2024-25 PreK-12 SI Roadshow Highlights
Henderson Elementary School Outdoor Science
The Roadshow traveled to the Laramie County School District’s land by Curt Gowdy State Park for a day of outdoor science with 40 6th grade students at Henderson Elementary School. The students split into 4 groups where they explored outdoor topics covering insects, weather, geology, and trees. The students caught and identified different bees and other insects learning how to distinguish between different types of insects. For weather, the students measured wind speeds with anemometers discussing how wind is generated before collecting data, drawing conclusion about wind and learning about types of clouds. The students then learned about weathering and erosion looking at different rocks in different locations and understanding their mineral components. Finally, students learned how to identify different tree types on a short nature walk looking at different spruce, pine, cottonwoods, and aspen trees.
Roadshow Team:
Sabrina White (Graduate Student in Zoology & Physiology)
Kaitlyn McKnight (Graduate Student in Zoology & Physiology)
Andrew Miller (Graduate Student in Geology & Geophysics)
Kinsale Day (Undergraduate (graduated) in Geography & Physics)
Laramie High School AP Biology
On Thursday, May 22nd, the Roadshow stayed local to bring undergraduate researchers into the Laramie High School AP Biology class to highlight the amazing array of research happening by young people at the University of Wyoming. Fifteen high school students heard from 6 different UW undergraduate researchers spanning fields of neuroscience, atmospheric science, chemistry, and microscopy. The students heard about data on female reproduction, creating synthetic forms of signaling molecules, snow melt modeling, psychological addiction, and studying microcephaly of the brain using micro-CT imaging techniques and deep machine learning. The undergraduate researchers talked about how being involved in research has been a huge difference in their science communication, understanding of research, and pathways to their future after graduation.
Roadshow Team:
Kinsale Day (Undergraduate Student in Geography and Physics)
Abigail Hawke (Undergraduate Student in Biology)
Allyson Cardine (Undergraduate Student in Chemistry)
Baily Isaak (Undergraduate Student in Molecular Biology & Physiology)
Liam Kopp (Undergraduate Student in Molecular Biology)
Wolfgang Wuerker (Undergraduate Student in Psychology, Physiology, Honors & Chemistry)
Slade Elementary School Dual Language Immersion Program
On Wednesday, May 21st, the Roadshow partnered with the 5th grade Dual Language Immersion (DLI) 5th grade teacher to do a full Spanish STEM lesson for 28 students. The students learned about food webs by starting with sorting cards identifying the different classifications of animals based on what they eat. They then took those cards and diagramed the food web of the Greater Yellowstone National Park ecosystem. Sticking with the Yellowstone theme, they then played a game where the students were buffalo and wolves identifying how predator prey interactions can change the different trophic cascades in an ecosystem. The students ended by creating their own food web using different animal gummies drawing arrows to connect their gummy ecosystems.
Roadshow Team:
Katie Davis (Graduate Student in Program in Ecology)
Maria Paula Rodriguez (Graduate Student in Botany & Conservation Genomics)
Julia Salvador Maldonado (Graduate Student in Ecosystem Science & Management)
Livingston Elementary School
On Tuesday, May 20th the Roadshow headed back to Livingston Elementary School in Cody, Wyoming for hands-on STEM with 275 K-5th grade students. The STEM Day was filled with activities including the solar system, insects, circuits, Yellowstone hot springs, caddisflies, gut microbiomes, engineering, soil microbes, energy, technology, pollination, migration, sheep, brain science, and parasites! Truly a variety of STEM for the students to engage! While the Roadshow team supplied a number of the activities, UW and community partners were instrumental in the day’s success. UW School of Energy Resources and K-14 Engineering outreach team came out for the trip as well as Wyoming Ag in the Classroom, High Country Technology Consultants, Wyoming Wildlife Federation, Cody Conservation District, National Bighorn Sheep Center, and Northwestern Community College (Professor Jay Dickerson).
Roadshow Team:
Erik Gwaltney (Graduate Student in Neuroscience)
Haley Schuman (Undergraduate Student in Secondary Education and English)
Lilian Jones (Undergraduate Student in Secondary Education and Special Education)
Nancy Weinheimer (Graduate Student in Geology & Geophysics)
Elsa Freise (Graduate Student in Zoology & Physiology)
Kailynn Johnson (Undergraduate Student in Biology and Secondary Science Education)
Dillon Romera (Graduate Student in Ecosystems Science Management)
Snowy Range Academy
This year, 31 fifth-grade students participated in the 4th annual partnership with Snowy Range Academy. This three-day outdoor field experience took place at Curt Gowdy State Park from May 14–16. Students were divided into small research teams, each exploring a different aspect of the park’s natural environment. Their investigations covered a range of topics, including plant ecology, weathering and erosion, water ecology and macroinvertebrates, forest ecology and the role of wildfires, bird populations at Curt Gowdy, and even human impact through the lenses of archaeology and garbology. Throughout the experience, students engaged in hands-on data collection, field observations, and team-based inquiry to better understand the complex interactions between the park's natural systems and human activity. The event provided an authentic opportunity for students to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world setting while developing skills in collaboration, scientific thinking, and environmental stewardship.
Roadshow Team:
Ryan Goeken (Staff in Science Initiative)
Eva Smith (Graduate Student in Geology and Geophysics)
Justin Mistikawy (Graduate Student in Geology and Geophysics)
Katie Davis (Graduate Student in Ecology and Evolution)
Erin Stewart (Zoology and Physiology)
Kaitlyn McKnight (Graduate Student in Ecology and Evolution)
Mel Torres (Graduate Student in Ecology and Evolution)
Sabrina Black (Graduate Student in Zoology and Physiology)
Alyssa Baldwin (Graduate Student in Ecosystem Science and Management)
Casey Black (Graduate Student in Anthropology)
Karagh Brummond (Faculty Science Initiative)
Hell’s Half Acre Field Trip
Thirty-one 7th grade students from Wind River Middle School had a rare opportunity to explore the dramatic landscapes of Hell’s Half Acre in central Wyoming—an iconic site made famous as a filming location for the 1997 sci-fi movie Starship Troopers. This geologic wonder offered students a firsthand look at Wyoming’s deep geologic history. Hell’s Half Acre is a beautiful badlands area composed of interbedded sandstones, siltstones, and shales, carved by thousands of years of weathering and erosion. The landscape showcases striking hoodoos, gullies, and cliffs formed as softer rocks were worn away by wind, water, and gravity. Students investigated the region’s weathering features up close, identifying how different types of rock break down and contribute to the unique topography. Students learned how this area formed from ancient river and floodplain deposits laid down during the Paleogene period, about 50 million years ago. These sediments were later uplifted and sculpted by natural forces into the rugged terrain seen today. The Wind River students became one of the first groups in years granted permission to explore the lower reaches of the site. This rare access allowed them to hike among the formations, observe sedimentary layering, and connect geologic processes!
