Outreach Activities

PEB has developed a variety of outreach activities to share scientific knowledge and the excitement of science with others. We believe outreach opportunities are a wonderful way to give back to the community and the public, while allowing one to master communication skills that will be valuable in whatever career one pursues.

Below we describe outreach activities that have been developed by PEB leadership and students.

If you are interested in participating in any of the outreach activities described below, please send an e-mail to peb@yale.edu

 

Interactive Science Talks for Schoolchildren

  • MB&B student demonstrating diffusion
    MB&B student demonstrating diffusion
  • Discussing electron microscopy
    Discussing electron microscopy
  • Sackler/NSF REU undergraduate working with students on the macroscopic vs. microscopic image matching exercise
    Sackler/NSF REU undergraduate working with students on the macroscopic vs. microscopic image matching exercise
  • presenting about glowfish
    Hearing about what inspired one PEB graduate student to study science
  • Sketching out ideas for building a tower using toothpicks and marshmallows
    Sketching out ideas for building a tower using toothpicks and marshmallows
  • Building a tower
    Building a tower and practicing iterative design
  • Students raising their hands
    Students were very intrigued by the topics discussed and had lots of questions!
  • classroom
    A Science Diplomat discussing why roads are salted in the winter time.
  • making ice cream
    Making home made ice cream
  • eating the ice cream
    And the ice cream tasted good enough to eat
  • eating lunch
    Eating lunch together and talking about science and life in general
  • making polymers
    Making polymers in the form of silly putty.
  • actin
    Building an actin fiber from 3D printed monomers.
  • computational biology
    Learning about the uses of computational biology from an MCGD/PEB graduate student pursuing computation.
  • learning about light
    Learning about light from a 2016 Sackler/NSF REU participant
  • performing chromatography
    Using chromatography to separate out various colors of markers.
"The kids seemed really happy to be there and I was very glad that I could help create that experience for them. Definitely would do it again!"

- MB&B/PEB graduate student

PEB students together with NSF REU students and Yale Science Diplomats work with elementary and middle school students to introduce them to various scientific concepts, approaches, and problems, pique their interest in STEM, and their raise awareness in careers in research.

The graduate students work with the PEB associate director to put together short, ~4 minute presentations on their research or a science topic of their choice. Most presentations are also linked with a science demo or a hands-on activity the students can work on in groups of three or four.

The past summers, our visitors have learned about:

  • electron microscopy
  • membrane fusion
  • diffusion
  • engineering bacteria
  • cells and protein
  • overarching themes about the macroscopic vs. microscopic world as well as the relationship between structure and function in biology
  • the special properties of water
  • polymers
  • enzymes
  • spectroscopy
  • 3D image reconstruction
  • chromatography
  • magnetism
  • protein machines and self-assembly
  • computational biology
  • using fluorescence in research
  • magnets, electromagnets, and NMR
  • collisions and particle physics
  • mathematical modeling
  • protein folding

For example, visiting students made home made ice cream via freezing point depression (simply using ice and salt), worked together to build the tallest structure possible with limited time and resources, matched objects and tissue types with images of the object or tissue taken under a microscope, by thinking of their functions in nature or in the body.

This activity has also given us an opportunity to use designs made as part of the 3D printing: Design and Fabrication Integrated Workshop (IW) module. For example, in one of the demos, a presenter used the 3D printed protein bio-gel model that PEB students made as part of the IW.

We conclude our session with the schoolchildren by eating lunch together.

In the past, we have had half-day outreach events for summer science camp from the Eleanor Buck Wolf Nature Center in the town of Wethersfield, CT and for middle school participants of Hopkins Pathfinders in New Haven, CT.

 

