Our Crowdfunding Groups
The mission of the Fun with Chemistry outreach program is to ignite, inspire, and motivate K-12 students to develop a love for learning and exploration in the sciences. We target students that are intimidated by science and utilize hands-on demonstrations to foster an interest in STEM. These objectives are accomplished by the development of compelling experiments to prove that chemistry is relevant, fun, and entertaining.
The ultimate goal of the Fun with Chemistry outreach program is to become the preeminent science education program for K-12 students in the greater Austin area. We aspire to achieve this vision by interacting with every single Austin K-12 student once per school year by hosting Fun with Chemistry presentations at local schools and community events. Through generous funding from the Welch Foundation, we will begin piloting satelite Fun with Chemistry programs at neighboring universities in Texas (e.g. Rice University).
The Fun with Chemistry outreach program is involved with several different types of events throughout the year, ranging from small hands-on presentations at K-12 schools to large chemistry circuses at public events for communities within the greater Austin area. Currently, we offer five different lecture series: Combustion, Environmental Science, Food Chemistry, Ooey Gooey, and Physical vs. Chemical Change. Each of these presentations can be performed in a variety of different formats: auditorium sessions, hands-on sessions, science fair stations, and virtual presentations.
The Fun with Chemistry outreach program utilizes a lottery system in order to guarantee a fair reservation for all program requests in the greater Austin area. Due to limited funds and high demand, we are unable to visit every school that applies. With your donation, we hope to expand our reach.
Fun with Chemistry now hosts a variety of Day Camps every summer! All sessions take place on the UT Campus, featuring brilliant faculty members from the department of chemistry. The students participate in several hands-on STEM experiments, interact with highly-esteemed chemistry professors, enjoy a luncheon with undergraduate and graduate students, and finish by assisting Dr. Kate Biberdorf with an explosive Chemistry Circus.
The Forensic Science Day Camp is a two-day experience where students learn the fundamental components of a forensic investigation. They are exposed to a wide variety of professions involved in this fascinating field as they learn from experts how to properly analyze a crime scene. This Day Camp culminates in a thrilling experience as the students use their new skills to unveil the identity of the “UT Campus BEVO-Napper.”
With the generous support provided by the department of chemistry at The University of Texas at Austin, Fun with Chemistry interacts with 20,000 students at 150 venues each year. However, a significant percentage of the budget is expended on disposable items. For example, we spend over $500 on plastic tarps, $300 on balloon animals, and $100 on garbage bags annually. More importantly, we allocate a substantial portion of our funds toward vital safety equipment, including goggles, gloves, lab coats, and blast shields.
We are desperately seeking donations to help us redirect our funds into the development and implementation of new demonstrations for a new lecture series (e.g. Forensic Science, Catalysis, Alternative Energy, etc.). In order to properly test all safety hazards of the new experiment, we must spend approximately $500-1000 to ensure the safety of all performers and members of the audience. With your donation, we will develop 10-15 new demonstrations that illustrate the fundamental principles of science.
“Wow! That was amazing! BEST science assembly ever! I have never seen the kids so ‘engaged’ at an assembly before.” – Mary Gardner (Elementary School)
“Cosmic thanks for hosting us today! Kids on the bus ride back to school were recapping their experience with you. I overheard them saying ‘Chemistry is so fun!’ and ‘Had such a great time learning today!’ This means the world to me.” – Loreni Kerecman (High School)
“Dr. B’s enthusiasm and high energy is inspiring...I really and truly am privileged to have witnessed someone with such a passion for teaching chemistry (not just chemistry itself). It has me wanting to up my game in my classes.” – Ramiro Garcia (High School Chemistry Teacher)
Our sincerest thank you for your support for the Fun with Chemistry outreach program! For a gift of $25 you will fund 200 L of liquid nitrogen for Fun with Chemistry.
For a gift of $100, you will provide new safety equipment for our Fun with Chemistry presentations. This gift will fund one case of disposable gloves and one box of kids goggles. You will receive a handwritten thank you note from a member of the Fun with Chemistry team for your donation.
For a gift of $225, you will fund one trip to Costco. This gift will provide the organization with a number of materials, including (1) 25 lb bags of flour and corn starch, (2) cases of plastic straws, napkins, plastic cups, (3) bulk food coloring, (4) bulk chocolate/strawberry syrup, and most importantly (5) heavy duty balloons! You will receive all previously mentioned perks plus a thank you video from the Fun with Chemistry team for your donation.
For a gift of $500, you will provide the funds to develop a new demonstration. We will purchase a tank of sulfur hexafluoride, a fish tank, and aluminum foil. Come check us out at Explore UT 2019 to see the debut of the new experiment! You will receive all previously mentioned perks plus a personalized thank you video from the Fun with Chemistry team for your donation.
For a gift of $1290, we will finally be able to afford one quality heavy duty reusable tarp for our Fun with Chemistry presentations! You will receive all previously mentioned perks plus a thank you video from Dr. Kate Biberdorf for your donation.
For a gift of $1500, you will fund ten Fun with Chemistry Day Camp scholarships. You will receive all previously mentioned perks plus a personalized video from Dr. Kate Biberdorf for your donation.
We interact with 20,000 students every year for $5000 (only $0.25 per kid). For your generosity, you will you will receive all previously mentioned perks plus an exclusive (i.e. explosive) meet and greet with the Fun with Chemistry team.