Roadshow Team
Erin Klauk (Geology and Geophysics Faculty/Science Initiative Faculty)
Dubois High School Trout Release Day Celebration
On May 13, Dubois High School hosted its annual Trout Release Day Celebration, welcoming 64 elementary and 12 high school students for a morning of hands-on science and outdoor learning. Students rotated through fun stations including aquatic invasive species (featuring Lake Trout in Yellowstone and a game on New Zealand Mud Snails), trout anatomy and life cycle, sport fishing and fly tying, and aquatic macroinvertebrate identification led by Sabrina. The event wrapped up with the release of classroom-raised trout, celebrating student stewardship and local ecology.
Roadshow Team:
Sabrina White (Graduate Student in Zoology and Physiology)
Lena Schwebs (Graduate Student in Geology & Geophysics)
Elsa Freise (Graduate Student)
Freedom Elementary School
On Monday May 12th, the Roadshow headed back to Freedom Elementary School in Cheyenne to work with 41, 6th grade students on geologic time! For this event, we stepped back in time and explored the incredible 4.5-billion-year history of Earth through the lens of Wyoming’s changing landscape! In this interactive, hands-on event, students became time travelers—building a massive geologic timeline, sorting major Earth events, and using real fossils and stereoscopes to uncover how life and environments in Wyoming have evolved. Students worked collaboratively to place key moments in Earth’s history on a 22.5-meter-long timeline and use color-coded event cards to reconstruct the sequence of major geologic and biologic events. The students explored fossil evidence and ancient landscapes to analyze sea level changes, life forms, and patterns in Earth’s dynamic past. Aligned with middle school science standards MS-ESS1-4 and MSLS4-1, this experience builds understanding of deep time, evolution, and Earth system science while sparking curiosity about Wyoming’s own rich geologic record.
Roadshow Team:
Erin Klauk (Geology & Geophysics Faculty/Science Initiative Roadshow Co-director)
Andrew Miller (Geology & Geophysics Graduate Student)
Common Outdoor Grounds/Linford Elementary School
On Tuesday, May 6th, despite rain and even a bit of snow, 48 adventurous 4th graders from Linford Elementary braved the elements for a full day of hands-on science learning at Curt Gowdy State Park in partnership with Common Outdoor Grounds. Alyssa led an engaging session on beaver ecology, teaching students about the role of beavers as ecosystem engineers. Students then got creative, using natural materials to build their own beaver dams and test their effectiveness. Meanwhile, Andrew introduced students to the park’s fascinating geology. They explored local rock types, learned how they formed, and discovered how weathering and erosion shape the landscape at different rates—right before their eyes. The chilly spring weather didn’t dampen spirits; curiosity and discovery kept everyone warm!
Roadshow Team:
Andrew Miller (Graduate Student in Geology & Geophysics)
Alyssa Baldwin (Graduate Student in Ecosystem Sciences Management)
Laramie High School Psychology
On Friday, May 2nd, the Roadshow stayed local and visited Cory Scimeca’s Introduction and AP Psychology classes at the Laramie High School. They taught 120 high schools about the brain using interactive activities, matching games, and even sheep brain dissections! With the Introduction to Psychology students, the Roadshow led the students through a brain structure and function mapping game where students used Velcro to attach brain regions and function to an image. They also looked at 11 different animal brains, guessing and voting on whose brain it belongs to! The students then got to taste miracle berries with limes and lemons to really get a sense for how the brain works. The AP Psychology students performed sheep brain dissections testing their knowledge of brain structure and function in a hands-on way.
Roadshow Team:
Karagh Brummond (Co-Director Science Initiative Roadshow and Community Engagement)
Erin Klauk (Co-Director Science Initiative Roadshow and Community Engagement)
Laramie Montessori School
On April 25th, Sabrina White with the Roadshow taught 10 kindergarteners at the local Laramie Montessori School about the fascinating world of insects! The students were able to get hands-on (literally) with the insects holding and viewing Sabrina’s incredible collection including a milliped and cockroaches! The students learned about the common properties and characteristics of insects in an interacting matching game and viewing resin insects under the microscope. They learned how insects help and aid our world!
Laramie Montessori School
On April 17th, Sabrina White with the Roadshow taught four 6th graders and three 3rd graders at the local Laramie Montessori School about the fascinating world of insects! The students were able to get hands-on (literally) with the insects holding and viewing Sabrina’s incredible collection including a milliped and cockroaches! The students learned about the common properties and characteristics of insects in an interacting matching game and viewing resin insects under the microscope. They learned how insects help and aid our world!
Dildine Elementary School
On Wednesday, April 16th, the Co-Directors of the Roadshow lead 66 third grade students at Dildine Elementary School through an activity that combined Engineering and Technology by stepping into the role of ambulance operations directors in a hands-on STEM challenge focused on the Engineering Design Process. Their mission? To design the fastest ambulance route through town while following key constraints. Students worked in teams to explore how Indi bots respond to different colored tiles, then used their findings to map out efficient routes between three key locations: the hospital, rec center, and senior center. After sketching their plans, teams built and tested their courses, refining their designs to improve response times. Through trial, error, and iteration, students engaged in critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork—core skills of engineering and real-world STEM applications.
