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Announcing the current issue of
Science Matters ,
the MRL newsletter highlighting MRL education and research programs.
Previous editions/issues of Science Matters can be found here.

It’s a Material World For many scientists, the thought of explaining their research to a seven year old fills them with trepidation.How do you explain complex scientific concepts to someone with little background in science and a limited attention span? The MRL’s It’s a Material World program attempts to do just that by bringing new materials to local elementary school students in an engaging, hands-on way. It’s a Material World was designed in 2006 as a set of new materials that could be taken out to schools and presented like a hands-on science museum exhibit. The exhibit consists of five stations, each exploring a different type of material; the current rotation of stations includes ferrofluid, memory wire, heat sensitive materials, superconducting materials, hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials. Children are encouraged to play with the materials, think about why they behave the way they do, and ask questions. MRL graduate students and other scientists are on hand to answer questions and guide the children’s inquiry.

Since its introduction almost three years ago, It’s a Material World has become a popular addition to local elementary school Family Science Nights. A typical Family Science Night is hosted by the school, and includes ten to fifteen exhibitors presenting various different science activities for elementary school students and their families. It’s a challenging format for It’s a Material World volunteers; visitors tour through the exhibits at their own pace, spending as much or as little time as they like. A typical visitor spends about ten minutes going through the exhibit, although a particularly curious child might spend half an hour or more, before being coaxed away by a parent. Exhibits must be designed to engage both young and adult visitors quickly. Over the course of a two hour Family Science Night, It’s a Material World may receive 200 visitors, ranging from toddlers to grandparents. Despite the challenges, It’s a Material World is almost as popular with MRL volunteers as it is with children.Both scientists and children enjoy the hands-on nature of the activities, and scientists particularly enjoy seeing the children’s excitement when they experience the materials. It is not uncommon for young visitors to drag over their parents and friends, saying, “this is so cool, you have to see this!” It’s a Material World is funded by the National Science Foundation through the UCSB Materials Research Laboratory. For more information on volunteering or to schedule a school visit, please visit our website.

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