SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Local Girl Scouts and their families in the Miami Valley will have the opportunity to experience the wonders of science at Wittenberg University's fourth annual Girl Scouts Science and Math Exploration Night from 6-10 p.m. Friday, April 2 in the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center. The event allows Girl Scouts of the Buckeye Trails Council to take what they have learned about science in school to a higher level - that of a college environment.
Wittenberg science majors and faculty members hope the event will inspire future generations of scientists and build interest in the science field for years to come. The departments of biology, chemistry and physics are among the subjects to be taught to the hundreds of scouts expected to attend. Girls as young as first grade and their families will also learn about math, computer science and astronomy.
Mark Ellison, assistant professor of chemistry at Wittenberg, has been involved with the event for several years and enjoys working with the girls. He strongly believes this event is a great way to generate interest in science among girls. Every year he likes demonstrating the important aspects of chemistry using the common elements of hydrogen and oxygen.
"This event gives the girls a way to experience science in a different way other than a textbook or a class discussion," said Ellison.
Mike Crotty '02 envisioned an event that would provide his own daughters with a fun introduction to all the possibilities the world of science has to offer when he introduced the event in 2001. He believed that too often girls are persuaded to look into non-scientific areas of study and he thought the bright young female science majors could serve as role models to his girls and others in the area.
"We like giving the girls the opportunity to get to see the professors who are passionate about what they do and learn in an environment which gives them a great hands-on experience," said Michelle Knoch, Girl Scout membership and marketing specialist.
Female students of all majors at Wittenberg, but especially in the sciences, have devoted their time to keep this event ongoing and have been actively making plans to ensure it's success. The students will help lead the Girl Scouts in discussion and will share their experiences studying science in college.
"It's such a great feeling to watch the Girls Scouts come together and experience sciences in an enjoyable and fun learning environment," said Christina Dierkes '05, a science major from Middlefield, Ohio, and co-director of this year's event.
For more information, contact Dierkes at s05.cdierkes@wittenberg.edu. To register, contact Knoch at (800) 233-4845, ext. 535.
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