Roadshow Team:
Karagh Brummond (Faculty UW Science Initiative)
Erin Klauk (Faculty UW Science Initiative)
Cheyenne Montessori School
On Wednesday, April 16th, the Roadshow inspired 60 Pre-kindergarten students at the Cheyenne Montessori School. The Roadshow team had the students engage in two different activities. The first was the “ABC’s of STEM Careers”! Students each received their own unique costume to dress up as a person who using STEM in their career. From there, the Roadshow read a story that went through each letter of the alphabet naming a job with a STEM theme. If the students were dressed up as one of the jobs in the story, they got to stand up and share about their costume! For the second activity, the students got an apron and headband to learn about 5 major organs in their body including their brain, lungs, heart, stomach, and intestines. We talked about the role of each of these organs in the body, where they are, and how they keep us healthy!
Roadshow Team:
Lena Schwebs (Graduate Student in Geology & Geophysics)
Kinsale Day (Undergraduate Student in Geography and Physics)
Ali Ceretto (Graduate Student in Botany)
Elsa Freise (Undeclared Graduate Student)
Karagh Brummond (Co-Director Science Initiative Roadshow and Community Engagement)
Erin Klauk (Co-Director Science Initiative Roadshow and Community Engagement)
Rock Springs High School
On April 15th, Sabrina White with the Roadshow traveled back to Rock Springs High School to teach 56 high school students the fascinating world of insects! The students were able to get hands-on (literally) with the insects holding and viewing Sabrina’s incredible collection including a snake and a bearded dragon! The students learned about the common properties and characteristics of insects in an interacting matching game and viewing resin insects under the microscope. They then explored features of reptiles and arachnids to help round out their knowledge on applied physiology of the common small creatures that aid our world!
Torrington Literacy Prek
On Friday, April 11th, the Roadshow partnered with the Early Literacy Intervention team in Torrington Wyoming to bring a hands-on STEM lesson related to animals and habitats to 15 PreK students and 11 of their parents. The Roadshow started by talking about how the students were going to get to experience being “naturalists” or scientists that study animals and their homes or habitats. We broke the students into 4 groups where they first brainstormed with a Roadshow outreach assistant what their group’s animal needed to live and grow. The group then read the story “My Home is Better Than Yours” by Stephen XXX. During the story we talked about why certain animals felt safe in their homes and added what each of the smaller groups talked about for their animals. In the end, the story showed that every animals home, or habitat, is just right for them! Each student was then given their own mountain animal with the idea that they would be building and creating a habitat that is just right for their animal. We brainstormed ideas for each students’ animal and what we materials we might want to help build their habitats. We then took a short nature walk around the Goshen County Public Library, gathering different outdoor materials that could be used to create a habitat for the different animals. The students then came into the library and built their habitats for their animals on paper so they could add any features with crayons on the paper. The students loved their activity and got to take all their materials and animals home.
Roadshow Team:
Marjie Schmitt (Undergraduate Student in Physiology)
Isabelle Burky (Undergraduate Student in Zoology & Physiology)
Jack Leever (Undergraduate Student in Environmental Science)
Elsa Freise (Graduate Student in Ecology)
Karagh Brummond (Co-Director, Science Roadshow and Community Engagement)
Laramie High School-Earth Science
This spring the Roadshow was back with the Earth Science students at the Laramie High School! This time, 250 students were able to expand on their classroom knowledge of the carbon cycle by learning about ocean acidification. The students began by talking about the terms ocean acidification and what they mean. We then played a DIY Kahoot to identify different carbon sources and sinks that are present in the world. This really helped the students expand their knowledge on the carbon cycle, while considering where the majority of carbon sources and sinks are located. After this activity, the students started to explore the concept of pH and acidity by testing the pH of common household solutions with litmus paper. The students first worked together to predict which solutions would be most to least acidic and then tested them with the pH paper. We talked about how the results changed their predictions and re-ordering of the solutions. The Roadshow team then helped the students’ link the concepts of carbon, specifically carbon dioxide, with pH by performing a phenol red experiment where the students were given a cup of water with a small bit of phenol red mixed in. The students then used a straw to introduce carbon dioxide into the water and watched in real time as the water changed from a more basic color on the phenol red scale, to a more acidic color. This was a culminating activity where the students were able to see firsthand how increased carbon dioxide in a water solution can increase the acidity. To link this idea with ocean acidification, throughout the day the students we weighing and graphing the weights of two shells at their desks, one placed in water and one placed in vinegar (an acidic solution). They found that as the shell soaked in the acidic solution, it dropped in weight and pieces of the shell were dissolving away. This final experiment linked the idea that increased carbon dioxide in the oceans (a carbon sink) is causing an increase in the acidity of the oceans and that increase in acidity is destroying marine life, especially those with shells. We ended by discussing how this impacts the world, their lives, and the economics of many ocean-based states.
Roadshow Team:
Kinsale Day (Undergraduate Student in Geography and Physics)
Karagh Brummond (Faculty Co-Director, Science Roadshow and Community Engagement)
Rock Springs High School STEM Day
The Science Initiative Roadshow spent the morning with 56 students from Rock Springs High School engaging in hands-on STEM activities led by UW and WWCC scientists.
The visit featured four interactive sessions:
- Sheep Brain Dissections with Madison Ruhmann (Neuroscience PhD student)
- Geology with Erin Klauk (Faculty in Geology and Geophysics)
- Aquatic Animals with Izzy Burke (Undergraduate researcher)
- Microscopy with Josh Holmes (WWCC Assistant Professor of Microbiology)
Students rotated through each session in small groups, gaining insight into scientific research and lab techniques. The day concluded with a group discussion on STEM careers, research, and education pathways.
