Schmahl Science Workshops

SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY THROUGH OUR WORKSHOPS AND AUTHENTIC RESEARCH EXPERIENCES

OUTREACH DESCRIPTIONSSW PROVIDES OUR OUTREACH HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS TO SCHOOLS THAT DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO INCLUDE SCIENCE AS A REGULAR PART OF THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM. SSW HAS OVER 700 PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE HANDS-ON SCIENCE / ENGINEERING WORKSHOPS, EACH DIRECTLY LINKED TO NGSS. OUR PROGRAMS INSPIRE & EMPOWER YOUTH TO BECOME YOUNG SCIENTISTS, PURSUING & DEVELOPING THEIR INTEREST IN STEM FIELDS THROUGH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES THAT BECOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER ADVANCEMENT. IN 27 YEARS, HUNDREDS OF YOUNG SCIENTISTS WORKING WITH SSW HAVE RECEIVED MANY AWARDS. STUDENTS HAVE GONE ON TO PURSUE COLLEGE MAJORS IN STEM FIELDS. SSW INSTRUCTORS ARE SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS. AS SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS, THEY MODEL PASSION FOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TO SPARK OR FAN THE FLAMES OF A GENUINE INTEREST IN STEM FIELDS. SSW RESPONSE TO COVID: WE RENTED A PORTABLE SINK FOR VICTORY GARDEN FAMILIES SO THAT THEY COULD SAFELY CONTINUE TO GROW THEIR FOOD IN THE RAISED BEDS.SSW RESPONSE TO COVID: WE DONATED SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT TO NONPROFITS, INCLUDING GILROY HIGH SCHOOL AND GOODWILL TO SUPPORT STUDENTS.

OUR SEMINAR PROGRAM EMPHASIZES BOTH THE NATURE AND THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE. THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF SCIENCE. THE NATURE OF SCIENCE DEALS WITH ISSUES IN THE PHILOSOPHY, SOCIOLOGY, AND HISTORY OF SCIENCE. IT INCLUDES CONCERNS, SUCH AS THE NATURE OR ATTRIBUTES OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE ITSELF - E.G., THAT SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE IS DURABLE, BUT IS ALWAYS INHERENTLY SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE ADDRESSES WHAT SCIENTISTS DO IN ORDER TO DEVELOP THAT KNOWLEDGE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE SEMINAR RESEARCH PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CONCEPTS TO EQUIP STUDENTS WITH FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE THAT STUDENTS NEED TO SUCCEED. OUR SEMINAR RESEARCH PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD ON AN INTEREST IN RESEARCH / ENGINEERING AND DEVELOP SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ANALYTICS CRITICAL TO SUCCESS. EACH STUDENT PURSUES A TOPIC (OR TOPICS) OF HIS / HER OWN INTEREST IN A REAL LAB SITUATION, PAIRED WITH A SCIENTIST / ENGINEER MENTOR WHO HAS EXPERIENCE IN THE CHOSEN RESEARCH FIELD. THE SEMINAR INCLUDES TRAINING IN LAB SAFETY, LITERATURE RESEARCH, LAB NOTEBOOK DOCUMENTATION, AND LABORATORY TECHNIQUES AND DATA ANALYSIS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE SEMINAR RESEARCH PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING BY LEARNING THE EIGHT ESSENTIAL PRACTICES OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.SEMINAR PARTICIPANTS WILL ALSO BENEFIT FROM CONTEXTUAL AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPECIFIC SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS AND THE FORWARD LOOKING RELEVANCE TO ONGOING EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH. OUR PROGRAM EXTENDS WELL BEYOND THAT TOPIC TO ADDRESS A SET OF CAPABILITIES AND EXPERIENCES THAT WILL BE VALUABLE IN ALL MANNER OF FUTURE ENDEAVORS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. SSW RESPONSE TO COVID: WE DONATED SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT TO NONPROFITS, INCLUDING GILROY HIGH SCHOOL AND GOODWILL TO SUPPORT STUDENTS.

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONOUR INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE TALENTED MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH THE MENTORS, LABORATORY SPACE AND EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO DESIGN, DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS. STUDENTS LEARN HOW TO DESIGN A PROJECT BUDGET, TIMELINE, WORKFLOW/SCHEDULE PLAN, AND SAFETY PLAN IN ADDITION TO THE LITERATURE RESEARCH, PROJECT DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. WE DONATED SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT TO NONPROFITS, INCLUDING GILROY HIGH SCHOOL AND GOODWILL TO SUPPORT STUDENTS.

INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATIONS PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONTHE INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATIONS PROGRAM CULTIVATES AN ENVIRONMENT THAT NOURISHES IDEAS. THE PROGRAM IS BUILT ON PROCESSES AND GUIDANCE THAT ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO ADOPT AN APPROACH BASED ON QUESTIONING AND INQUIRY. FOR EXAMPLE, BY STUDYING THE BIOPHYSICS OF ORGANISMS SUCH AS BATS, MOTHS, BUTTERFLIES AND WATER STRIDERS, OUR EMERGING SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS ARE INTRODUCED TO NATURE'S PROVEN SOLUTIONS AND WILL EXAMINE THEM BY SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND THE CATALYSTS AND BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOLUTION CHARACTERISTICS. THE II PROGRAM CREATES AN EDUCATIONAL BRIDGE BETWEEN NATURE AND DESIGN SO THAT STUDENTS WILL LEARN HOW TO USE NATURE-INSPIRED STRATEGIES TO HELP SOLVE THE MOST URGENT PROBLEMS OF THIS GENERATION.