Erie, Pennsylvania puts a positive face on chemistry

CHED 169

Tracy A. Halmi, tracy@psu.edu, School of Science, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, 5091 Station Road, Erie, PA 16563-0203
National Chemistry Week (NCW), a community-based outreach program of the American Chemical Society, is designed to reach the public with positive messages about chemistry and to make a positive change in the public's impression of chemistry. In Erie, Pennsylvania the local section has a long-standing tradition of conducting activities during NCW with the expERIEnce children's museum, the Millcreek Mall and the Blasco public library that include hands-on activities, chemical demonstrations, and contests. Beginning in October 2004, a collaboration with the Erie-Times News In Education (NIE) Program was formed to bring the positive aspects of chemistry to the greater Erie area. Over three years, our section and the NIE program published six full-colored chemistry newspapers pages that explored the NCW themes. This collaboration allowed our small local section to directly communicate the importance of chemistry and National Chemistry Week to the larger Erie community putting a positive face on chemistry.