SciGirls I 2016 - Day 10

Believe it or not, our time has come to an end: but we didn't forget to enjoy our last day. An amazing archeology experience was facilitated by Dr. Alex Parsons, Satin Bowman, Dr. Kathryn Miyar, Dr. Hillary Conley, Mercedes Harrold, and Megan Merrick. There's nothing quite like digging in the dirt to get your morning going, but remember you have to do your background research first. SciGirls were on the job and quite naturally, solved the puzzle. It was then on to working on presentations for the closing reception. These posters were phenomenal (check out the pictures)! We would like to take the time to acknowledge Dr. Charmane Caldwell, Desiree Fraser, and Claire Johnson who were the guest panelists for the reception. Much appreciation goes out to Dr. Roxanne Hughes and Kim Kelling for the continuity and support of this program. To you the parents, we thank you for entrusting us to help cultivate your daughters' love of science. And finally to the real man-behind-the-scenes, Mr. Carlos Villa.....simply put, We Love You! Thank you for everything ! Until next year,.....SciGirls I 2016, your mountain is waiting!

SciGirls II 2016 Day 10

The last day! No!! Though camp for this year has come to an end, still it's amazing to look back at all the fun we've had and all the memories we've made! This year has been no different! Today, we had another busy day! We started this morning with research! Each girl was to research the scientific career of their choice, after being exposed to many different areas this summer! With this, they were to research the job, the impact it has on society, and how to get there, including colleges and high school education, and costs. This year, our girls outdid it! They are so artistic and took their projects seriously and with heart! You'll see them tonight at the reception! These girls have made us teachers very proud! After lunch, we had a visit with Southeast Archaeological Society. Our girls learned about archaeology and how excavations take place. We then went outside to a mock excavation site and girls were able to measure, make observations, draw, make inferences, and collect data from the site. We also discussed the negative impact looters have on historic artifacts and findings on sites. Then, we went back inside and the girls rotated through four different groups. Girls learned about artifact analysis, where they looked at ceramics for the usefulness of determining the age of a site. We examined human remains (not real!) for gender, age, and learned a little bit about the human skeleton. We also looked at confiscated artifact scenarios. All in all, it was a great day! We look forward to seeing everyone tonight at the reception here at the MagLab. Here's to another great SciGirls II Camp! SciGirls II, We Out!!

SciGirls I 2016 - Day Nine

Shhhhhhh! Do you hear that? That is the sound of water flowing from Big Dismal Sink, the deepest sinkhole in the Woodville Karst Plain at 130 feet. SciGirls I, Day Nine, started with a 3.1 mile trek through the Leon Sinks Geological Area. Joined by hydrogeologist Greg Hitz, we conducted water testing at Turner Sink and Hammock Sink. The natural beauty of the sinkholes have been affected by leaching from septic tanks and lawn fertilizer; however, the landscape that is referred to as karst lead to stunning sights of traces of water that have flowed into, out of, and through the holes. Karst occurs as a result of deep erosion of a the limestone that is so prevalent in Florida. These girls were true troopers as we walked over the rugged terrain, even having to find our way over a few trees that had been cut down. It was all worth it though, as we then jumped in the vans and made a quick trip over to Jackson County for a refreshing dip at the Blue Springs Recreational Area. Blue Springs is a first magnitude spring noted for its crystal clear water and underwater caves. Here the spring flows at an average rate of 76 million gallons of water a day. After overcoming the initial chilly temperature, the girls launched themselves from the slide and somersaulted themselves from the springboard into the magnificence of the natural spring. Boy did they hate to leave, but we had one more appointment to keep - a light and refreshing treat from the hometown favorite, Milk and Honey! Then it was back to Tallahassee. Is it true that there is only one day left for SciGirls I 2016? Sadly, the answer is yes...we'll be expecting you.

