Making Stuff at Princeton University

ABSTRACTThe Princeton Center for Complex Materials (PCCM) joined the PBS NOVA/MRS Making Stuff coalition and created a program to inspire middle school students and their teachers about materials science during exciting large programs at Princeton University and multiple pre and post events. As a National Science Foundation funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, it is part of PCCM’s mission to inspire and educate school children, teachers and the public about STEM and materials science. Research shows that it is critical to excite students at a young age and maintain that excitement, and without that these, students are two to three times less likely to have any interest in science and engineering and pursue science careers as adults. The Making Stuff TV series offered a great teachable moment in materials science for students and teachers alike. The four episodes, Stronger, Smaller, Smarter and Cleaner aired in January and February, 2011. Our complementary education program helped promote the viewership of the Making Stuff series in the region, and the NOVA episodes helped us by priming the teachers and students to learn more about materials science research conducted at Princeton University. The Making Stuff coalition events we conducted were designed to have the maximum positive impact on students’ attitudes towards science and scientists, in general, and materials scientists and engineers, specifically. Each and every student had an opportunity to interact with dozens of scientists and engineers, in the lab, at table demonstrations and lecture presentations. As an ongoing MRSEC education and outreach program we have developed many successful educational partnerships to increase our impact. Plus, through years of successful education programs and the participation of our materials scientists and engineers, we have cultivated great trust in the schools and local community. The schools eagerly joined as partners in the program to bring their students to the event. Teachers from those partner schools actively participated in associated professional development programs conducted by education staff and PCCM professors before and after the big event. Included were presentations by MRSEC members and the partners from Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials (PRISM), Princeton University’s chemistry department, DOE funded centers PP-SOC and PPPL, Liberty Science Center, Franklin Institute, our PBS partner NJN and our many school district partners.