Outreach
Auburn AWIS (Association for Women In Science)
The mission of Auburn University is to prepare Alabamians to respond to the challenges of the new world economy through instruction, research, and outreach. In keeping with these goals, the Auburn Chapter of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS) was founded in 2005 to promote mentoring and networking amongst women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields both here at Auburn University and around Alabama. AWIS members include students from all of the majors offered by the College of Science and Math (COSAM). Members participate in a "Study Buddies" program to match study partners within large classes, a mentoring program to pair up freshman students with senior mentors, outreach both on campus and in the community, volunteer with COSAM Outreach activities, get an added opportunity to meet with visiting speakers, and social functions to encourage student interactions outside of class. These activities are critical to retaining students from traditionally underrepresented groups in science majors by providing support throughout their college careers.
For more, see the Auburn AWIS website: http://www.auburn.edu/student_info/awis.
LADIES (Leading Auburn in Developing Interest in Experimental Science) or the Girls Science Club....
Aimed at encouraging young women to participate in science classes and to consider STEM careers, we have developed an educational outreach program, Leading Auburn in Developing Interest in Experimental Science (LADIES). Through the LADIES program (or Girls Science Club), members of the Auburn University AWIS chapter meet with middle school girls (6th,7th and 8th grades) in the Auburn City Schools to perform fun biology, chemistry, and physics experiments as an after school enrichment to their regular science classes. The material chosen links the core class curriculum with a fun experiment and then encourages conversation about careers. In a recent Chemistry day, girls heated glow sticks and measured the rate of reaction, and they talked about physical versus chemical reactions testing Diet CokeTM with MentosTM and making rockets with Alka Seltzer.TM Experiments are selected to use inexpensive materials commonly available with idea that this would encourage students to continue to explore the world around them.
AuburnUniversityCOSAM AU Explore
Auburn AU Explore is the annual Auburn Open house sponsored by COSAM Outreach. Students from the Gorden group have volunteered for this event in the Science EXPO, Chemistry Demonstrations, and in the "Pyromania" Show.
For more information on AU Explore: http://www.auexplore.auburn.edu/information/index.htm