Highland Park Science Club learns about science, first-hand

Science gets real for 24 students involved with the Highland Park Senior High Science Club, Thursday, Nov. 19. Professor George Barany, with assistance from Professor Kenneth Leopold, hosted the students in a visit to the Department of Chemistry, including chemistry laboratories and sharing their insights about research and courses.

Led by the professors, the students participated in a question and answer session about college and college science courses. The session featured a variety of questions ranging from the differences between high school and college courses, to selecting a college major, and opportunities for research.

Students then explored the Barany and Leopold laboratories, learning a little about the research interests of the professors, and seeing some of the chemistry glassware, specialized equipment, and workspaces that they use to conduct their research. The students also visited the LeClaire-Dow Instrumentation Facility, including the nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallography equipment. Tour guides were Erik Goebel, Matt Turcotte, and Charlie Barrett. The day ended with a stop in front of the unique, interactive periodic table in Kolthoff Hall.

This visit to the Department of Chemistry was arranged by Professor Barany and Barbara Barany, Ph.D.