Chemical engineer makes first grade classroom glow with engineering feats
A class of Round Rock first graders became enchanted with what makes fireflies shine, thanks to chemical engineering professor Dr. Brian
Korgel.
Korgel, and a small group of graduate students demonstrated the principles of bio-luminescence— the emission of light from living organisms such as fireflies. About 40 first graders spent several weeks studying fireflies previous to the visit. With help from the UT Austin engineers, the students performed chemical experiments that produced light, and worked with a small digital microscope along with teachers Margo Vogelpohl and Angela Shaw. The students came from both English and bilingual classrooms.
“It’s amazing to watch how excited these young kids are about science and engineering. It’s magical to them. And when they actually mix chemicals and produce an exciting effect—like the glow of a firefly—they have experienced something unforgettable,” Korgel said. “This is the age when we, as educators, must get them hooked on science and engineering. When somebody asks them what science is, this is the experience that they draw upon.”
The outreach program was sponsored by the National Science Foundation as part of the organization’s 50th birthday celebration titled NSF 50: Where Discoveries Begin. Contact Korgel at (512) 471-5633 or
korgel@mail.che.utexas.edu.