SciGirls II 2016 Day 9

Today was an amazing day!! We spent the day at the Gulf Marine Specimen Lab in Panacea, FL. Once we got there, our tour guide, Amy, took us around the lab itself. We got to pick up and touch hermit crabs, sea urchins, sea stars, horseshoe crabs, fiddler crabs, and much more. Amy also fed some sharks and stingray. Both the sharks and stingray made quite a splash and some of us got splashed! All the while, Amy was telling us about the animals while feeding them. We also got to see an octopus actually change color in front of our eyes! We saw one loggerhead turtle that had been rescued, and it looks like it's doing pretty well, but may not have survived otherwise. After our tour at the lab, we went out to the "living dock." Here, the girls picked up stringers that had fouler communities of marine life on them. We learned that they are called fouler communities because if stuck to the bottom of ships, they can actually ruin the ships, creating a "foul." Here we found many baby crabs and even some ctenophore, which are stingless jellyfish! After lunch, we went out to the marsh and our girls got to experience seine fishing. They did a fantastic job and had so much fun! Most every girl that wanted to got a chance to use the net and there were smiles all around! We caught and threw back many sheepshead killi fish, shrimp, needlefish, and even more ctenophore. On the way home, we stopped at Sonic for drinks, shakes, and slushies. It was quite an experience you'll have to ask your SciGirls about! All in all, it was a very fun, educational day! We always have such a great time at the Gulf Marine Specimen Lab and we would like to thank Debbi Clifford and the staff there for another SciGirls amazing trip!\ Tomorrow, sadly, is our last day of camp! Our girls will be researching areas of science they are individually interested in and honing in on a career of their choice. We will also participate in an archeological dig and get ready for our reception for parents! Our reception is tomorrow night, 5:30, here at the MagLab in the big room, B101. See you then!

SciGirlsII 2016 Day 8

Day 8 was another fun filled day! We studied two different fields of science today, Engineering and Meteorology. We started with The Environmental and Geotechnical Specialists (EGS) at the lab this morning. Audra Hayden, with EGS, and 2 FSU College of Engineering students, Kristine Obenour and Ashley Solek talked about engineering. They discussed different structures, the building and planning of them, and how EGS helps with engineering emergencies. After a short power point, our girls were given a paper towel roll challenge. In groups of 3-4, they had to build a sound tower that could stand and withhold weight. After an hour of building, each structure was tested for its durability. Using books as weights, our winning tower held 85 pounds of books before crumbling! We then discussed why some of the structures were more sound than others. After lunch, we visited the College of Engineering to see a concrete canoe and steel bridge which was built for the ACI-ASCE-FES ASCE Student Chapter for the ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) competition. It was truly amazing to see these structures, and believe it or not, the concrete canoe really floats! We were then off to the National Weather Service on FSU's campus. National Weather Service uses satellites and weather balloons to gather data and use that to forecast the weather. This information is used to issue warnings and information for local stations to make their local forecasts. We visited the roof launch room and the roof top where the weather balloon is inflated with Helium. The weather balloon was a lot bigger than any of us expected! Melissa Griffin, from WeatherSTEM. talked with our group about the importance of the balloons and Katie Moore, forecaster and the Verification Focal Point, talked about the history and importance of the National Weather Service. Kelly Godsey, Senior Service Hydrologist, showed us around the weather data control room and took us up to the roof. Then, Jane Hollingsworth, meteorologist in charge, gave us some insight into her specific job and how she heavily relies on her team, and how she's climbed the ladder to where she is now. Melissa also took some time out to tell our girls the schooling and time she put in to become a meteorologist. Needless to say, these women really put in time and it shows how much they love their careers! Tomorrow, we dive into marine biology with a day at the Gulf Marine Specimen Lab!

SciGirls I 2016 - Day Eight

Breaking News......SciGirls I is in the building....repeat SciGirls I is in the building. SciGirls I reported to WFSU this morning to compile coverage of the first amazing seven days of the 2016 camp. This group of girls was shy by no means. One group was quickly whisked away to create a radio segment of a round table discussion. We hate to brag, but these future scientists were quite impressive. Not to be outdone, the second group of campers shuffled downstairs moments later to film a video presentation for the closing program on Friday night. Let's just say that the ability to "think on your feet" is an impressive skill set of the hosts and guests who volunteered to appear in front of the camera. The amount of patience and attentiveness of the behind-the-scenes operators should be commended also. Remarkable is the adjective that describes the magnitude of spunk of this lively group. Our visit concluded with a brief tour of the facility on the progression of radio and television. Thanks to the great group of ladies and gentlemen of WFSU who continue to share a moment of their time to help produce this phenomenal memory. Following such a great morning, it's only right that we make afternoon memories as well. With a brief visit to the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, the girls had a chance to see the Concrete Canoe, Concrete Cornhole, and Steel Bridge that were entered into the 2016 ASCE Southeastern Student Conference. Audra Hayden (EGS) was accompanied by Kristine Obenour and Ashley Solek(both senior Civil Engineering students) to discuss the role of women in engineering. After Kristine and Ashley described the rules for the Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge competitions, the girls had a chance to traverse the bridge and attempt to lift it. We then returned to the Maglab where the girls had an opportunity to create their own bridge structures complete with paper towel rolls, tape, and cardboard platforms. The competition was heated as the girls worked to create the structure that could hold the most weight. Amazingly, the winning structure named "Phillip" held 71 lbs. followed closely by "Pic of Bridge" with 70 lbs. We are so proud of the effort put forth in "Scarlet", "Star", "Totally Tubular", and "The Cage". It's hard to believe, but there are only two days left. Trekking over a mile, drinks you need to bring, but SciGirls will be refreshed in the afternoon springs!