Roadshow Team:
Erin Klauk (UW Geology Faculty)
Izzy Burky (Undergraduate Student in Zoology and Physiology)
Madison Ruhmann (Graduate Student in Neuroscience)
Paintbrush Elementary School STEM Day
On Friday, March 28th the Roadshow finally returned to Campbell County where we brought 15 different hands-on STEM stations to 265 K-6th grade students at Paintbrush Elementary School. This STEM Day involved 6 different Roadshow outreach assistant, 3 UW partners, and 6 statewide groups that all contributed to making this event successful. During the school day, the K-6 students explored topics covering chemistry, human anatomy, plants, circuits, beaver ecology, planets, physics, energy, engineering, rockets, pollinators, prairie dogs, birds, animal adaptations, and biology. A huge thank you to our UW and statewide partners which included Professor Danny Dale, UW School of Energy Resources, UW K-14 Engineering Outreach Program, SAE A World in Motion, Wyoming Ag in the Classroom, Devils Tower National Monument, Keyhole State Park, Wyoming Game and Fish, and Professor Jason Olsen of Gillette College.
Roadshow Team:
Lilian Jones (Undergraduate student in Secondary Education and Special Education)
Marjie Schmitt (Undergraduate Student in Physiology)
Ali Ceretto (Graduate Student in Botany)
Rachel Harris (Graduate Student in Geology & Geophysics)
Elsa Freise (Graduate Student in Ecology)
Haley Schuman (Undergraduate Student in English Secondary Education)
Erin Klauk (Faculty UW Science Initiative)
Mark Lyford (Faculty UW Science Initiative Program Director)
Desert View Elementary School STEM Day
On Wednesday, March 12th, the Roadshow headed back to Desert View Elementary School where they excited 190 K-3rd Grade students about science with a full school STEM Day! The young students got to learn and engage with interactive stations covering beaver ecology, electrical circuits, engineering, robotics, energy in Wyoming, physics, computer science and coding, creating seed bombs, learning about birds of Wyoming, bighorn sheep, and migration of large animals. This day would not have been possible without the Roadshow team, but also our internal and external partners in the state including the UW Engineering Outreach group, UW Mobile Makerspaces, UW School of Energy Resources, UW NASA Space Grant Science Kitchen, Western Wyoming College faculty Joe DePoyster, Ag in the Classroom, Game and Fish, Bighorn Sheep Center, and the Wyoming Wildlife Federation.
Roadshow Team:
Elsa Freise (UW Graduate Student)
Rachel Harris (UW Graduate Student in Geology and Geophysics)
Erin Klauk (UW Science Initiative Faculty)
Indian Paintbrush Elementary School STEM Day and Parent Night
The UW Science Initiative Roadshow brought an exciting STEM Day and Parent Night to Indian Paintbrush Elementary in Laramie on March 6th, engaging 271 students and 110 families in hands-on science exploration! With interactive stations led by University of Wyoming students, faculty, and WY outreach programs, participants explored a wide range of STEM topics, sparking curiosity and discovery. Students investigated the wonders of brain science, physics, chemistry, and human anatomy, while also diving into Wyoming’s geography, local wildlife, and energy resources. Engineering challenges, robotics demonstrations, and interactive activities on pollinators, beavers, and microbiomes provided a well-rounded look at the natural and physical sciences. The UW NASA Science Kitchen brought the principles of flight to life, while hands-on physics experiments launched straw rockets across the room. The additional parent night allowed families to experience STEM together, reinforcing the importance of curiosity and exploration at all ages. We are thankful to our partner groups who took the time to join in the STEM Day, including the UW Engineering Outreach Program, the UW School of Energy Resources, UW Makerspace, Wyoming Naturalist Program, SAE A World in Motion, Ag in the Classroom, WY Game and Fish, and the National Bighorn Center.
Roadshow Team:
Sabrina White (Graduate student in Zoology and Physiology)
Lilian Jones (Undergraduate student in Secondary and Special Education)
Erik Gwaltney (Graduate student in Neuroscience)
Madison Ruhmann (Graduate student in Neuroscience)
Nancy Weinheimer (Graduate student Geology and Geophysics)
Sheila Walsh (Graduate Student in Molecular Biology)
Garrett Nichols (Undergraduate Student in Chemical Engineering)
Elsa Freise (Graduate Student)
Sheila Walsh (Graduate Student in Molecular Biology)
Erin Klauk (Faculty Science Initiative)
Karagh Brummond (Faculty Science Initiative)
Rock Springs High School Coding Day
On February 28, students at Rock Springs High School participated in a hands-on STEM coding event led by the UW Science Initiative Roadshow. The day began with a fun Indi bot warm-up challenge, where students used block coding to program robots to play a nursery rhyme. They then rotated through three interactive stations focused on coding in electrical engineering, natural resource extraction, and robotics. Each session included real-world applications, problem-solving, and friendly competition—from coding Morse code with LED lights to simulating uranium detection with Python and navigating obstacle courses with Spherobots. The event highlighted the many ways coding is used in STEM careers and helped students connect classroom skills to real-world possibilities.
Roadshow Team:
Charlie Nuncio (Graduate Student in Geology and Geophysics)
Lena Schwebs (Graduate Student in Geology and Geophysics)
Sabrina White (Graduate Student in Zoology and Physiology)
Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) STEM Day
On February 21, the UW Science Initiative Roadshow brought an exciting, hands-on STEM Day to Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) Jr./Sr. High School, engaging 120 students in grades 3–12. Students rotated through 11 interactive stations led by UW graduate and undergraduate students, exploring topics like topographic mapping, chromatography, physics, engineering, solar energy, migration, robotics, skulls and pelts, flies and fish, DNA, and geology. This immersive experience sparked curiosity, deepened scientific understanding, and inspired the next generation of problem-solvers through place-based, inquiry-driven learning. We are thankful for help from our partners who ran stations, including Game and Fish, Makerspace, Department of Engineering, School of Energy Resources, Trout Unlimited, and Wyoming Wildlife Federation.
Roadshow Team:
Erin Klauk (Faculty UW Science Initiative)
Charlie Nuncio (Geology and Geophysics Graduate Student)
Lena Schwebs (Geology and Geophysics Graduate Student)
Sara McCollough (Geology and Geophysics Graduate Student)
Madison Ruhmann (Neuroscience Graduate Student)
Garrett Nichols (Chemical Engineering Undergraduate)
Kailynn Johnson (Biology Secondary Education Undergraduate)
Laramie Middle School Virtual Engineering Design Process
Thirty-six 6th and 7th graders at Laramie Middle School stepped into the role of ambulance operations directors in a hands-on STEM challenge focused on the Engineering Design Process. Their mission? To design the fastest ambulance route through town while following key constraints. Students worked in teams to explore how Indi bots respond to different colored tiles, then used their findings to map out efficient routes between four key locations: the hospital, rec center, soccer fields, and senior center. After sketching their plans, teams built and tested their courses, refining their designs to improve response times. Through trial, error, and iteration, students engaged in critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork—core skills of engineering and real-world STEM applications.
