The MIT Chemistry Outreach Program Graduate Students Presenting Chemistry to High School Students James S. Nowick' and Ronald G. Brisbois Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Cambridge, MA 02139 Chemists are uniquely qualified to bring the thrill of chemistry to primary and secondary school students. As graduate students active in the field of chemistry, we anticipated that they could identify with us as fellow students and developed an outreach program t o bring chemistry to local high schools. During the 1987-1988 academic year, we piloted the MIT Chemistry Outreach Program, which we offered to high school chemistry classes. T o illustrate the chemical research process. lecture. color slides, demonstrations, and discussion were used. We have presented the program to approximately 500 students at nine Hoston Metrupolitan Area high schools. In addressing high school students concerned with career nlanniue. we hoped (1) to show what chemists do and (2) to ;trike aubalanci between chemistry's visual appeal and its intellectual foundations. T o this end, we introduced ourselves as graduate students, briefly explained the training required to become a chemist, and discussed careers in chemistry. After outlining the scientific method, we performed a series of demonstrations that both were visually imnressive and served as illustrations of chemical ~ r i n c i ~ l e s . The most exciting demonstration is the polymerization of 1.3-butadiene in a oentane solutiun2 in a tirhtlv - . corked battle (1)-the heat of the polymerization vaporizes the pentane so that uDon removine the cork a lone "snake" of polybutadiene bursts out of trhe bottle much to the students' surprise and pleasure. This demonstration allowed us to discuss how chemists design and develop materials, such as polymers, to meet specific needs. An experiment from the doctoral thesis of a co-worker (2) provided us with a good example t o illustrate the chemical research process in detail. In this demonstration an nzulene was synthesized by gently refluxing an allenylsilane and tropylium tetrafluoroborate in- aceronitrile. The hearine mantle was oeriodirallv lowered, ~ so students could ohserve-the progressof the reaction (i.e.; development of a deep blue color). The azuleue was then isolated hy liquid-liquid extraction and purified by column chromatography. By focusing on the conception and development of a method for chemically synthesizing a class of com~ounds(azulenes) used as blue pigments in cosmetics, we were able& detail the identificationof a prohlem, formulation of a hmothesis, design of experiments, the collection of data, arriiil a t conclusions, and the application of results. Several other demonstrations (Tollens test3 for reducing sugars (3),development of AZTfor combating AIDS ( 4 ) ,and a "noses on" experience with various monoterpene natural nroducts41 . served to illustrate other asDects of chemistrv. The students and teachers who haveseen the MIT hemistrv Outreach Proeram responded enthusiastic all^. Stude& enjoyed calling out observations and asking insightful auestions. Upon seeine the oolnnerization of butadiene, one s'tudent asked whether the reverse reaction can occur. A ~~~~
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discussion of the biochemical mechanism of AZT inhibition of viral DNA replication prompted another student to inquire about the rate of DNA hiosynthesis in cells. Teachers were equally enthusiastic about the program, and each school visited requested a continuation in following years. The head of one science department commented ". . . the program has generated many questions in the classroom and awakened a curiosity in many students which was not present before." Conclusion The outreach program has proven remarkably easy and inexpensive to implement. A listing of local high schools was obtained from the MIT admissions office. Thirty-eight schools were contacted, and 10 schools extended invitations to speak. As a team we made presentations to approximately 500 students a t a cost of $500. With the aid of additional MIT graduate students we anticipate the expansion of the outreach program to include all grade levels. Acknowledgment We wish to thank the MIT Chemistry department for its financial support and Mark S. Wrighton and Rick L. Danheiser for their assistance and encouragement in the development of this program. Literature Clted 1. a. Shakhashiri, B. 2. Chemical Domomfrotiam: A Hondbook lor Teachera of Chemisfry:Univcraityof Wisconsin: Madimn, 1983;Vol. 2, p "Bufadirne s n a e kitn" are available from Orgsnometalli~. P.O. Box 287, h t Hammtead. NH 2. a. Becker, 0. A. PhD Thesis. M-chusetts Institute of Teehnalogy, May 1988. b. Becker, J.Am. Chom.Soc.
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3. Summerlin, L. R.; Ealy, J. L., Jr. Chrmieol Damansfroiionr: American Chemical Soeiety: Washington, OC, 1988:p 91. 4. a. Yarchoan, R.; Mitsuys, H.; Brdcr, S. Sci. Am. 1988,159(4),110. b. Hirsh, M . S.: Kap1an.J.C. Sci. Am. 1987,256(4),78.
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National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellow. The "alfin" catalvst is ootentiallv, ovroohoric. and Dentane and ., . 1.3-butadiene are higAly flahmable. A carbon dioxide fire extinguisher must be at hand when the demonstration is performed. Also, pentane and 13-butadieneare mildly narcotic and slightly toxic. The demonstration should be performed in a room with adequate ventiliation. The ammoniacal silver solution used in this demonstration is potentially explosive. Once the silver mirror has formed,the remaining solution should be immediately disposed of by washing it down a sink with water. The silvered flask should then be thoroughly rinsed with water before students are allowed to examine it. Students were given a sample of one of 12 naturally occurring monoterpenes (10-20 mg absorbed on conon in a ldram vial) along with a seven-page handout detailing the natural source, chemical structure, physical properties, and commercial importance of each monoterpene. Students were encouraged to compare and discuss the samples they had received. The monoterpenes used include camphor, & and bcarvone, a- and p-pinene, menthone, limonene, menthol, pulegone, eucarvone, geranioi, and linalool. I