SciGirls II 2016 Day 7

Can you believe it's already day 7?!?! Today was a day full of media with both the Florida Center for Interactive Media and WFSU! We started the morning at FCIM. We were all so excited to find out that we were going to create and work with virtual reality! Once we got there, the girls were split into 3 rotating stations. At one station we used a program called MagicaVoxel to create 3D shapes. Those shapes will be viewed on the link below! At another station we downloaded Google Cardboard apps and took photos of ourselves, also while learning about 360 video and experiencing it! The last station was for decorating the cardboard VR glasses and the girls got the chance to draw with HTC Vive and actually step into their drawings. It was absolutely amazing! To see the VR/3D images the girls made and more, please visit http://fcim.org/scigirls/ After lunch, we visited WFSU, one of SciGirls sponsors! We first received a tour of the facility and girls got to see the types of phones and radios used in the "old days!" We're not sure the girls would know what to do without any buttons and touch screens to play with! :) After our tour, we split into two groups - a radio group and a television group. The radio group put on a radio broadcast with Kim Kelling about their SciGirls experience thus far. The broadcast will be played on WFSU, so keep a listen to hear our girls. The television girls learned all about newscasting, both in front and behind the camera. Girls were interviewed on screen about their favorite SciGirl experiences and about why SciGirls is the best camp ever! Duh! :) This newscast will be played at the reception on Friday night at the MagLab. SciGirls give a huge thank you to the staff at FCIM and the staff at WFSU for a great day! Tomorrow is bound to be another wonderful day with EGS/Atkins in the morning for engineering and a tour of the National Weather Service in the afternoon.

SciGirls I 2016 - Day Seven

Zucchini bread, blender salsa with chips,fiesta scrambled eggs, and water with a little fresh cucumber and mint!!!!! These were the delicacies prepared by Chef Paula Kendrick at the first ever SciGirls Brunch hosted at the Fresh from Florida Demonstration Kitchen. No, this experience was not only about sampling foods, but Dietitian Jamie Burch joined us to provide information on the science of ingredients in quick breads. Liquids add moisture, sugar and fats act as tenderizers, eggs(an emulsifier) not only add moisture but also bind ingredients together, leavening agents cause the bread to rise, and salt enhances the flavor of other ingredients. The differences between whole-wheat flour and refined flour was discussed, as well as the composition of an egg. We're sure that many people remain unaware of the differences in the protein content of flours, but hard wheat flour is higher in protein with about 13-14%. As Chef Paula was cooking up those goodies, she stressed the importance of food safety reminding the SciGirls that foods should be put in the fridge within 2 hours. Foods become more susceptible to the growth of pathogens at a much higher rate when left on the counter. When refrigerated, the opportunity for foodborne illness decreases, this is why it's recommended that refrigerators maintain temperatures between 32 and 40 degrees and freezer temperatures are zero and below. What an incredible four-star experience we had thanks to Kristi Hatakka and Sean Doran! We then ventured back to the MagLab where we were joined by Desiree Fraser of Diverse Computing. Desiree is currently assigned to work on the eAgent 2.0 which offers assistance to the law enforcement community with direct access to the National Crime Information Center. After giving the girls a bit of information on herself, the basics of computer coding, and stressing the importance of having an initiative to learn, Desiree joined the SciGirls in the computer lab with a brief computer coding session with Code-Monster. Then we were off to our final activity of the day, where we were met by Cody, Stephanie, Drew, and Whitney with an interactive opportunity into the world of virtual reality. The girls worked with web based 3D modeling with the AFrame program, creating objects in their own 3D world through the HTC Vive VR module, and 360Degree video. An amazing treat for the girls were the Google Cardboard Goggles that were provided for decorating and personal use. Thanks Andrew! Another great day is all we can say. And five, four, three, two, one...SciGirls I 2016 Special, coming soon!