Pathfinder Hopkins School

  • Breakthrough students building a circuit
    Breakthrough New Haven students working with Breakthrough New Haven instructor on building a circuit with an LED light - the first part of the module that a PEB/MEMS student developed.
  • students working with PEB student
    PEB/MEMS student working with Breakthrough New Haven students to help them understand how to build a circuit.
  • students working with PEB student
    The students were happy when they succeeded in building their circuit!
  • students working on homework
    After some hands-on exercises, students take some notes and answer questions about what they just did.
  • lab
    Breakthrough New Haven students learning about growing up bacteria.
  • fluorescent bacteria
    Breakthrough instructor show students the agar plates (with charcoal) used to grow up bacteria that expressed a fluorescent protein, a module developed and implemented by the PEB director and assistant director.
  • designing modules
    PEB/MEMS student working with lead Breakthrough instructor to showcase the second part of the electronics/programming module, which includes a game built using an Aurdino board, contolled via a computer.
  • group of students working together
    A group of students working together to alter a function contolled by the computer program.
  • fun with lab module
    Students were having fun seeing the effects of changing the potentiometer and pressing a button that are integrated into their circuit.
  • reviewing concepts
    Students answer a question while reviewing the scientific method and conversions.
"The other teachers and I were especially impressed with the level of freedom [the new module] provided the students to experiment with new sensors and outputs."

- Breakthrough New Haven Science Mentor Teacher

 

Pathfinder Hopkins School (previously known as Breakthrough New Haven) prepares New Haven middle school students for successful entry into high school. The summer component of the program, held at Hopkins School in New Haven, is comprised of hands-on laboratory modules combined with classroom instruction. Participants not only learn about various areas of science but also master transferrable skills and good study habits.

PEB students, as well as the PEB director and assistant director have worked with Pathfinder teachers to develop new modules and/or refine existing ones.

Most recently, a MEMS/PEB graduate student devised a module on electronics and computer programming. Breakthrough New Haven students can test their understanding of the concepts behind building an electrical switch, modify their device, and learn how to trouble-shoot problem areas. They also learn how to control the electrical switch with a programmable Arduino microcontroller.

 

Feel free to use our module write-ups below to lead your outreach activities.

Constructing and Controlling Electronic Circuits

Exploring Biopolymers through Hands-on Models

please contact us at peb<at>yale.edu for 3D printing files.

The Physics of Collisions

 

 

 

PEB Lab Tours for Undergraduates

  • IW module demo
    PEB students discuss the devices that they built in the Center for Engineering Innovation and Design during the 3D printing: design and fabrication Integrated Workshop module.
  • touring the CEID
    Touring the Center for Engineering Innovation and Design, where PEB students work on one of the Integrated Workshop lab modules.
  • lunch
    PEB students having lunch with Connecticut College undergraduates.
  • lab tour
    Tour of the Barrett lab and the NMRs.
  • intro
    Undergrads hearing about what the Clark lab works on, prior to touring the lab and the fly setups.
  • microscope
    Getting to look at some samples under the microscope.
  • group photo
    Connecticut College undergrads with PEB students and assistant director.
  • lecture
    Hearing about what the Ganim lab works on prior to touring it.
  • putting on glasses
    Putting on special safety glasses prior to seeing the optical setup in the Ganim lab.
  • mini presentation
    Short presentation prior to seeing the setup in the Carlson lab used to study how flies smell.
  • A Physics/PEB graduate student in the Malvankar lab showing AFM tips to Connecticut College undergraduates.
    A Physics/PEB graduate student in the Malvankar lab showing AFM tips to Connecticut College undergraduates.
  • A MEMS/PEB student in the Howard lab showing Connecticut College students a microfluidics chamber..
    A MEMS/PEB student in the Howard lab showing Connecticut College students a microfluidics chamber..
  • PEB students in the Berro lab explaining what they are working on in the lab.
    PEB students in the Berro lab explaining what they are working on in the lab.
"I really enjoyed interacting with the wide range of researchers at Yale, from undergraduates to faculty members. Everyone seemed so eager and willing to show us the labs, explain the research projects, or talk about his or her personal experience with applying to graduate schools."

- Connecticut College undergraduate

PEB students, postdoc, and summer Sackler/NSF REU students give a tour of their lab to Connecticut College undergraduates. The hosting students discuss their research and show one or two specialized instrumentation in the laboratory, many of which are not available in a small school setting.

The undergraduates and the graduate students have lunch together where they can discuss what graduate school is like. This is a great way to interact with undergraduates who are excited about science and may be considering graduate school. Each lab tour is approximately 15-20 minutes.

 

Additional Outreach Opportunities

There are many opportunities at Yale to get involved with outreach.

Many PEB students have participated in the New Haven Science Fair, for example through being a judge or helping organize for the event.

PEB students have also participated in events hosted by the Yale Science Diplomats. One of these includes Science in the News, a public lecture series exploring a variety of topics in science.