Katie Doolittle – Staff Writer
The Gustavus Chemistry Club is hosting their Science on Saturday event on Saturday, April 22nd in Nobel Hall from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. They are collaborating with the chemistry, biology, geology, and physics departments to demonstrate and teach science experiments to elementary students in the Saint Peter area.
“The goal of Science on Saturday has always been to bring science to the community and show kids how cool science can be. We also want to expose them to how many different kinds of science there are,” Senior Amber Simon, a Chemistry and Physics double major, said.
“The Chemistry Club’s intention for Science on Saturday is to get children in the surrounding community excited about science. We want to show them that they can learn and have fun at the same time,” Chemistry major and Senior Elisabeth Kray agreed.
The process to organize this event is a hands-on, collaborative process across a variety of STEM-related areas of study. “We start planning this event pretty much as soon as the spring semester starts. Each department is in charge of planning its own experiments and demos as well as recruiting volunteers,” Simon stated.
“As a club leader, my role is to simply plan the activities that the geology club will be running, find volunteers, and to set up,” said Junior Torii Nienow, a Geology and Environmental Sciences double major.
In addition to their experiments, they are also responsible for community outreach. “We coordinate with elementary schools around the area to get the word out to parents and students about the event, and we put up posters in public places. We’ve had anywhere from 30 to 100 participants in the past,” explained Simon.
In the not-so-distant past, Science on Saturday had to adapt to the COVID-19 restrictions. “The event was canceled my first year, we made take-home kits my sophomore year, and last year we hosted the event with limited attendance [3rd-5th grade] and required that everyone wear masks,” Simon said.
So for this year, Simon is eager to have some sense of normalcy. “I’m also super excited to have our first ‘normal’ Science on Saturday since the pandemic. This is the first year that any current Gustavus students will actually get to experience the event in its entirety, and I’m super thrilled about that,” Simon stated.
Science on Saturday is rewarding not only for the students learning about science but also for the students that are teaching these subjects. “I’m most looking forward to seeing the reactions of the kids. It’s the coolest thing in the world to watch someone who’s young get excited about something you’re really passionate about, and it’s really fulfilling to spark joy and curiosity in them,” explained Simon.
To see young students marvel at their academic work can be an edifying moment for these Gusties. “I’m looking forward to showing the kids how much fun geology is. I love seeing when their face lights up during the activity, it reminds me of my own lightbulb moment when I realized that I had a passion for science. I also enjoy watching the gears turn in their heads as the kids ask questions and learn more about things that they see every day,” Nienow stated.
For Nienow, this event is especially important to showcase young children the wonders and importance of geology. “I became involved in this event through the Geology Club, of which I’m currently the president. The geology club participates in this event because we’re hoping to introduce children to geology. In my opinion, children aren’t introduced to geosciences young enough, which doesn’t allow students to explore their interests from a young age,” Nienow said.
“I am most excited to simply share my love of science! We plan our event with the children’s interests in mind, but it is so exciting to see them enjoying themselves as they complete the activities we worked so hard to put together,” added Kray.
The event also reignites these college students’ childlike wonder about science. “I’m also super excited to play with the stream tables that Geology has and to have some liquid nitrogen ice cream at the end of the day,” stated Simon.
For current Gusties that want to learn more about these fields, the Nobel Hall is open to any curious minds. For those interested in geology specifically, the Chester Johnson Geology Museum, located in Nobel 1300, is open to all students to further explore this field of study.