SciGirls II 2016 Day 6

What a fabulous Monday!! Today we started early at the Marianna Caverns Tour. Our tour guide, Noreen, gave us all the scoop on the beautiful formations within the cave. Our girls learned all about the different elements that are naturally created in the caves and how they form. We were able to distinguish limestone to calcite, from manganese to iron, based on the beautiful black, orange, grey, and white colors all around us. Some of the formations were really beautiful, our favorites being cave "draperies," cave "bacon," and cave "diamonds!" We had a discussion about how the floor of the cave was also textured by rainwater due to carbonic acid. It's amazing to know that it takes 100 years for just one cubic inch of formation to form! We were even lucky enough to see two Eastern Pipistrelle Bats! After our cave tour, we went to Blue Springs to cool off. The water is so crystal clear and very pretty there. After eating lunch, we took out some kayaks and pedalboats. Though our arms and legs may be a bit sore, we had a wonderful time! We then stayed a bit at Blue Springs just to swim around and play! No trip to Marianna with SciGirls is complete without a visit to our favorite frozen yogurt shop, Milk and Honey! They were so welcoming to us and even gave us a discount on our froyo! We chilled, ate froyo, and watched Lion King until it was time to head home. It truly was a great day! Tomorrow we look forward to media day! We will visit the Florida Center for Interactive Media in the morning and then WFSU in the afternoon! It's bound to be another wonderful, sci-rific day!

SciGirls I 2016 - Day Six

Did you walk your dog outside today? Did you practice the five second rule to determine if it was okay to walk your dog outside on the blistering summer pavements found in Florida? Here is the rule - if you can't allow your hand to remain on a hot surface for five seconds, that same surface is harmful to your beloved pet! This was just one of the amazing hints, tips, and facts that SciGirls received from Dr. Rachel Barton and her wonderful Vet Techs Katie Watson and Amy Greene at the Tallahassee Animal Services Center. A very special thank you goes out to these ladies who continue to set aside a special day during the summer to provide us a glimpse into shelter medicine. The ASC takes in over 5,000 animals each year and works very hard to return these animals to the community with owners who will provide them the love and care needed for a healthy and sustained life. The people at the shelter work to release these animals either through live release, adoption, transfers, return to owner, and euthanasia. The facility is extensive and houses kennels(for both dogs and cats), a surgical room, and the Animal Control central office. SciGirls were treated to a tour of the facility and many of them began contemplating ways in which they could convince their parents to begin the adoption process. After a tour, the girls were broken into two groups for participation in a spaying and a lecture on zoonotic diseases. With a quick bite to eat for lunch, the girls began the afternoon at one of three stations: heartworm testing, Animal control response, or dog breed analysis. The American and Canadian Kennels clubs recognize 175 breeds of dogs: the British Kennel Club recognizes 210 breeds. Why is there such a variation? Natural differences due to local environment and selective-breeding by humans have changed the face of the evolution of the canine species. Prior to leaving, Dr. Barton reminded the girls to always be able to say "I think because....." Science begins with a hypothesis that you will either work to prove or disprove, but what matters is that you weren't afraid to think. Yes - that was little synopsis of our day but it's not over. We're getting our palates ready as we say move over MasterChef Jr. - here come SciGirls I!

SciGirls I 2016 - Day Five

Today, SciGirls boldly went to where no ordinary man has gone before. No we weren't visitors on the Star Ship Enterprise, we were the guests of BASF at the Attapulgite mining site. Here the girls learned that the remains of the current site were deposited some 18 million years ago with limestone being the bottom layer. According to Assistant State Geologist Harley Means, the top portion was left 3 million years ago and is referred to as the Miccosukee formation. These sediments only represent little snapshots in time and there is still much to be discovered....and the SciGirls found plenty: stingray teeth, shark teeth, manatee bones, sea urchin spines, and alligator teeth were a few of the finds. A very special thank you to Mr. Howard Kirk, who even in his retirement, continues to be an avid supporter and guide of the SciGirls in the quarry adventure. Did I forget to mention to you that this is one of the hottest days of the SciGirls experience? It is so hot, that after two hours in the sun with literally no trees, we made a mad dash to Wakulla Springs for a little fun in the sun, but only after completing water testing. To top off this wonderful first week of SciGirls 2016, we ended our day with an awesome boat tour of the Wakulla Springs and a tiny portion of its water system. There were many anhingas, egrets, blue heron, turtles, and alligators to keep the oohs and aahs echoing across the boat. But we all know the stars of the show were fashionably late! That's right, the manatee did not show up until 40 minutes into the hour boat tour. However, it was well worth it. Dr. Seuss said, "Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!" We say join us for Day Six, because this was only week one!

