MANSFIELD, PA—Ninety students in first through sixth grade spent April 9 at Mansfield University for IDEAS (Inquire, Develop, Explore, Apply, Science) Day, a day-long event in which local elementary school students participated in hands-on science experiments with professors and students from the MU Chemistry and Physics, Biology and Education departments.
Organized by Associate Professor Gregory Carson and assisted by Assistant Professor Michele Conrad, both of the Chemistry and Physics Department, the elementary school students also had opportunities to view astronomy films in the planetarium during the lunch break and immediately following the culmination of their hands-on experiments.
“IDEAS Day developed from experiences that I, and several of my colleagues, have had going to different area schools and working with the students there,” Carson said “Faculty members in the natural sciences are often asked to do science demonstrations at local schools, and local groups often inquire about coming to Mansfield University to experience astronomy movies in the planetarium. It seemed natural to combine those two activities and offer something to the families in the community.”
In all, 10 MU faculty, assisted by a number of undergraduate Chemistry, Biology and Education majors, volunteered their time to offer sessions covering topics like acoustics, polymers, acid-base chemistry, neurology and botany. Students selected the sessions they were most interested in and spent a portion of their Saturday working with Mansfield University professors investigating their topics.
“From my experience with young children, it is clear that children love science; if for no other reason than the fact that curiosity drives science, and children have curiosity in abundance,” Carson said. “Perhaps in no other field is 
the desire of a child to ask questions embraced and acted on more than in the sciences. It is what we do: we ask a question and then we try to find the answer.”
In large part, IDEAS Day was about the scientific community at Mansfield University giving back to the community that supports MU by helping to foster and encourage children to ask “Why?” and to try to find the answer.
“While we hope that the participants took something of value away with them from their experiences during the event, I think it is safe to say that faculty and student assistants also took something away from this event,” Carson said.