Outreach Brings Science Joy for Kids and Presenters Alike
April 2023
Sometimes it’s hard to tell who is having more fun: the eager elementary students joining in joyful science explorations, or the hundreds of volunteers from more than a dozen East Bay companies and public agencies who have once again been able to share their love of science in person rather than over the zoom screen.
After nearly two years of distance-only outreach, scientists and engineers from companies like Aeva, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Amyris Biotechnologies, Bio-Rad Life Sciences, Center for Transportation and the Environment, Clorox, ENGEO, Health Advances, Lumentum, One Health Lessons, Pliant Therapeutics, Renegade Bio, and Tesla Motors have joined their colleagues for a morning, or entire school day leading science fun and serving as STEM role models.
Together, CRS industry-affiliated teams have presented more than 150 lessons, reaching nearly 5,000 elementary students. They’ve shared about their own pathways and about the questions they are trying to solve in their day-job science research.
While engineering their own balloon-rocket cars, separating ink colors in a chromatography experiment, or sketching feathers and skulls, students laugh and learn together with the caring volunteers. The BASIS teams invite children to imagine how science will fit into their own bright futures.
“The volunteers were very engaging and did a good job connecting with the kids! Thanks again for coming, we all had a fantastic time! It is very difficult to fit in science in a meaningful way, and it is always awesome when you all come in and work with our students!”
– 5th-grade teacher, Oakland Unified
During a microorganism lesson with an Amyris Scientist Team, a scientist shares with the class a secret about science careers: there is a place for everyone in science. After sharing that ‘working in science’ does not describe a person’s background, culture, identity, etc., she mentions, “You don’t even have to be a scientist. If you enjoy working with others, you can work to help scientists, and be a part of science in many ways.” Students all around the classroom raise their hands to learn more, excited to find that if they enjoy science, there is a place for them, and they belong.
“Meeting ‘grownups’ from industry allows students to put faces to jobs like ‘Scientist’ or ‘Engineer.’ Expanding their perception of who can be a scientist/engineer is a big component to choosing a science pathway in life.”
– Amyris Engineer
