This page contains the material submitted to the local paper - The Davis Enterprise - for Explorit Science Center's news column published in that paper on Fridays.

Date: November 29, 2002
Author: Dawn Henson

BE A SCIENTIST THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND

“I want to be a scientist when I grow up!” This is not an unfamiliar statement at Explorit Science Center especially when children discover the exciting scientific tools at the current exhibition, “A Day in the Lab.”

Young eyes often light up in amazement when they see the tools of the science trade. Kids want to touch and examine the shining beakers, test tubes, measuring machines and microscopes featured in the exhibition.

This weekend is the last opportunity to visit “A Day in the Lab” as this hands-on exhibition ends Sunday. Today’s holiday hours are 1:00 to 4:30, while Saturday hours are 11:00 to 4:30 and Sunday hours are 1:00 to 4:30.

A cross section of local scientists such as a botanist, a geneticist, and a pharmacist were kind enough to lend their skills — and many of their tools — to help create Explorit's exhibition "A Day in The Lab."

Scientists from Novozymes Biotech, UC Davis, Sacramento City College, Kaiser Permanente, Eco-Analysts and the California Air Resources Board Office of Air Quality Education along with others, shared their expertise and provided excellent ideas, applications and displays for Explorit's exhibition for all to experience.

Many of the current hands-on activities were made possible by scientists such as UC Davis professor of atmospheric sciences, Thomas Cahill and Mike Kashuba of the Office of Air Quality Education. Kashuba and Cahill provided air sampling machines, charts and samples of airborne particles for Explorit's air quality lab that show how fine particles in the atmosphere affect air quality and impact human health.

Psychology professor Linda Acredolo and Susan Rivera of UC Davis provided baby sign language and behavior experiments plus MRI scans to view for the psychology lab exhibit.

Botanist professor Ginna Meyer of Sacramento City College shared her years of seeking out rare plant species for the biology exhibit while D. Christopher Rogers, an invertebrate ecologist who studies new species of fairy shrimp and monitors mosquitoes, provided help with the ecology exhibit.

Visitors to Explorit will also gain an understanding of genetics thank in part to the samples provided by senior scientist Wendy Yoder of Novozymes. Michael Panelli of Kaiser Permanente provided some additional hands-on activities to help Explorit create a pharmacy exhibit.

Go to Explorit this weekend to see what these fine scientists and their lab careers have to offer. You might even be inspired to become a scientist yourself.

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For those who are interested in learning about the lives of other scientists from astronomers to zoologists, Explorit recommends its recent publication “The Book of Science Days.”

It’s a fascinating read and great way to support Explorit’s mission. Drop by 3141 5th Street to pick up a copy for yourself of buy a gift copy for any scientist on your list: teens, teachers, family or any friend interested in science!

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