Roadshow Team:
Karagh Brummond (Faculty UW Science Initiative)
Erin Klauk (Faculty UW Science Initiative)
Green River Middle School
More than 40 joined for the 3rd Annual Girls in STEM Day hosted by Sweetwater County School District #2! Participants met five guest speakers in STEM and engaged with hands-on activities! Ashleigh shared her career journey in a session titled “Teeth, Tentacles, and Tech: The Intersection of Marine Life and Computer Science”, where students learned to code with IndiBot and took Indi on a journey through the ocean to explore different marine organisms. Sara rocked it with an interactive session on the geologic history of Wyoming, including hands-on exploration of the art of fossilization! Youth also learned more about careers in veterinary science, chemistry, and insects.
Roadshow Team:
Sara McCullough
Ashleigh Pilkerton
Truman Elementary School
On Thursday, February 6th, the Roadshow was able to fly to Green River to offer a STEM Day for 270 elementary students. The students rotated through engaging, hands-on stations covering topics of geology, gut microbiomes, chemistry, weathering and erosion, robotics, computer science, energy, migration, cardiovascular, brain science, animal adaptations, insects, and animal pelts. This event would not have been possible without partners from the UW Makerspace, UW School of Energy Resources, Joseph Depoyster from Wester Wyoming Community College, Wyoming Game and Fish, Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming Wildlife Federation.
Roadshow Team:
Sabrina White (Graduate student in Zoology and Physiology)
Lilian Jones (Undergraduate student in Secondary and Special Education)
Erik Gwaltney (Graduate student in Neuroscience)
Madison Ruhmann (Graduate student in Neuroscience)
Dawson Poteet (Undergraduate student Kinesiology and Health)
Nancy Weinheimer (Graduate student Geology and Geophysics)
Karagh Brummond (Faculty Science Initiative)
Truman Elementary Kindergarten and Golden Hour Senior Center
On Tuesday, January 28th, the Roadshow traveled to Green River for hands-on STEM activities with 30 kindergarteners at Truman Elementary School and 12 older individuals at the Golden Hour Senior Center. The event started at the elementary school where the kindergarteners learned about how animals prepare for winter. They got the chance to see how marine animals use blubber to live in cold water by putting their hands in cold water both with and without a blubber glove! They then learned how different animals deal with cold by either hibernating or migrating. It isn’t just the big animals that do this, but insects can do these behaviors too!
The kindergarteners then came with the Roadshow to the local Golden Hour Senior Center where they did an intergenerational activity called “Bee the Scientist” with 12 seniors from the community. They continued learning about how animals adapt to their environments by identifying different types of bees, learning the difference between bee species, and then building homes for the bees. The event concluded with the younger students helping the older individuals build and create a weather station that the older individual took home with a field guide to track and monitor how weather impacts different species of bees in Wyoming.
Roadshow Team:
Sabrina White (Graduate Student in Zoology and Physiology)
Macei Engelke (Undergraduate Student in Kinesiology)
Shelby Gibson (Undergraduate Student in Environmental Sciences)
UW Lab School K-3 STEM Day
On Friday, December 6th, the Roadshow partnered with the UW Lab School to offer a hands-on STEM Day for 62 K-3rd grade students. The students rotated through a variety of stations including learning about DNA, chromatography, topography, static electricity, tree leaves, science of music and the gut microbiome. The students enjoyed all their hands-on activities! This event partnered with the SAE AWIM AmeriCorps program who offered the science of making music station.
Roadshow Team:
Elizabeth Lungren (Undergraduate Student in Molecular Biology)
Garrett Nichols (Undergraduate Student in Chemical Engineering)
Charlie Nuncio (Graduate Student in Geology and Geophysics)
Lena Schwebs (Graduate Student in Geology and Geophysics)
Josie Walton (Undergraduate Student in Microbiology)
Ali Ceretto (Graduate Student in Botany)
Shelby Gibson (Undergrade Student in Plant Science)
Wind River and Crowheart Elementary STEM Day
On Thursday, November 15th the Roadshow traveled to Pavillion, WY for our 1st STEM Day at Wind River Elementary School, which included the students from Crowheart Elementary! Our team implemented stations to teach 152 PreK-5th grade students including chemistry, WY natural resources, energy, plant science, human anatomy, topography, water pollution, rocket engineering, big horn sheep, and robots. The Roadshow partnered with internal and external partners to pull of this huge event including Wind River Conservation District, UW School of Energy Resources, UW Innovation Wyrkshop, and the National Bighorn Sheep Center.
Roadshow Team:
Macei Engelke (Undergraduate student in Kinesiology)
Lilian Jones (Undergraduate student in Secondary Education and Special Education)
Phoebe Futcher (Graduate student in Geology & Geophysics)
Shelby Gibson (Undergraduate student in Environment and Natural Resources)
Erin Klauk (Faculty Science Initiative)
Farson Eden School
On Wednesday, November 6th the Roadshow traveled to Farson, WY for our 1st STEM Day at Farson–Eden K-12 School! Our team designed many new STEM stations to teach 139 K-12th grade students. At this STEM Day, students were able to experience stations including engineering, big horn sheep, rockets, migration, archaeology, energy, chemistry, for the K-5 students, and physics, archaeology, squid dissections, animal biology, circuits, and mineral ID for the 6-12 students. The Roadshow partnered with internal and external partners to pull of this huge event including the Kemmerer Ranger District, Wyoming Wildlife Foundation, WY Big Horn Sheep Center, UW School of Energy Resources, UW College of Engineering STEM Outreach Program, UW Innovation Wyrkshop, and the UW Physics and Astronomy Department.
