Invited
Opening advanced laboratories to school students: Our model for structuring round-trip activities from school to university and back

Collaboration with universities may assist high schools faced with challenges of promoting state-of-the-art chemistry and biosciences education. In the lecture I will outline university-based programs at the Belmonte Science Laboratories Center that enhance learning experiences by allowing classes of pupils to interact with academics and perform hands-on experiments in advanced scientific laboratories. These programs facilitate a symbiotic relationship between high schools and the university. The lecture will outline a conceptual model for university-based science intervention. I will describe the programs at the Belmonte labs and explain how each program implements group activities for hybrid science laboratories that aim to enhance learning. Teacher training will be also described, along with activities essential for establishing a round-trip experience- whereby learning activities continue to have an impact after completion of these special trips to the university laboratory.