Discovery Space in downtown State College was transformed into an interactive museum of Marie Curie’s work for Radium Curie-Osity, a series of exhibits and experiments related to the late scientist’s work.
Geared towards children of all ages, the event was hosted by Discovery Space and the AAUW State College branch, and featured a variety of Penn State student groups that provided science demonstrations throughout the facility. The event was part of a celebration of Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM and the AAUW’s connection to Marie Curie and radium, which goes back to 1920, according to the AAUW.
Kristin Dreyer, STEM co-chair and a member of the AAUW, said there were seven stations children got to visit, and each participant received a passport for the stations.
“It’s been pretty busy since one o’clock,” she said about the crowd.
The Penn State student groups, which were both graduate and undergraduate groups, included the American Nuclear Society, Graduate Women in Science, Physics & Astronomy for Women, the Association of Women Geoscientists, Science LionPride, Out in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, and PSU Women in Nuclear.
“We invited the student groups to participate,” Dreyer said.
Candace Davidson, a member of the STEM committee, said some of the stations focused on imaging inside the body, as well as radioactivity.
Curie took X-ray machines to hospitals during the war, she explained, and also coined the term “radioactivity.”
Davidson said providing hands-on exhibits really helped the children get more individual attention.
“I think it’s definitely more involving,” she said.
One of the other stations included a dark room in which participants could learn about cloud chambers through viewing tracks of radiation trails, and another focused on UV lights through glowing rocks, Davidson said. Additionally, an LED room displayed the execution of electrons.
Megan Doerzbacher, a senior mechanical and nuclear engineering student, said her station focused on using Geiger counters to detect radioactivity.
“It’s cool to see them excited about something,” she said, estimating about 25 children had been to her station so far. “(Explaining the experiment) helps get out the word (that) nuclear (power) is actually not that dangerous.”
Jesse Robbins, a member of Graduate Women in Science, said her demonstration spotlighted circuitry and the teaching of electricity and circuits.
The activity involved connecting wires from a light bulb to a battery in order to electrify a pickle, she said.
Running a current through the pickle allows it to “glow like a light bulb,” Robbins said.
“Kids love circuitry,” she said. “It’s really for fun for them … like solving a puzzle.”
However, the reactions to the electrified pickle varied, she said, from “cool” to “gross.”
Katie Brumberg, of Port Matilda, brought her three kids to Discovery Space Friday.
“They love it here,” she said.
One of her children was old enough to attend the Curie exhibits, and enjoyed the Geiger counter station to test out the elements, she said.
“It appeals to kids of all ages,” Brumberg said about Discovery Space.
She said the facility opens kids’ eyes to new opportunities and provides learning experiences they may not be exposed to in school.
“(It’s a) great enhancement to everyday learning,” she said.
Click HERE for more information about Discovery Space.
The AAUW was founded in 1881 and is a nationwide grassroots organization of about 165,000 members. Its mission is to advance equality for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research. For more information about the State College branch click HERE.
