BYLINE: Jamie Oberdick
Newswise — UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A bouncy ball may seem like a simple toy, but for a group of Penn State graduate students, it has become a powerful way to help children and families understand how materials behave — and how science connects to everyday life.
Through “Mission: Materials Science,” a long-running outreach initiative supported by Penn State’s U.S. National Science Foundation-funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC), graduate students from across disciplines have partnered with museum educators and media professionals to transform materials science research into free, hands-on learning activities. The newest collection, recently launched online, adds four experiments designed for children ages 8 to 13.
MRSEC and the Franklin Institute have partnered on projects since 2001. The project began as a collaboration with the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, where MRSEC researchers helped create tabletop exhibits for museum visitors. Over time, it evolved into a digital platform of do-it-yourself activities that can be completed at home or used in classrooms with commonly available supplies. Today, the initiative is led in close partnership with Discovery Space of Central Pennsylvania.
The four new activities explore how materials store and exchange energy, how their structure affects behavior and how environmental conditions can change material properties. Experiments such as mixing bouncy ball recipes, building candy crystals and modeling how ocean chemistry affects coral-like materials were designed to encourage young learners to test ideas, observe results and connect science to the real world.
Each activity includes step-by-step instructions and short videos that guide learners through the experiment and explain the science behind it. Penn State’s public media partner, WPSU, produced the videos in collaboration with Discovery Space and MRSEC researchers, educators and students to ensure the content is accurate, engaging and accessible. Since each activity is mapped to the K-12 science standards with which it aligns, teachers can easily use the content in classrooms, too.
Some videos feature high school students demonstrating the activities, while others — which are titled “Scientist in Action” — highlight Penn State researchers explaining how the experiments connect to real materials science research. Together, the videos help bridge the gap between academic research and everyday experience, according to Vincent Crespi, distinguished professor of physics, of materials science and engineering, and of chemistry, who serves as the primary investigator on the Penn State MRSEC grant. Crespi also directs the Center for Nanoscale Science (CNS), which administers the NSF grant at Penn State, including the “Mission: Materials Science” project at Penn State.
Crespi explained that graduate students are central to the project’s success, and the initiative plays an important role in graduate education.
“Current graduate students are our future scientific leaders,” Crespi said. “For them to be successful, it is vital that they become skilled at connecting authentically with many types of audiences and learn how to work well across disciplines. This outreach project has been rich with opportunities to build those transferable skills and experiences.”
Graduate students in chemistry and in materials science and engineering and the CNS’s K-12 Outreach Team worked closely with other outreach staff and educators at Discovery Space and the Franklin Institute. They test activities with local children and refine them to be both scientifically rigorous and approachable.
For Michele Crowl, executive director of Discovery Space and its affiliated adult makerspace called the Rivet, the collaboration helps make advanced research accessible.
“The most meaningful part has been helping translate real, current materials science research into hands-on experiences that feel fun and approachable for kids and families,” Crowl said. “With MRSEC’s help, we can reach more kids in our area for STEM learning and show them that science doesn’t have to feel abstract or intimidating.”
For many graduate students, the experience reshaped how they see their role as scientists. Gayathri Ayyagari, a graduate research assistant in materials science and engineering, said working across disciplines changed how she communicates.
“Working with educators, scientists and media professionals created a truly interdisciplinary environment,” Ayyagari said. “It pushed me to listen carefully to different perspectives and find common language across those worlds.”
Katherine Thompson, a postdoctoral researcher in nanomaterials who was involved in the project when she was a graduate research assistant in chemistry, viewed the project as a way to give back.
“As a kid, I participated in science outreach activities that motivated me to pursue a career in STEM,” Thompson said. “Creating something that could inspire future scientists in the same way has been incredibly meaningful.”