Alaska Native Students to Visit UAF Geophysical Institute

Submitted by Vicki Daniels
Phone: (907) 474-5823
04/14/03

More than 75 Alaska Native middle school students, elders and teachers will visit the UAF Geophysical Institute in April to participate in the Science and Math Enrichment Program. Students from the rural villages of Ambler, Marshall, and Deering will participate in the event on Tuesday, April 15, and those from Galena, Kivalina, and Shungnak will participate on Tuesday, April 29. The program is designed to teach students how professionals use math and science skills to solve real-life problems.

Students will interact with researchers who have volunteered to act as role models for Alaska Native students interested in pursuing careers in science. During the daylong program students will visit research institutes and participate in a variety of hands-on lessons and activities. All lessons are based on current research performed in Alaska. The day of activities increases student awareness of how science and math skills are used in real-life, and is designed to improve the students’ skills.

The Geophysical Institute, with support from the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) and the US Department of Education, has put together a day of exciting science experiments. Students will perform weather experiments at IARC and learn about the water cycle at the UAF Institute of Arctic Biology Greenhouse. They will also build and launch their own model rockets and collect and analyze flight data related to the launch.

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CONTACT:
For information, call the Geophysical Institute Information Office at (907) 474-7558

Media are invited to visit with participants at any time during the program. A highlighted, electronic schedule of events for Tuesday, April 15 is available by visiting ftp://ftp.gi.alaska.edu/pub/media.