SciGirls 2 Day 5 2016

Today, we really had a ball learning about and playing paintball! Before we began, the girls learned the history and science behind paintballing. They viewed a power point that explained all about F=MA, and how 3 types of forces all act together to make the paintball gun work. After the learning part, we got to play! The teachers were very excited about the safety aspect of the Tallahassee Paintball Sports. Girls could not be inside the netting without full gear and the staff was very quick to make sure that all of us were following the rules at all times. The girls got to play four games,including elimination games, and capture the flag games. Next we headed to the new Fred George park to eat lunch in the shade. After a long ride, we made it to Wakulla Springs! The girls cooled off with cold swims and high dive jumps! Towards the end of our day, we went on a boat tour where we were toured by Captain Mike. We got to see many wildlife and plants, including numerous alligators. We also saw anhinga, egrets, and many moorhens. Some plants we saw included bald cypress, wax myrtle, and eelgrass. We saw many fish like mullet and spotted gar. The best part was when we saw a pod of manatees at the very end of the tour. Our girls were able to fill up many aspects of their scavenger hunt! We definitely ended week one with a bang, literally! Next week, we look forward to many more experiences, beginning with the Marianna Caverns and Blue Springs on Monday! We hope our SciGirls have a wonderful, restful weekend, and come back hungry for more!

SciGirls II Day 4 2016

Whew! Today was another great day! We started at Novey Animal Hospital where our girls went through 3 different stations and learned all about the ins and outs of the hospital. The first station was led by Candy, a kennel technician. She talked all about diseases that dogs and cats can get including heartworms and tapeworms, and how to prevent them. She also taught the girls about dog and cat behaviors and body language and spent some time discussing symptoms of sick pets and their causes. Our girls even got to do some blood tests to see how vets can tell if dogs and cats are positive for heartworms. The next station was lead by Jen, the head receptionist. She taught the girls that reception is not just about taking phone calls, but that it involves being a pharmacist, counselor, and a liaison between the clients and the doctors, as well. She also verified that just like human doctors, vets have poor handwriting, too! Jen also went into client communication, how to multitask when on the phone with clients, and handling clients in the hospital all at the same time. We all found it funny that an "Easy Cheese" container is in most rooms to help animals take medicines! The last station was led by Gabe, a vet technician. We were in the treatment center for this and observed a dog getting a dental procedure. He discussed injections, shots, dental procedures, imaging diagnostics, surgery, microbiology, ultrasound, and much more! So much goes into treatment for our sweet pets! Our girls also got to see the bacteria growth from the "clean hand" cultures they took on Monday. Some of our girls, and teachers, have decided they should probably wash their hands a bit better! :) A huge shout out and thank you goes to Dr. Novey and her staff! They were very welcoming and we had a great learning experience! We were then off to soar in the trees at the Tree-to-Tree Ziplining adventure at the Tallahassee Museum!! Unfortunately, some bad weather got in our way, and we were on weather delay for a little while, but it did not stop us from combatting the Canopy Crossing course once the rain subsided! A little ice cream treat was had by all afterwards and back to the lab we went! Tomorrow, we look forward to learning the science behind paintballing, while we have a fun, little war! Then a definite cool down at Wakulla Springs to round out our wonderful first week of camp! SciGirls 2016 Rocks!

SciGirls I 2016 - Day Four

Forensics is using science to make the invisible visible! This was the great message offered by Shawn Yao and his wonderful team of experts who greeted the SciGirls this morning. With seven stations appropriately manned, the girls were given a tour of the Tallahassee Police Department's Forensics Unit. Do you know that the most common fingerprint pattern found is the loop? Yes. While 65% of the population has this pattern, only 5% of the population have the arch. There are different means that forensic scientists use to recover prints from a crime scene because of the rigid detail that may result from the amount of moisture on a person's finger. Not only did the girls learn about fingerprinting, but they also received mini-lessons in blood spatter, firearm safety, evidence collection, and cartridge identification. Newer facets and methodology utilized in forensics are being developed everyday that require awareness of such items Smartwater (and no we're not talking about the type you drink) and degrees in chemistry, biology, and art, just to name a few. The mention of chemistry was a great way to introduce our next experience as we headed down the road to BASF with the motto of "We create chemistry." Dave Simkins, the site manager for the office in Quincy asked the girls to define chemistry. Many answers were provided but Mr. Simpkins offered a definition that got the minds of these young scientists thinking: "Chemistry is what makes life." And believe it or not, a lot of chemistry is happening in this very area. BASF is the largest chemical country in the world with over 70 offices. In the mines located between Quincy and Attapulgus, there is enough attapulgite to sustain the world for many, many, many years. There are 70 different versions of clay and these are associated with everyday products from cooking oil to makeup to the BEHR paint that you can find at your local Home Depot or Lowe's. Blythe Lamonica and Walt Loomis spearheaded this opportunity to help the girls understand that chemicals are essential in everything we do. The girls were attentive to the message but more excited to don their pink hard hats, protective eyewear, and ear protection and take a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility. (It was so "behind-the-scenes" that no photos were allowed.) The amount of attapulgite that is processed through the plant on a daily basis equates to about 100,000 pounds in a year. After a brief tour of the plant and the lab, we returned to the teaching classroom to exchange the hard hats for aprons in the Kids'Lab. This interactive experience, led by Silvia Medrano, provided an opportunity to work with Dawn dish detergent again and get a brief vocabulary review of the term surfactant. But this was only the beginning. The great sites and high heights that Dr. Seuss spoke of will be SciGirls first stop in the morning - no parachute needed, just fearlessness to explore!

