Workshops 2022

We are excited to offer the following workshops at our 2022 spring conference:

Track 1:

Project SYNCERE Online Robotics:

Jessica West

Learn how to code a virtual robot to complete a task! Using the Vex VR platform, students will learn programming basics and be able to create simple algorithms to program their robot to complete challenges.

Cheese Rind Microbes: A Taste of Science:

Dr. Laura M. Sanchez, Gordon T. Luu

Many people eat fermented foods, including kimchi, yogurt, and cheese. Have you ever wondered why these foods taste so good? Step into the shoes of a food scientist by joining our workshop to explore how bacteria and fungi add flavor to your favorite cheeses!

Track 2:

Webcomic Remix:

Tina Shah

Remix HTML tags and images to tell a story through the web! In this workshop, you will learn basic HTML code and search for reusable images to create your own personalized web comic.

Measuring the speed of light with chocolate

Karri DiPetrillo and Allie Hall

Particle physicists study what the universe is made of and how it is structured. In this workshop,  we will measure the speed of light with very simple tools: a microwave oven, a ruler, a bar of chocolate, and a calculator.

Track 3:

Food: Edible Science and Fun!

Kantha Shelke, Laura Saran, Upasana Hariram

Have you ever wondered about the senses that help you enjoy food? In this workshop you will learn about the science behind tasting food and also how physical appearance and texture affect your liking of a particular food.  There are many chemical and physical reactions that occur while preparing food. Let us show you how ice cream can be made by changing the physical properties of ingredients into a yummy scoop!

Materials: 5-6 small peppermint candies (red and white), 1 quart sized ziplock bag, 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 0.5 tsp vanilla, 10 chocolate chips, 2 tbsp sugar, 0.5 cups kosher/table/rock salt, 5 cups of ice, quart-sized ziplock back of pringles labeled A, quart-sized ziplock back of lay’s original chips labeled B, quart-sized ziplock bag of ruffles labeled C

Doctor For A Day:

Siena Krey

Do you ever wonder what a doctor does every day? Come and discover the mystery diagnosis of our “patient” and learn how doctors use their tools and their brains to help us feel better. 

Materials:Stethoscope, penlight (or very small flashlight), tongue depressors (or popsicle sticks), sticker thermometers, printout (will be emailed before the conference)

Track 4:

Foam Gnomes Polymer Reactions

Crystalann Jones

Be a polymer chemist for the day and help us to form Polyurethane Foam through the crosslinking reaction of two polymer chains. We will combine materials to form gases, generate heat, change colors and expand liquids in our quest to understand all the chemical and physical changes that occur during this chemical reaction.

 The Dirty Water Project

Elif Ulger, Monica Crinion, Maura Lakowski

Civil engineering is all around us! Our goal is to show girls how civil engineering touches every part of daily life. In this workshop, explore what happens to water over time, how we can use filtration to reduce pollution, and improve the cleanliness of water supplies for a safer, cleaner world!

Materials: Water filter (fabric square, aquarium gravel, sand, sponge pieces, cotton balls coffee filters, empty plastic water bottles, rubber bands), Dirty Water (tea leaves or coffee grounds, dish soap, vegetable oil, cocoa, sand), Water, Mixing Bowl, Cup/Ladle/Measuring Cup

Track 5:

The Electromechanical Properties of the Heart

Eleonora Chakraborty

Explore how the human heart is designed and functions, both mechanically and electrically!  Construct their own model of the heart with household items, learn how the body works, and study heart electromechanics and biomedical engineering!

Materials: 3 empty plastic bottles (12-20oz, labels removed), 4 bendy straws, 3 cups of water, food coloring, tape, modeling clay or play dough, a pin or tack

All About Texture!

Maddie Gerling, Danielle Wedral, Kat Kitchen, Mariana Perez Herrera

Taste is only part of your food experience–texture is also important!  Who wants a soggy cracker or super hard bread?  In this workshop, we will walk you through various textures by letting you experience different candies and how food scientists like us can create those textures!

Materials: Swedish Fish, Sunkist Fruit Gems, Haribo Goldbears

Swedish Fish – https://www.target.com/p/swedish-fish-soft-and-chewy-candy-3-1oz/-/A-14709600#lnk=sametab
Sunkist Fruit Gems – https://www.amazon.com/Sunkist%C2%AE-Individually-Wrapped-Fruit-Gems-Pouch/dp/B0048H[…]l=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021719&hvtargid=pla-569997520991&psc=1
Haribo Goldbears – https://www.target.com/p/haribo-gold-bears-gummi-candy-8oz/-/A-12931664#lnk=sametab