Roadshow Team:
Charlie Nuncio (Graduate Student in Geology and Geophysics)
Rachel Harris (Graduate Student in Geology and Geophysics)
Alyssa Baldwin (Graduate Student in Ecosystems Science Management)
Garrett Nichols (Undergraduate Student in Chemical Engineering)
Madison Ruhmann (Graduate Student Program in Neuroscience)
Karagh Brummond (Faculty Science Initiative)
Laramie Middle School
On October 28th and 29th, the Roadshow stayed local and performed one of their many sustained classroom visits with the Laramie Middle School 8th grade students. In this classroom visit, 127 8th grade students spent two days performing the Roadshow’s recycling design challenge where they learned about both the engineering design process and contact forces. Students reviewed the concepts of the engineering design process and then went into using recycled materials to build, design, test, and re-build a car, tower, or bridge in groups. They had to work together to create their design, build the prototype out of various recycled materials and then put their build through 3 different tests of forces. They then had to use the results of their test scores to calculate an overall score! The Roadshow comes to the middle school each year to perform this hands-on activity at the end of the 8th grade unit on contact forces.
Roadshow Team:
Alessandra Ceretto (Graduate student in Botany)
Alyssa Baldwin (Graduate student in Ecosystem Science and Management)
Shelby Gibson (Undergraduate student in Ecosystems Science)
Elizabeth Lungren (Undergraduate student in Molecular Biology)
Lena Schwebs (Graduate student in Geology and Geophysics)
Karagh Brummond (Faculty Science Initiative)
Erin Klauk (Faculty Science Initiative)
Freedom Elementary School
On Friday, October 25th , the Roadshow drove over the summit to Freedom Elementary School in Cheyenne to work with 38, 4th grade students on body systems! The students had been learning about the different organ systems in the body and how they all work together. To help in their understanding, the Roadshow created lessons on the cardiovascular system, nervous system, and a general anatomy activity to help supplement the students’ learning. In these lessons the students used stethoscopes to measure heart beats before and after exercise, graphing how their cardiovascular system responds to exercise. The students then learned more about the nervous system by getting to compare and contrast 9 different real animal brains and learn how different brain areas can be “larger” for specific behavioral functions. The students then used play doh to sculpt the brain of an imaginary animal of their choosing. In the Human Anatomy lesson, students got to place all the different organs of the human body, review what they do for us, and then got to see cow kidneys, heart, and eyeball. Finally, students also were able to learn some plant science to help with another core standard they were planning on covering next, allowing the Roadshow to supplement their current learning, and help them prepare for what is to come in their next unit. Students were split into 4 different groups for this outreach event and rotated to each of these stations for 20 minutes each over the course of a 2 hour STEM visit at Freedom Elementary School.
Roadshow Team
Alyssa Baldwin (Graduate student in Ecosystems Science Management)
Shelby Gibson (Undergraduate student in Environment Sciences and Natural Resources)
Garrett Nichols (Undergraduate student in Chemical Engineering)
Vaishnavi Bhavsar (Undergraduate student in Molecular Biology)
Beatrice Bugos (Graduate student in Geology and Geophysics)
Karagh Brummond (Faculty Science Initiative)
Livingston Elementary STEM Day
On Thursday, October 17th the Roadshow traveled to Cody, WY for our 3rd STEM Day at Livingston Elementary School! Our team designed many brand-new STEM stations to teach 275 K-5th grade students. At this STEM Day, students were able to experience stations including fossils, soil geology (critical zones), DNA, chemistry, sensory biology, energy, and insects, plant science, physics, geologic time, engineering, anatomy, wildfires, migration, and trout ID. The Roadshow partnered with internal and external partners to pull of this huge event including Game and Fish, Cody Conservation District, UW School of Energy Resources, UW Engineering Ambassadors, Trout Unlimited, and Northwestern Community College.
Roadshow Team:
Nancy Weinheimer (Graduate student in Geology & Geophysics)
Elizabeth Lundgren (Undergraduate in student Molecular Biology
Lena Schwebs (Graduate student in Geology & Geophysics)
Macei Engelke (Undergraduate student in Kinesiology)
Lilian Jones (Undergraduate student in Secondary Education and Special Education)
Sara McCullough (Graduate student in Geology & Geophysics)
Shelby Gibson (Undergraduate student in Environment and Natural Resources)
Sabrina White (Graduate student in Zoology and Physiology)
Karagh Brummond (Faculty Science Initiative)
Erin Klauk (Faculty Science Initiative)
Douglas High School
On Thursday, October 17th, three of the Roadshow’s Neuroscience Graduate Students traveled to Douglas High School to visit with 113 9-12th graders in various Biology and Psychology classes. The graduate students taught the students about the brain by having them compare and contrast 9 different animal brains, trick their sense of taste with miracle berries, and learn about their sense of vision with prism goggles and optical illusions. After that introduction, the high school students were then able to learn more about the graduate students’ research in the neuroscience of sleep by doing an interactive sleep workshop that taught them about the importance of sleep for brain health and current research on why sleep is critical to health.
Roadshow Team:
Quiana Jeffs (Graduate Student Program in Neuroscience)
Erik Gwaltney (Graduate Student Program in Neuroscience)
Madison Ruhmann (Graduate Student Program in Neuroscience)
Urie Elementary STEM Day
On Tuesday, October 8th the Roadshow drove out to Urie Elementary School in Lyman, WY to bring a variety of STEM stations to 250 K-4th grade students. At this STEM Day, students were able to experience stations covering bees, robotics, human anatomy, wildlife ID, energy, bees, engineering, agriculture, WY pollinators, macroinvertebrates and fly tying, rockets, archaeology and chemistry. The Roadshow partnered with internal and external partners to pull of this huge event including Game and Fish, Uinta County Conservation District, UW School of Energy Resources, and UW Engineering Outreach Program, UW Mobile Makerspace, Trout Unlimited, Uinta County Farm Bureau, Bear River State Park, and the Kemmerer Ranger District.
