Since August, 2002 scientists from the CAER have taken turns most Thursdays to demonstrate science experiments at Russell Cave Elementary School. The 42 students in Ms. Jones' and Ms. Storm's classes have created invisible ink, made generators and thermometers, extracted color from leaves and studied coal and other minerals. This is a way for our scientists' to share their expertise with the students of the community. For more information on this program, contact Marybeth McAlister (mcalister@caer.uky.edu).
CAER participates in Fayette County's Experience Based Career Education (EBCE) Program for high school students, in which students go out into the workforce to gain experience.
One of our most recent students, Amanda Napier of Lafayette High School, wrote a note to her mentor, Aurora Rubel, stressing how important this experience was for her. She says, "This internship has been very worthwhile and meaningful, and I have learned so much. It has also greatly furthered my interest in science and will help me in my college decisions. Before I came I wasn't heavily considering the science field, but because of the opportunity I had in working with you and the CAER, it is now a choice at the top of my list."
Another EBCE student, Joshua Johnson, worked in the Analytical Services group for two months, where he learned instrumentations procedures. He attends Dunbar High School.
Amanda Napier and Joshua Johnson
The Rogers Scholars program, named after Congressman Harold Rogers, is two intensive one-week sessions for rising high school juniors from 40 counties in Southern and Eastern Kentucky. It emphasizes technological-skills development and fosters an entrepreneurial spirit, leadership and commitment to rural Kentucky. It is managed by the Center for Rural Development in Somerset, Kentucky. The CAER has participated in the program for several years. The students choose a "major" and experts are brought in from corresponding professions to lecture and train students in the areas. The CAER participated in this to a great extent by both calling on several of the university's engineering departments and by supplying our own members for projects. One lecture/ laboratory was taught by members of the Waste Management Group in which they demonstrated wet beneficiation processes for fly ash. Another session was taught by members of the Carbon Materials Group, where they made "slime" out of polymers. Both sessions were quite successful - and a lot of fun for the students and researchers alike.
Rogers Scholars
Russell Cave
The 2008 ESIREM Exchange Program students
are: Tristana and Cedric.
Tristina Duvallet and Cedric Morin are the 2008 ESIREM students at the CAER. As students have done since 1999, they perform senior experimental work at the CAER.
Previous ESIRM Exchange Program participants.