Students from Rural Villages to Visit UAF Geophysical Institute

Submitted by Vicki Daniels
Phone: (907) 474-5823
04/23/03

Over 40 Alaska Native middle and high school students, elders and teachers from the rural villages of Galena, Kivalina, and Shungnak will visit the UAF Geophysical Institute on April 29 to participate in the Science and Math Enrichment Program. The program is designed to improve students’ science and math skills, and increase student awareness of how these skills are utilized.

Program participants will interact with researchers who have volunteered to act as role models for Alaska Native students interested in pursuing careers in science. The day of activities teaches students how professionals use science and math skills to solve real-life problems.

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. Students will perform weather experiments, learn about the water cycle, build and launch their own model rockets and collect and analyze flight data related to the launch.

Visiting high school students will participate in additional activities designed to introduce them to opportunities available at UAF. All students will participate in a cultural exchange with 12 Hawaiian teachers who will be at the Geophysical Institute for teacher training.

The program is coordinated and sponsored in part by the Geophysical Institute, with support from the International Arctic Research Center and the U.S. Department of Education.

CONTACT:
Vicki Daniels, Public Relations Specialist, UAF Geophysical Institute: (907) 474-5823

Media are invited to visit with participants at any time during the program.

An electronic schedule of events for Tuesday, April 29 is available at ftp://ftp.gi.alaska.edu/pub/media.