MANSFIELD, PA— Mansfield University Chemistry and Education students and faculty members Michele Conrad, Chemistry, and Michele Whitecraft, Education, took part in two National Chemistry Week (NCW) events during the week of October 19.
Chemistry Club members Christopher Haines, Emily Edwards, Joseph Mandeville and Angela Kilyan and Education students Brandy Dacheux and Angela Kilyan, along with Conrad and Whitecraft, visited sixth grade science classes at Warren Miller Elementary School in Mansfield on October 19.
They led discussions in various applications of science and powers of observation and inference and followed up with a forensic chemistry demonstration. Each student received a mystery note written in black ink and had to determine the mystery author’s identity. The students used a method called chromatography to separate dyes and pigments in black markers. The way the pigments and dyes separated allowed the students to make comparisons and identify the author of the note, whether a bully, a best friend or a crush.
“Students left the event excited to try the experiment at home,” Conrad said.
On October 22, Chemistry Club members Angela Kilyan, Kara Brzozowski, Catherine Emerick, Diamonds Copes, Harlie Wise and Joseph Mandeville, accompanied by Conrad, visited seventh grade classes at Corning-Painted Post Middle School, Painted Post.
Students collected their fingerprints and understood the different features to look for. They used these skills to identify a mystery superhero’s fingerprints.
“Students were excited to use their powers of observation to solve a mystery,” Conrad said.
The NCW events included several different demonstrations from scientists in the region, ranging from ceramics to polarization to fiber optics.
NCW is a community-based annual event that unites American Chemical Society local sections, businesses, schools and individuals in communicating the importance of chemistry to our quality of life.