Roadshow Team:
Elizabeth Lungren (Undergraduate Student in Molecular Biology)
Sabrina White (Graduate student in Zoology and Physiology)
Lilian Jones (Undergraduate student in Secondary Education and Special Education)
Karagh Brummond (Faculty Science Initiative)
Erin Klauk (Faculty Science Initiative)
Wyoming Latina Youth Conference
On Saturday October 5th, the Science Initiative Roadshow offered a geology themed workshop offered to 60 9-12th grade young women from all over Wyoming at the University of Wyoming. The Wyoming Latina Youth Conference provides wonderful and empowering experiences for Latinas and Latinx gender-expansive youth at the University of Wyoming. The Roadshow ran an interactive hands-on station in the geology building, allowing students to learn at both the museum and with current graduate students in geology. The theme focused on both how fossils are made, minerals and their properties where students learned how to test for each property and use common tools to identify common minerals. Their knowledge was reinforced at the geology museum where they saw top quality gem and mineral displays. They were able to choose a favorite mineral at the end of their workshop and bring it home as a necklace.
Roadshow Team:
Andrew Miller (Graduate student in Geology & Geophysics)
Charlie Nuncio (Graduate student in Geology & Geophysics)
Rachel Harris (Graduate student in Geology & Geophysics)
Julian Diepenbrock (Graduate student in Geology & Geophysics)
Sara McCullough (Graduate student in Geology & Geophysics)
Macei Engelke (Undergraduate student in Exercise Physiology)
Elizabeth Lungren (Undergraduate Student in Molecular Biology)
Alyssa Baldwin (Graduate student in Ecosystem Sciences Management)
Kailynn Johnson (Undergraduate student in Biology and Secondary Science Education)
Erin Klauk (Faculty Science Initiative)
Lab School
On Wednesday, October 2nd, the Roadshow traveled up to the Happy Jack Trailhead just east of Laramie to visit with 50 4th and 5th grade students from the University of Wyoming Lab School. During this event, the Roadshow did their infamous Beaver Engineering station for the students. The students reviewed/learned about the steps of the Engineering Design Process and then applied those steps as if they were a small group of beavers! They had to work in their small group to collect supplies to build and test a beaver dam to withhold flowing water in a paint tray. The students had a wonderful time and enjoyed getting to be outside, think like beavers, and craft relevant projects related to the area.
Roadshow Team:
Alyssa Baldwin (Graduate student in Ecosystems Science Management)
Lena Schwebs (Graduate student in Geology and Geophysics)
Shelby Gibson (Undergraduate student in Environmental Sciences)
Rachael Harris (Graduate student in Geology and Geophysics)
Cheyenne Discovery Day
On Thursday, September 26th, Madison Ruhmann, Erik Gwaltney, Andrew Miller, Lena Schwebs, Macei Engelke, and Erin Klauk from the Science Initiative Roadshow participated in the Cheyenne Discovery Day in Laramie County, engaging over 1,400 students from grades 7-12 in interactive, hands-on science activities. Attendees explored exciting topics like neurology, anatomy, fossils, and seismology. This marked the fourth annual outdoor Discovery Day event in Cheyenne, sponsored by the Wyoming Air National Guard. We had an incredible time and are already looking forward to returning next year!
Roadshow Team:
Andrew Miller (Graduate student in Geology & Geophysics)
Lena Schwebs (Graduate student in Geology & Geophysics)
Macei Engelke (Undergraduate student in Exercise Physiology)
Madison Ruhmann (Graduate student in Neuroscience)
Erik Gwaltney (Graduate student in Neuroscience)
Erin Klauk (Faculty Science Initiative)
Rock Springs High School
On Wednesday, September 25th Sabrina White, a top graduate student of the Roadshow, traveled to Rock Springs High School where she worked with 80 high school students across two Biology and Environmental Science classrooms and talked about her research. The students learned about how to preserve biodiversity, what biodiversity means, and what people can do to promote biodiversity. Sabrina visited with four, 90-minute high school classes during which she started with a fun game of “Bee or Not a Bee” where students looked at photos of different insects and had to determine if it was a bee or not. They also learned about bee life cycles and how they are similar and different across species. Students spent time then learning about why bees are particularly important to pollination and played a game where they matched bee pollinators to the food in which they pollinate. Finally, the students broke into groups and were given different Wyoming-relevant scenarios that were harmful to pollinators. They had to work as a team to solve the problem and think about what would happen to pollinators and food if nothing was done to address this issue.
Roadshow Team:
Sabrina White (Graduate student in Zoology and Physiology)
Spring Creek Outdoor School
The Roadshow went up to the mountains at Curt Gowdy State Park to meet the Spring Creek Elementary 4th grade students for their outdoor day of science sponsored and organized by the Laramie based Common Outdoor Ground group. At this event, we worked with 40 students across 3 different outdoor STEM stations where they learned about beaver engineering, weathering and erosion of rocks, and how animals use their senses to survive outdoors. Graduate student, Ashleigh Pilkerton, of the Wildlife and Cooperative Unit at UW lead the students through an activity where they did the engineering design process as a beaver, building and testing their hand-built beaver dam creations. Andrew Miller of the Geology and Geophysics department had students working with rocks and sand to understand the concepts of weathering and erosion of rocks. Finally, Madison Ruhman, graduate student in neuroscience, taught the students about the different senses of the brain and how animals use them for survival through an outdoor moth catcher activity.
Roadshow Team:
Ashleigh Pilkerton (Graduate student in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology Cooperative Unit)
Madison Ruhman (Graduate student in Neuroscience)
Andrew Miller (Graduate student in Geology and Geophysics)
Karagh Brummond (Faculty Science Initiative)
Albany County Walk to End Alzheimer's Disease
On Saturday, September 21st, the Science Initiative Roadshow provided hands-on brain activities for the Albany County Walk to End Alzheimer’s Disease. We set up a table at the event and taught participants about the brain by looking at 9 different brain specimens, had them create their own neurons (brain cells), play neuroscience jeopardy, and a poster talk from a UW researcher who studies circadian rhythms and Alzheimer’s disease, Dr. Trey Todd. Neuroscience graduate students, Quiana Jeffs and Erik Gwaltney, and undergraduate student Kailynn Johnson led the way at the event inspiring and educating participants on the brain!
