Fifth- through 12th-grade students are returning to in-person studies at one of the world's preeminent science and engineering laboratories, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced.
The DOE's Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), "a world-class hub for science and engineering" in Lemont, Ill., near Chicago, has reopened its Learning Labs to middle and high school students after a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ANL announced Jan. 25. Students in Learning Labs participate in hands-on experiments led by experienced instructors that explore many of the same challenges Argonne researchers are working on, according to the announcement.
"(S)ome of the Lab’s most exciting and excited visitors are the fifth to 12th graders who arrive on school buses," the ANL announcement states. "Their mission: to discover science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through hands-on experiments at the recently reopened Learning Labs."
Students can participate in one of two Learning Labs, the announcement states; in one lab, students build and test batteries; they study x-rays and participate in competition to build a model magnetic linear accelerator. Each of the labs is inspired by actual science being conducted at Argonne.
"I really liked the feeling of making a battery; at first, I had no clue what was going on, but then eventually I caught on," a student said in a thank you letter to Learning Center staff, according to the announcement. "I enjoyed every second of being there and hope to visit again soon."
Virtual programs such as escape rooms, camps, "Be the Scientist" activities and the Argonne Teen Advisory Council that were offered during the closure are still available online, according to the announcement.
"While virtual programs have their own advantages, there is no substitute for the feeling that students get when we welcome them to the lab in person," ANL Learning Center director John Domyanich said in the announcement. "Being able to participate in Argonne’s science firsthand provides an intangible yet impactful part of the Learning Lab experience for students."
