Several Penn State departments offer programs that bring kids to campus, but our goal is to go out to schools, especially to those that can’t afford to come here,” says Ainslie, of Vicksburg, Mich. “Although this started as a Penn State Life Sciences Consortium project, we are now an even more interdisciplinary group with student volunteers from many different departments, including some from the College of Education, as well as science majors.”

In July, the Science Lions showed off their demonstrations to more than 600 kids on campus during the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. They have at least three school visits lined up for the current academic year. Some of their standard demonstrations examine potential and kinetic energy using Matchbox cars, explain a chemical reaction via a methanol-powered cannon, and highlight endothermic and exothermic reactions in money that has been doused with water and alcohol (when a match is applied, the alcohol burns but not the money, since the water absorbs the energy).

“To set up a visit, teachers should contact us with a topic area, the age of their students, the number of students, and a set of dates,” says Alexandra Surcel, who also studies the integrated biosciences, and who serves as public relations chair for the group. “We will work closely with the teachers to make a demonstration that’s unique to the background that the students have. Our demos are geared to being hands-on. We work primarily within 50 miles of State College, but may be willing to travel farther.”

With everyday life becoming more and more entwined with scientific research, it is increasingly important to both students and scientists that students learn science basics in order to be more knowledgeable citizens in facing those overlaps, the Science Lions organizers point out.

“It is also important to get kids interested in science as a possible career,” Surcel adds. “Too often, science is taught from the textbook alone and loses some of its pizzazz and awesomeness. Our demos are geared towards wowing kids with science and proving that it can be a lot of fun.”

Participation in Science Lions also helps graduate students who plan on a career in teaching or public service learn how to maintain a classroom’s interest and to become liasons between scientists and non-scientists.

“It also builds your basic science knowledge base,” Ainslie says of the experience. “Developing demonstrations exercises your talent for explaining difficult concepts simply. Taking the concept of ‘pressure’ and explaining it to 2nd graders is a true test of relating to your audience!”

The Science Lions recently joined Penn State’s University of Promise initiative, a partnership between Penn State and America’s Promise--The Alliance for Youth, to build the character and competence of Pennsylvania’s youth.

To learn more about the Science Lions, visit the group’s Web site at http://www.clubs.psu.edu/sciencelions/

Ainslie may be contacted by e-mail at kma169@psu.edu and Surcel at aus103@psu.edu.

**gwc**

Contact: Gary W. Cramer, Penn State Department of Public Information, at (814) 865-7517 or gwc104@psu.edu