Millikin camp aims to excite students about chemistry
Chemistry is a part of our lives every day and Millikin University is working to change the stereotypes surrounding the subject by providing chemistry summer camps.
"The good thing about doing science project-based things is that kids get to explore and get to play," said Dr. Anne Rammelsberg, associate professor of chemistry at Millikin, in a recent interview with WAND-TV. "Hopefully that sets in their mind that chemistry is not a bad thing, chemistry can be fun and interesting. It can also be a way to solve some really serious problems we have in this world."
Millikin hosted a chemistry camp for high school students earlier this summer and will be hosting a camp for middle school students July 24-28.
As part of the camp, students engage in hands-on research and prepare scholarship-ready science projects. This year's theme is food science as students participate in lab and kitchen research on Millikin's campus.
"I think all people are shocked when you say chemistry is around you every day," said Dr. Rammelsberg. "People are really interested to learn what's in their food. So, it's very important that we teach people how to read food labels and how to understand that just because it has a great big name doesn't mean it's dangerous."
The camp is a collaboration with Millikin's College of Arts & Sciences and Center for Entrepreneurship. Millikin received funding for the camp from Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM).
"It's a great way to have an entrepreneurship adventure," said Dr. Rammelsberg. "If you want to start a new restaurant, a new bakery, a brewery, you name it. The new small businesses a lot of times start from food science ideas."
Research sessions are held each day in Millikin's Leighty-Tabor Science Center, and the students have the opportunity to hear from food-industry entrepreneurs during lunches.