SciGirls II Day 3 2016

What a fabulous, fun-filled, eclectic day of science we had! It all started with Rethink Energy Florida. They came out and gave us a presentation about energy and got us to "rethink" the way we use and the need to conserve energy. They discussed several alternative energy sources and the impact using fossil fuels has on our world! The girls were then able to go outside and test out some solar powered fans! Afterwards, we headed to Tallahassee Rock Gym where the girls learned that rock climbing is not as easy as it sounds! A lot of our girls made it all the way to the top! The best part was how they were cheering each other on and pushing each other (even the teachers!) to keep climbing! They were some great climbers! Though it was a lot of fun, the girls really learned how gravity, friction, and how our bodies must all come together and work to get the job done. During climbing, we were harnessed in and had an instructor holding us using a pulley machine. It was very calming to know that, even if we missed a step, our instructors had our backs, literally! After working up an appetite (and a sweat,) we headed back to the lab for lunch. Rethink Energy Florida came back with a solar cooker and we tested out some cookie dough in the hot, hot sun! The smell of cookies attracted the attention of some of our next group! Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Animal Therapy group was next! There were three animal handlers, including Mrs. Brynn's mother, Sharyn Yesner, with her umbrella cockatoo, Rockie! Also in attendance was Mary Anne Koos with her yellow lab, Jesse, and Marlene Turner, with her black lab, Bailey. Stephanie Perkins and Heather Ashley, program managers, were also in attendance. After Stephanie discussed what the job of Animal Therapy is all about, each handler discussed their pet, and gave us information on how the animals are trained and what all goes into Animal Therapy. Our girls were very interested and had a fantastic time with Bailey, Jesse, and Rockie! Much thanks to the TMH Animal Therapy group for coming out and teaching us about this fabulous program and the joy they bring to so many people. Following TMH, was Sonia McNeil, with The Tallahassee Astronomical Society. She started with a presentation explaining the history of astronomy starting all the way back with Galileo. She also discussed the history of women in astronomy. After a brief discussion about our sun, we went outside and were able to actually view the sun with special glasses! We also got to discover how gravity affects weight on different planets with brick models of how much weight 3 pounds on Earth would equal on each planet. She ended by encouraging the girls to continue their quest for knowledge in astronomy and shared different NASA satellite images using websites, such as NASA Eyes and Visualizations. Overall, it was a huge, wonderful day! Our girls left with smiles on their faces, eagerly wanting more! And, more is what they will get! Tomorrow's agenda includes a visit with Novey Animal Clinic and Zip Lining over animals at the Tallahassee Museum! Can't wait!

SciGirls I 2016 - Day Three

Do you know who the first person was honored with two Nobel prizes - in physics and chemistry? That would be the most well known woman scientist in history, Marie Curie. SciGirls did not uncover this knowledge in a book, but in an upside down house in Panama City Beach called WonderWorks. A very special thanks goes out to Jill Fowler and her team who made the first SciGirls visit to this facility extraordinary. With over 100 hands on activities "that will spark the imagination and challenge the mind", WonderWorks provided four floors of interactive experiences that left the girls having to choose which zone(Natural Disaster, Physical Challenge, Light & Sound, Space Discovery, Imagination Lab, and Far Out Gallery)to visit and more than enough information to process. Here are some samples: (1) Over 2,000 pounds of space dust and debris hit the Earth each day. (2) The human brain takes in 11 million bits of information every second but is aware of only 40 (3) A single bolt of lightning contains enough energy to cook 100,000 pieces of toast. (4) In an average lifetime, human skin completely replaces itself 900 times. From the Tesla coil where they became human lightning rods to understanding the force applied to the surface of an object by lying on a bed of 3,500 nails, the SciGirls were fearless as they even brave the Indoor Ropes Challenge and took in a game of Laser Tag. Dr. Seuss reminds us that "when things start to happen, don't worry. Don't stew. Just go right along. You'll start happening too!" So as new friendships have started forming, and shells are being opened, join us tomorrow when we share additional experiences from the science all around us! SciGirls 2016 Rock!

