San Antonio Children's Museum

September 11,2010

"Science does not know its debt to imagination."  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Excitement and eagerness fill up the room like a gas fills up its container. Smiles and amazement spread across individuals’ faces as scientific concepts are explained. There is even the occasional declaration, “Wow, science is so cool!” This is either a description of a science professor’s nightly dreams or chemistry club demonstrations at the San Antonio Children’s Museum. In this case, I am describing the wonderful volunteering opportunity at the San Antonio’s Children Museum. Since I joined Chemistry Club my freshman year, I have been going to the Children’s Museum every other Saturday to share my love of science to the kids there. I enjoy it so much that I became VP of Outreach for the Chemistry Club. With a group of three to five people, we perform experiments to explain basic chemistry concepts. The experiments we usually perform include a water “tornado”, the “disappearing” Styrofoam cup, the magic potions, the amazing color changing solutions, and the making of slime. Instead of going into all of the details about each experiment, I want to encourage you to come volunteer or watch them in action at the Children’s Museum! Not only do you impart your passion for the sciences, but you also are encouraged by the pure enthusiasm and creativity that the children share with you. It is truly a unique and wonderful way to enhance your diligent work in lecture and lab.

children's museum by Leigh Anna Logsdon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Student Involvement Fair

August 27, 2010

A chemistry professor couldn't resist interjecting a little philosophy into a class lecture. He interrupted his discussion on balancing chemical equations, saying, "Remember, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate!"

At the start of every academic year, all of the Trinity clubs gather on the football field before the welcome back concert to display their club to other students. Each club, eager for more members, brings out all the stops to attract people walking by. Chemistry Club is no exception. While some clubs have candy, pictures, or pens, Chemistry Club has liquid nitrogen ice cream, acid-base reactions with dry ice, and brightly colored solutions. With the stigma of being a “dorky” club, these exhibitions draw people to our table that may not have come because of pre-conceived notions. From elementary school until high school, the media and peers filter images and degrading terms for students who like school, especially the natural sciences and mathematics. But here at Trinity, I feel like students are encouraged to explore many different fields, which break down the stereotypes and lead to new interests. The receptive attitude of the Trinity student body was reflected by the academic, social, and sports clubs intermixed throughout the football field. For me, Chemistry Club was a great way to meet older students, learn about possible scientific careers, volunteer, and share my passion. My advice to enhance any college experience is to join the clubs you like, truly become involved and connected, and embrace your inner nerd.