Office of Science Outreach

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Scientist-in-Residence Program (SIR)
The Scientist-in-Residence Program is a three to five-day hands-on science experience for elementary or middle school students. A team of UW Oshkosh students and a faculty member or master science teacher comes to your school to lead an exploratory science experience in each class each day. Topics center around a question or process and students are provided with a wide range of activities, both serious and fun. A Parent-Kid Night or Chemical Demo Show can be included. Scientist-in-Residence programs can take place during University breaks in January and March. We book early, so we encourage you to plan in advance if you can.
Fee The minimum cost for an in-city Scientist-in-Residence program is $1500 plus meals. This covers all supplies and preparation for a three-day experience for up to 12 sections/day.
Customization · Additional day(s) $350/day (highly recommended!)
· Additional Sections $50/day/section
· Chemical Demo Assembly Show $200
· Parent-Kid Night $300
· Travel out-of-city billed at our cost
· Development of new topic negotiable (Given ample notice.)
Topics Scientific Method (any age level)
Students explore the process of doing science in the context of age appropriate topics. Titrations (middle school) Students learn about acids & bases, and the lab technique of titration as they explore an environmental or nutrition question. The process of using science to answer questions is emphasized.

Electricity and Magnetism (any age level)
Depending on age, students might examine static electricity, circuits, safety, motors or generators. A hands-on discovery approach is emphasized.

Food Chemistry (elementary school)
Food and nutrition are the unifying theme as students learn about different types of reactions and analytic tests. Even younger students can help to design experiments to answer questions about fat, sugar and water in food.

Geoscience (any level)
Students take part in hands-on activities to learn about processes and ways of knowing in the geosciences. Rock formation, the rock cycle, core sampling and for older students, topographical mapping are explored.

Determining Composition (5th grade and up)
Discovering the composition of an object or substance is an ongoing theme in science. It is important in astronomy, chemistry, environmental science, medicine, and food science to name a few. In this program, students learn and apply different ways of finding composition; they also see the importance of such exploration to the scientific method. The emphasis of this topic is on "How do we know..."

Neuroscience (any age level)
Students experience the brain and nervous system using hands-on methods. Parts and functions of the brain and nervous system, senses, memory and learning, and brain diseases and disorders are explored depending on age level.

Wetlands (grades K-6)
Students will explore the importance of wetlands. Depending on age, students will study life in wetlands, the components of wetlands, and how wetlands are connected to other natural systems including their place in the water cycle.

Energy (3rd gradeand up)
Experience energy concepts with a hands-on approach. Students will explore a number of forms of energy and how energy is transformed from one form to another. Forms of energy that are explored include electrical, light, heat, mechanical and chemical.

Astronomy (coming soon)
Students experience astronomy through hands-on activities. Topics include the solar system, constellations, galaxies, nebulae and stellar evolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Teacher Information

Questions and comments can be sent to sciout@uwosh.edu. Date of last update: Nov., 2005.