Spreading science to Girl Scouts

National studies show that girls in grades four through six typically lose interest in science-related topics. As a result, they often have difficulty in high school science classes and, therefore, do not pursue science-related professions. Sheryl Tucker, associate professor of Chemistry, is changing that by exposing more than 400 Girl Scouts each year to the excitement of science.

"At our first workshop, 35 girls worked on four different science projects," said Tucker. "We now invite 200 girls, twice a year, to come to campus for an entire day to discover the magic of chemistry. We have served more than 1,500 girls since the program began, and we are seeing many parents return with younger siblings because they love the program so much."

The program soon will expand throughout the state. The Girl Scouts Mid-Continent Council in western Missouri, the Girl Scouts Becky Thatcher Council in northeastern Missouri, and the Girl Scouts Two Rivers Council in west central Illinois teamed with Tucker to expand the program. This partnership could affect more than 30,000 girls. The program is mobile and relatively cheap, costing $3 to $5 per girl for supplies. It also is a large recruiting tool.

"We bring the kids on a college campus for a day and they get to eat in the residential halls," Tucker said. "These programs give girls the opportunity to experience college and science while encouraging them to think about their future careers. This day also is an opportunity for the girls to do hands-on science projects in ways they might never have experienced before."

The program offers a variety of projects for the participants. For example, this past fall the Girl Scouts worked on solving "The Case of the Unsigned Letter" through a series of ink, powder, goop and soil analyses. In the spring, the girls had "Fun with Polymers" as they made fake "leprechaun" blood and created rubber balls for a fictitious bouncing ball company. This coming fall, the girls will learn the "Chemistry of Color," as they discover how fiber-reactive dyes react with cotton, tie dying their program t-shirts. Staff and MU student volunteers participate as various colorful characters in each workshop.

"The feedback on the projects has been overwhelmingly positive," Tucker said. "We hope that performing the experiments and seeing women scientists will inspire the girls to explore science."

The National Science Foundation originally sponsored the project as part of an educational component to a chemistry grant awarded to Tucker in 1998.

2004

Additional links:

Magic of Chemistry program
Tucker Group
Chemistry Department

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