American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Science, Engineering and Technology Outreach

 

May 5,2001

The American Institute of Chemical Engineers is reaching out to show elementary and junior high students that Chemical Engineering can be fun.  Over a year and a half of product development, field testing and extensive brainstorm/strategic planning sessions, AIChE, in collaboration with the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., has coordinated a hands-on, educative outreach effort called the SET for Success Science Kits Program, SET being an acronym for Science, Engineering and Technology. The SET science kits were developed to create an awareness to encourage young people to consider a career in chemical engineering or science. The kits are designed to teach a group of 8 children ranging from ages 8-11. There are two kits as of now, one being entitled "Making it Matter" is a study of polymers, making a polymer and then learn how to recycle it. The second kit, "Oil Up!", is a study of oil spills, where children try their hands at the many methods of containing and cleaning up an oil spill.

 

The Executive Director of AIChE, John Sofranko, unveiled the new kits on May 5 with the Girl Scouts last Saturday at Community Park School in Princeton, NJ.  This was a fun and exciting turnout which involved a grassroots effort working with the 22 Girl Scouts from 9 different troops, their leaders and parents, student volunteers, staff members, and even Congressman Rush Holt participated in the hands-on segment to demonstrate the kits.   

 

The Central Jersey Section of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the Princeton Student Chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers were happy to assist National AIChE carry out the public event.  Professor Jay Benziger and Princeton University Students Kathleen Miranda, Shandon Quinn, and Shravi Reddy all took the opportunity to let the Girl Scouts know why Chemical Engineering is fun and useful. 

 

Congressman Rush Holt watching the girl scouts exploring the viscoelastic properties of their polymer.

Kathleen Miranda showing the girl scouts how oil can be contained with floating booms and then cleaned up with adsorbents.

 

Shandon Quinn helping the girl scouts clean up after “cleaning up an oil spill”.

Shravi Reddy helping the girl scouts mix up Elmers glue with Boric acid to form a polymer gel.  The girls added some blue food coloring to provide some color to their polymer.