Educational Outreach
2024 Crystal Summer School
for middle and high school students
July 8-12, 2024, 9am-3pm
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton
What is a crystal? How does volcano lava solidify? Is every snowflake unique? How does ice cream become creamy? How do handwarmers work? Why are fireworks colorful?
The 2024 Crystal Summer School will feature short lectures, educational games, lab tours, instrument demonstrations, STEM career panels and laboratory experiments on biomineralization, abiotic crystallization, nanotechnology, and nanoscale microscopy. During the one-week program, students will learn how crystals have shaped our environment and life on earth as we know it. Many living organisms build hard skeletal elements, such as bone or mother-of-pearl, for mechanical support or protection. Students will learn about marine life in the Atlantic Ocean by viewing corals, mollusk shells and plankton organisms under a Scanning Electron Microscope. Students will observe the structure of a leaf under an Atomic Force Microscope. Students will engage in age-appropriate hands-on lab activities, e.g., growing take-home geodes, magical crystal gardens and color-changing gemstones. Program participants will discuss how to pick a STEM major and plan their career in science and engineering.
The Crystal Summer School is funded by the National Science Foundation and entirely free for participants. Free lunch will be provided on two days of the program.
Topics covered in the program include:
Crystallization across disciplines (chemistry, physics, geology, engineering)
Biomineralization
Nanotechnology
Marine Life in South Florida
Nanoscale Microscopy
STEM Career Advising
Program Eligibility: Applicants must submit a one-page essay on why they would like to participate in the Crystal Summer School.
Dates/Times: July 8-12, 2024, 9am - 3pm
Location: Science and Engineering building (SE43), Boca Raton campus
Professor: Vivian Merk, Ph.D.
2023 Crystal Summer School
High school student learns how to prepare a TEM sample.
High school school students engage in hands-on Transmission Electron Microscopy demonstration.
Middle school students learn about the pink glow of a plasma sputter coater.
Middle school students learn about Scanning Electron Microscopy and stereoscopic imaging.
Middle school students make colorful lava lamps.
Middle school student grew magical crystal gardens during the one-week program.
Middle school learn how to reactivate crystallization-based hand warmers.
Middle school students engage in interactive Atomic Force Microscopy demonstration.
We accept applications for the 2024 Crystal Summer School from K6-10 students.
Dr. Merk is giving classroom lectures at A.D. Henderson/University High School (https://adhus.fau.edu/), mentors high school students in her research lab and assists with science fair projects throughout the academic year and in summer.