CREST STEM Camp for Elementary
Enriching and fun STEM activities will be the focus of this camp led by the National Science Foundation-funded CREST Center at UC Merced. Students will explore engineering, physics, biology, chemistry, and math in sessions led by UC Merced graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni in STEM fields. Students will participate in hands-on activities, projects, lessons, discussions, campus tours, lab tours, and interactions with scientists and engineers. The sessions will enrich students’ understanding of the capacity of STEM to positively impact people and the world, as well as focus on various STEM career pathways.
July 24-28, 2023
9 am – 12 pm
Target Audience: For those entering grades 2nd - 5th in fall 2023.
Students bring their own snacks, and water bottles each day. No cost.
CREST STEM Camp for Middle School
Engaging activities focused on the National Science Foundation-funded CREST center’s research and education mission in engineering, biological science, physics, chemistry, math, and computational science will include hands-on activities, projects, lectures, discussions, trainings, research activities, campus tours, lab tours, and interactions with scientists and engineers. Activities will be led by graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni in STEM fields on a college campus. The sessions will enrich students’ understanding of the opportunities abundant in STEM fields, as well as the capacity of STEM to positively impact people and the world. Students will also get a better understanding of what it is like to do scientific research and the variety of careers pathways in STEM.
July 31- August 4, 2023
9 am – 4 pm
Target Audience: For those entering grades 6th - 8th in fall 2023.
Students bring their own lunches, snacks, and water bottles each day. No cost.
CREST Biosciences and Biotechnology Workshop
The National Science Foundation-funded CREST Center at the University of California, Merced will lead engaging and enriching sessions focused on Biosciences and Biotechnology. The activities will be led by UC Merced graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni in STEM fields with a focus on the fields of biology, physics, chemistry, engineering, computational science, and math. Through hands-on activities, projects, lectures, discussions, trainings, research-focused activities, campus tours, lab tours, and interactions with scientists and engineers, students’ understanding of STEM fields and bioscience/biotech opportunities will be expanded. Students will also learn about college preparation and careers in STEM. The capacity of biotech/bioscience-focused discoveries, techniques, and inventions to benefit humanity will be highlighted.
July 17- July 19, 2023
9 am – 4 pm
Target Audience: For those in grades 9th - 12th in fall 2023.
Students bring their own lunches, snacks, and water bottles each day. No cost.
Location: University of California, Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343
Spots in the program are limited. Your child will be placed on a waiting list if you complete the form below after the registrations fill up. Communications will be sent regarding participation and waitlists.
Students will be expected to adhere to all safety guidelines as well as respect of all participants, leaders, and property.
Contact Carrie Kouadio, CCBM Executive Director, with questions (ckouadio@ucmerced.edu and 209-228-4230 office).
REGISTER HERE
CCBM Virtual Sessions 2023
July 31 / Aug. 1 / Aug. 2
Modeling Cell Movements on a Computer
Led by Prof. Kinjal Dasbiswas, University of California, Merced
3 sessions – participants should attend the three days
1:00-2:00 pm daily
Via Zoom
In this hands-on computational workshop, we will analyze microscopy images of molecular motors and then learn about the physics and mechanics of cell division. We will also use computer code in Python to model the formation of liquid droplets inside cells and see them divide like cells. Preparation instructions will be sent before the session.
These sessions will be conducted by the Dasbiswas lab at the University of California, Merced. It will be led by Prof. Kinjal Dasbiswas and graduate students, Patrick Noerr, Subhaya Bose and Abhinav Kumar. We use the tools and concepts of physics such as mechanics and thermodynamics to understand the complex and wonderful phenomena of biology.
Target audience: High School and Middle School Students
Past Virtual sessions
CCBM Virtual Sessions 2022
Other sessions to be posted in summer 2022.
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Introduction to Computer Simulations in Physics, from Forest Fires to Salad Dressing
Led by Prof. Daniel Beller, Johns Hopkins University
August 2, 3, & 4, 2022 (3 sessions – participants should attend the three days)
10:00 - 11:30 am Pacific
Via Zoom
We will have a hands-on introduction to how computer simulations are used in scientific research, focusing on a versatile kind of simulation called "lattice models." We will examine simulations of real-world topics such as forest fires, oil-water separation in salad dressing, and the spread of diseases. In a series of guided activities, participants will use and edit Python programs through an Internet browser and will discover small changes in parameters that dramatically affect the simulated results. Preparation instructions will be sent before the session.
Daniel Beller is an Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins University Department of Physics and Astronomy, and previously an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Merced, in the Department of Physics. He and his research group use mathematical modeling and computer simulations to study the physics of soft materials, with properties intermediate between conventional liquids and solids. One of their major interests is liquid crystals, which flow like a liquid but behave in other ways like solid crystals. Professor Beller’s group also studies the physics of life at the cellular scale, aiming to understand collective effects that can only occur when many cells or many proteins work together.
Target audience: Middle School Students, High School Students, Teachers, Community Members
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Extracting DNA from Strawberries
Led by Prof. Xuecai (Susan) Ge, University of California, Merced
August 2, 2022
1:00-2:00 pm Pacific
Via Zoom
We will first learn some basics about the hereditary material DNA: its structure, replication, and how it determines the appearance of living things. We will then have a hands-on activity to extract DNA from fresh strawberries. To participate in the hands-on activity, we suggest participants prepare the materials for the lesson. Most of these materials can be found in the kitchen, and the list will be sent before the session.
Xuecai Ge is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of California, Merced. Her laboratory studies how the brain is formed at the fetal stage and how gene mutations cause diseases in newborns and children. She teaches cell biology to UC Merced undergraduate students and likes to spend time with young students.
Target audience: Students entering 5th-8th grade
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Modeling Cell Movements on a Computer
Led by Prof. Kinjal Dasbiswas, University of California, Merced
August 16, 17, & 18, 2022
4:00-5:00 pm Pacific (3 sessions – participants should attend the three days)
Via Zoom
In this hands-on computational workshop, we will analyze microscopy images of molecular motors and then learn about the physics and mechanics of cell division. We will also use computer code in Python to model the formation of liquid droplets inside cells and see them divide like cells. Preparation instructions will be sent before the session.
Kinjal Dasbiswas is a theoretical physicist working to uncover the principles behind the organization of biological matter occurring in cells and tissue. He uses mathematical modeling and computation to study the amazing scientific phenomena you might see under a microscope in a biology lab. This is his fourth year as an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Merced.
Patrick Noerr is a theorist interested in the role that mechanical interactions play in biological systems. He utilizes both analytic and computational methods to model and predicts the behavior of systems of cells. Mr. Noerr is currently finishing his third year as a Physics graduate student at the University of California, Merced.
Target audience: High School Students and Teachers
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College Readiness and STEM Disciplines
Led by Dr. Petia Gueorguieva, STEM Resource Center Coordinator, University of California, Merced
August 23, 2022
4:00-5:00 pm Pacific
Via Zoom
In an informal, interactive setting, we will discuss education/STEM education matters and college readiness. We will explore the value of collecting information and implementing good academic practices in high school, so students become college-ready and make educated college and financial choices. A presentation will be shared with the audience.
Petia Gueorguieva is the Coordinator for UC Merced’s STEM Resource Center, where she guides students to navigate their STEM majors and achieve their academic goals. Previously, she taught college chemistry and student-success courses. Petia holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Louisiana State University and an M.S. in Physical Sciences Education from Sofia University, Bulgaria.
Target Audience: High School Students, Teachers, Community Members
Contact
CCBM Executive Director, Carrie Kouadio ckouadio@ucmerced.edu
