Future scientists start here

So, this is a life sciences camp, and the goal is to expose them to lots of different types of science. So, health science, chemistry, physics, public health, ecology. We're also interested in exposing them to different kinds of careers because they all know about being a nurse or a doctor or a chemist, I suppose a pharmacist, but there are so many things out there that they have no idea about. And so this helps them decide. I know I definitely want to go into some STEM field. And I took AP Physics this past year, and I found that I really enjoyed it. I am looking to major in astrophysics, but I'm keeping my doors open to really any STEM field that catches my attention. After high school, I really wanted to come here to Virginia Tech and probably do geosciences as my major. I'm thinking of either physics or civil engineering because I think they're both really strong for making things and seeing things happen. And I'm really into developing ideas and then one day seeing them in person. So, I've done camps for a few years now, and over time I've realized that there's not a good understanding of what science is. They like individual activities, they learn facts, but this year we're really trying to emphasize teaching how science progresses, how experiments have to be replicated, and how scientists build on other people's results. We have this huge array of professors doing a million fascinating things, so if we can expose them to that, I think it's a win for the kids. It's a win for us, too, because it may attract new scientists and new students to Virginia Tech.