Whitman College professors and students enhance science education at Blue Ridge

Whitman College professors and students enhance science education at Blue Ridge
Professors and students from the Science Department at Whitman College have been working with Blue Ridge teacher Kristen Garcia's 3rd and 4th grade science classes this spring to enhance learning opportunities.

Kurt Hoffman, Professor of Physics, was in the classroom on May 1 and today to conduct hands-on physics activities with students. Mark Juhasz, Professor of Chemistry, plans to visit her classroom on May 14 to make liquid nitrogen ice cream. Zach Schierl and Andrew Patel, both senior Geology students, will be in her classroom on May 7 to study rocks with the students..

Delbert Hutchison, Professor of Biology, spent the day at Blue Ridge Monday with his pet lizard and snake. Nathaniel Paust, Professor of Astronomy, went to Blue Ridge earlier this year to talk about his career in astronomy.

"Kristen contacted us this past summer asking for visiting scientists and the faculty have been very excited to be involved," said Mary Burt, Whitman College School Science Outreach Coordinator. "I was very impressed by her classes. Everyone of her students said that they 'love science' and were very excited to show me their lab notebooks and explain the investigations they had undertaken during the year. Kristen is doing an amazing job!"