Westmont Chemistry Students Hope to Create Future Scientists

Westmont is hoping the allure of slime and liquid nitrogen ice cream will get youngsters interested in science. The college’s chemistry students recently held a Family Science Night at Westmont with another event scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 9, from 7-8:30 p.m.

About 35 fifth grade students and their parents came to the first event and made dry ice balloons, methane bubbles and explosions along with slime and ice cream.

“Upper elementary is a great age to work with,” says Heather Hertema, Westmont chemistry instructor, “because they’re old enough to know that there’s some science behind the demonstrations. It’s not just magic to them, like it is with younger grades. At the same time, they’re young enough that they haven’t yet developed any stereotypes about science. As people get older they develop ideas about science. They think science is really hard or that people who do science are geeks. Kids at this age are just excited.”

Hertema earned her master’s degree in chemistry from UC Santa Barbara where she began holding chemistry demonstrations. She says she never would have discovered the world of chemistry if it weren’t for her father, who’s a scientist. Now, she wants to make sure other students are afforded the same opportunity. Hertema and her students hope the demonstrations encourage excitement and curiosity about science in students at an early age.

“These demonstrations are a lot of fun,” she says. “You’ll have students afterwards say something like, ‘I used to want to be a teacher, now I want to be a scientist.’”

About 50 people have already signed up for Wednesday’s free, public event. Hertema hopes to hold at least six more demonstrations before the end of the school year.

Those interested in taking part in a future Family Science Night should e-mail Heather Hertema at hhertema@westmont.edu