SciGirls II Day 2 2016

We started our magical morning with a visit from MK Haley, Disney Imagineer and FSU professor. She discussed with us how, in her line of work she has to consider engineering and numerous areas of science. She introduced her cooperative activity discussing that the fastest, most powerful techniques for improving a team's capacity to generate fresh ideas, build rapport and incorporate prototyping. All of these are at the heart of effective innovation. Then the girls were given "The Marshmallow Challenge," by using one yard of tape, one yard of string, 20 pieces of spaghetti, a marshmallow and 18 minutes to complete the tallest structure while supporting the marshmallow. After the 18 minutes were up, 3 teams were successful having a structure of 24 inches to support the marshmallow while the other teams were still challenged! The "safety guy" joined us next to talk to us about safety that could be of concern and to mitigate with our next activity with Cummings Scientific. Samantha Evans, a simulations engineer and Beau Biller, an engineering manager, came to the MagLab to show how Cummings Scientific uses skid marks and other data to explain car accidents and how/why they happened. They used a Volvo to reach a certain speed. Our girls were to pay close attention to where the car began to break and where the car actually came to a stop. The activity was videotaped as the girls observed. Girls learned about friction and anti lock brakes. After the experiment, the girls measured the breaking distance as 15 feet and 4 inches using a trundle wheel while 10 feet was the constant speed measurement. The girls discussed the difference between speed and velocity, analized the video finding the number of frames and the distance of 10 frames with 30 frames per second. We all determined it took 1/3 of a second to go the 10 feet. Doing some math we got that the car was traveling at 30 feet per second then had to convert that into miles per hour finding it was 20.4 mph. We talked about ratios and friction while reviewing Newton's Laws and the Law of Conservation of Energy. Though it was a lot of math, our girls learned a lot about the math and science that all goes into these types of investigations. The end of our day was spent making chaos! Chaos Towers, that is! The girls' task was to work as a team to create a track for a marble in which the marble has "fun." With this, they also considered giving the marble a long travel time, and a goal of bouncing from the trampoline into a bucket. Our groups were mostly successful and had a great time creating chaos! Tomorrow, we look forward to rock climbing, playing with therapy animals, and learning all about Astronomy!

SciGirls I 2016 - Day Two

Have you ever visited the Red Hills Region of Florida? If you have ever been to Mission San Luis, the John G. Riley House & Museum, Pebble Hill Plantation, or Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park, you have been a guest of the Red Hills Region. The listed sites are just a few of the cultural, historical, natural, and outdoor sites of the area that is bracketed between two southern rivers and straddles the Georgia-Florida border. SciGirls I began the morning by visiting the Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy that dedicates itself to conserving the ecological, historical, and scenic resources of the nearly 130,000 acres that it protects. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by Conservation Biologist Kim Sash who introduced the girls to various facets of research that occur at Tall Timbers, with support in radio telemetry from Blake, Cassie, and Chelsea. Two interesting facts were provided about prescribed burns: (1) they are necessary to allow plants to germinate and grow, and (2) they create the opportunity for birds to forage and nest. An actual resolution exists that designates the fourth Sunday in the month of January as the beginning of Prescribed Fire Awareness Week. The SciGirls were then treated to a game of LongLeaf Pine Forest Bingo, but not until after learning about the Eastern King snake, a tiger salamander, and Polly, the resident gopher tortoise of the facility. This experience brought new meaning to the term hands-on as the girls picked up the tortoise, massaged the salamander, and hugged the snake. Oh how we hated to rush off, but there was an oil spill at the Maglab that required clean-up!!!! Dr. Amy McKenna (one of only seven women scientists at the Maglab) presented another fun interactive experience that brought many oohs and aahs, as the girls investigated "The Use of Surfactants in Oil Spill Clean-up." Who knew you could have so much fun with food coloring, water, skim milk, whole milk, half and half, heavy cream, Q-tips, and Dawn dish detergent? Let's just say this SciGirls activity had more to offer than the Dairy Queen. So as we continue finding places to go, tomorrow we look forward to heading out of town. "With brains in our heads and feet in our shoes," each SciGirl will decide which WonderZone to choose!

