K–12 Educational Activites at NSCL

The attraction to nuclear physics begins for many young people—elementary, middle- and high-school students—with curiosity about our solar system and
stars. Then they learn of the drama of the heavens, the continual churn of activity taking place in the vastness of the universe that produces quarks, black holes, supernovae—mysteries of great fascination.

At NSCL, we love to guide young minds on this journey, showing them how we can apply what we learn from the heavens to answer some of the fundamental questions we face on earth.

• Where did the elements that make up our bodies, our world, come from?
• How can we apply knowledge we learn from the heavens to improve life on earth?

We see our involvement with K–12 teachers and students as our golden opportunity to spread understanding of our work and science and to recruit
the scientists who will follow in our footsteps.

Working with a number of partners—MSU, the State of Michigan, the National Science Foundation, and others—we have contributed to the development of a number of engagement and discovery programs for K–12 teachers and students. Many of these programs are conducted at our facility, and all include participation from our faculty. We also conduct tours of our laboratory for students of all ages and provide guest speakers to classes on request.