Penn State Science Faculty Get Involved With Science-U Summer Camps

Forensic Science Professor of Practice Jeni Smith teaches participants in a Science-U camp titled "Forensic DNA: Next-Generation Detectives."

While for many people, summer is a time to kick back and relax, our faculty and instructors in the Eberly College of Science are still hard at work, some of them teaching and conducting research with school-age children at Science-U summer camps.

Six Penn State Science faculty and instructors devoted their time this summer to directing science summer camps that are part of the Science-U program in the college. Science-U summer camps are an integral part of our college’s outreach and science engagement mission. The camps are dedicated to advancing science literacy in youth through hands-on learning activities tailored to specific age levels. Science-U camps are offered to children in grades 2 through 12 in a variety of topics that relate fun and adventure with science.

The director of each camp is responsible for designing the curriculum and planning the hands-on activities that will take place during the camp.

“Our faculty are essential for the success of our summer camps,” said Michael Zeman, director of science outreach and engagement for the college, who oversees the direction of all of the Science-U summer camps and staff. “Our Penn State Science faculty offer a deep understanding of science content and bring unique teaching expertise to the camps. Faculty able and willing to write and direct a camp make Science-U a high-quality science education experience for both campers and staff.”

Faculty and instructors from the Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Forensic Science, Mathematics, and Physics served as directors for the camps. Here is a list of the faculty/instructors and the specific camps they directed this summer for Science-U:

• “Penn State CSI: The Case of the Alien Assassin,” directed by Meredith Defelice, senior lecturer in biochemistry and molecular biology
• “Forensic DNA: Next-Generation Detectives,” directed by Jeni Smith, professor of practice in forensic science
• “Ecology Camp: The Wild Adventures of Your Own Backyard,” directed by James Strauss, senior lecturer in biology
• “Nittany Lion, M.D.,” directed by Anjuli Datta, instructor in biochemistry and molecular biology
• “Spy Games: The Math of Secret Messages,” directed by Karl Schwede, associate professor of mathematics
• “Dr. Winkel’s Wonder Workshop: The Science of Toys,” directed by Stephen Van Hook, lecturer in physics

The college is grateful for the time these faculty and instructors spent sharing their passion for science with youth this summer. If you are a faculty member or instructor in the Eberly College of Science and would like to participate in future Science-U summer camps, please contact Michael Zeman at mjz120@psu.edu.