SciGirls I 2016 - Day One

SciGirls I 2016 present and accounted for! That's right, today was the first day of the 2016 SciGirls I experience. After a brief welcome, we captured the moment with the official SciGirls I photo. Safety training was the first presentation of the day where Mr. Alfie Brown stressed the importance of SAFETY FIRST before taking the girls back to get MagLab ID badges. (Sorry Ghostbusters but in the case of a safety violation/emergency - the SciGirls are going to call Mr. Brown!) The girls were then directed to the computer lab of the Center for Integrating Research and Learning(CIRL) to complete surveys about their views on science. Next on the schedule was an introduction to water testing. Yes, we offer a different but informative type of water experience for our campers. After collecting water samples from the pond behind the Maglab, the girls tested the water for clarity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and nitrates. A brief discussion took place before the campers headed back in for the "Ladies of Science" Luncheon. We want to extend a special thank you to MK Haley (Disney Imagineer), Dr. Sonia McNelis (Physician), Katie Sack (Software Developer), Dr. Amy McKenna (Analytical Chemist) and Melissa Martin (Riversink Elementary Teacher) for sharing their journeys through and into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For a moment, we thought the rain might ruin our opportunity to visit WFSU and participate in the "Water Moves" activity; however, the brief shower brought a bit of relief to an otherwise warm day. Tasha Weinstein welcomed the girls before they began working in 4 teams to figure out a system to move water from a large water source to a much smaller receptacle. This proved to be a quite challenging task for these girls who set a new SciGirls I record with the amount of water collected after 45 minutes of collaborative learning. Kudos go out to the yellow team who made a comeback (similar to that of the Cavaliers in this year's NBA Finals) to claim the victory. The frozen lemonade treats provided by the WFSU team were a perfect way to end this mild day as we headed back to the Maglab for afternoon pick up. In the immortal words of Theodor Seuss Geisel, "Oh, the places you'll go...": SciGirls I 2016 is off to great places. We're off and away!!!!

SciGirls II 2016 Day 1: MagLab, Water Moves, and WeatherSTEM Water Cycle

Today was a wonderful first day of camp! What a wonderful time we had meeting and getting to know these girls! Our girls got to know each other, learned how to get around the lab (or at least where they are supposed to know about,) they met with female scientists, did some team building, and learned a whole lot about Earth's water. The day began with some safety talk at the lab, the girls now know why they need to wear closed-toed shoes and their IDs each morning. They completed surveys about their interests and backgrounds in science. Once this "business" was taken care of, it was time for some fun!! First, we all walked to WFSU to participate in a water moves activity. We definitely got in some steps! Some water and mist was welcome after the walk over. Not only was this activity loads of fun, but the girls got to cool off and work together to accomplish a goal. It was a great team building, getting-to-know-you exercise known as systematic thinking. The girls worked in teams of six and had to devise a way to get water from an above ground pool to their bucket, while watching where they walked. They were not to come close to their buckets or the pool at all! They had to complete water cycle activities and try to get ducks out of the pool to get points. These points then let them buy tools to use to fill their buckets. Shout out to the blue team for being the first to fill their bucket! Afterwards, everyone was a winner with popsicles provided by the staff at WFSU! After the trek back, we enjoyed a luncheon with five female scientists as panelists, for our girls to learn more about different areas of science. The panelists first discussed what they do, and how they got interested in their field of science. The panel included a multitude of fields from astronomy to chemistry all the way to Disney Imagineering. Then for lunch, each scientist ate with a group of girls. Another big shout out to Toyka Holden for organizing this luncheon. The girls thoroughly enjoyed some one-on-one time to ask burning questions. After lunch the girls got to participate in a trip around the water cycle with meteorologist Melissa Griffin with WeatherSTEM. Check out the weather each morning before heading out of the house. For the station closest to you go to http://leon.weatherstem.com, or the closest station to the lab is Sable Palm Elementary at http://leon.weatherstem.com/sabalpalm. The girls then participated in a water cycle activity, in which the followed a water droplet through its journey. From aquifers and groundwater all the way to the atmosphere and clouds, they found out how water can get "stuck," and stay in the ocean or the atmosphere for a pretty long time! Needless to say, the girls had a great day! It's obvious that they the girls were on "cloud 9!" Tomorrow, we spend more time with a Disney Imagineer! We'll also investigate the science behind air bag deployment and how to tell information form skid marks!