Roadshow Team:
Quiana Jeffs (Graduate student in Neuroscience)
Erik Gwaltney (Graduate student in Neuroscience)
Kailynn Johnson (Undergraduate student in Secondary Education)
Karagh Brummond (Faculty Science Initiative)
Big Piney STEM Day
On Thursday, September 19th the Roadshow drove out to Big Piney Elementary School to bring a variety of STEM stations to 200 K-5th grade students. Both the Big Piney and the LaBarge Elementary School students came together for this awesome event and a day of STEM fun! At this STEM Day, students were able to experience stations covering: weathering and erosion of rocks, Wyoming geography, robotics, brain science, human anatomy, soil geology (critical zones), wildlife ID, predator/prey interactions, deer CSI, energy, and chemistry. The Roadshow partnered with internal and external partners to pull of this huge event including Game and Fish, Sublette County Conservation District, UW School of Energy Resources, and UW Monteith Shop.
Roadshow Team:
Nancy Weinheimer (Graduate student in Geology & Geophysics)
Lena Schwebs (Graduate student in Geology & Geophysics)
Macei Engelke (Undergraduate student in Exercise Physiology)
Madison Ruhmann (Graduate student in Neuroscience)
Lilian Jones (Undergraduate student in Secondary Education and Special Education)
Ashleigh Pilkerton (Graduate student in Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit)
Karagh Brummond (Faculty Science Initiative)
Erin Klauk (Faculty Science Initiative)
Kemmerer Outdoor Discovery Day
On Saturday, September 7th, Sabrina White and Ashleigh Pilkerton of the Roadshow headed to the Kemmerer Outdoor Discovery Day event in Lincoln County to engage 290 individuals in hands-on science about pollinators! Attendees learned about the different types of bees and then makde their own seed bombs to take home and plant at their houses. This was the third annual outdoor discover day event in Kemmerer sponsored by the Bridger-Teton National Forest! We look forward to visiting with them again at the 4th annual event!
Roadshow Team:
Sabrina White
Ashleigh Pilkerton
2024 UW STEM Carnival
On Friday, September 6th the UW Top-Tier Science Initiative, in partnership with the Office of the President, hosted the 3rd Annual UW STEM Carnival. The carnival was a well-attended celebration of STEM research and programs at the University of Wyoming with a special highlight of the UW statewide Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Total attendance at the carnival reached 1,345 people with 1,210 of those being PreK-12 students and teachers from 16 different schools across 6 Wyoming counties. A huge thank you to the STEM Carnival Planning Committee: Mark Lyford, Karagh Brummond, Erin Klauk, and Amanda Korpitz.
The carnival had 53 STEM tables set up in the Hansen Arena that covered an array of STEM topics from UW departments and programs as well as community organizations in STEM. Each table had a hands-on activity/demonstration for attendees that engaged and sparked their curiosity. In addition to the STEM Tables, the Laramie Research and Extension Center facilities housed 10 agriculturally themed additional activities for attendees, which were 30-minute long stations that did a deep dive into ongoing research in the state. These additional activities were facilitated by the statewide research and extension centers, agricultural research laboratories at UW, the new Ranch management and Leadership Program, and the Science Initiative Roadshow/Zoology and Physiology Department. President Seidel and Chip Kobulnicky of Physics and Astronomy also hosted a hands-on activity on black holes. Here is what these amazing researchers covered:
- Design Your Own Brand: From Concept to Keepsake! (Ranch Management and Agricultural Leadership): Step into the world of animal science and creative design with this exciting activity! Young innovators will have the chance to create their very own unique livestock brand, watch as RMAL experts use special equipment to etch their design onto a real ear tag, take home a one-of-a-kind keychain featuring their personal brand. Each ear tag keychain will also showcase the RMAL logo (if possible), serving as a lasting memento of this hands-on STEM experience. Join us to explore the intersection of agriculture, technology, and creativity!
- Sowing the Seeds of Wyoming Agriculture (Wyoming State Seed Laboratory): Planting the passion for agriculture one seed at a time! Dry bean and grass seed production is a huge part of Wyoming agriculture, especially in Park County. As participants learn the ins and outs of the Wyoming Seed Analysis Lab, located at the Powell Research and Extension Center, participants will take a deeper look into the different parts of and functions of seeds. Participants will have the opportunity to dissect their own seed and learn how that seed transforms into a seedling.
- Black Holes and the Nature of Space and Time (UW President Ed Seidel and Physics Professor Dr. Chip Kobulnicky): UW President Ed Seidel and helpers will lead students on an exploration of gravity and massive objects like black holes, using video clips and hands-on demonstrations. Participants can play with placing masses on spandex tables that simulate how massive bodies in the universe warp the fabric of space-time, causing even light to travel on curved paths.
- Precision Agriculture in Wyoming: (The Sheridan Research and Extension Center (ShREC)): Price Akiina and Chloe Mattilio will discuss applications of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS/drones) in precision agriculture and rangeland monitoring, with student led classification of imagery examples from research projects. Thermal UAS flight demonstrations will take place outside for each student group.
- Seed Cleaning Basics: (The Sheridan Research and Extension Center (ShREC)): Heidi Schueler and Beth Fowers will discuss applications of seed cleaning techniques for rangeland restoration. Students will get the chance to experiment with seed cleaning and compare and contrast seed from desirable versus weedy plants.
- Bee the Scientist (Science Initiative Roadshow & Zoology/Physiology Department): Graduate Student Sabrina White will teach about the different ways bees live through the year (including during our very cold winters) and what plants they need to stay healthy. You will discuss some of the challenges facing our pollinators and what we can do to help them including how they contribute to our agricultural landscape. Students will the get their hands dirty (literally) by creating “seed bombs” with Wyoming native wildflowers that they can plant in their yards. Students will finally build and decorate bee houses to take home to promote pollinators.
- Studying Stomata: A Glimpse into Crop Breeding (The Powell Research and Extension Center (PREC)): Crop plants transpire water vapor through thousands of very small apertures on their leaf blade surfaces called stomata. Quantifying the density of these stomata may be important for crop breeding programs such as our efforts to develop more drought-tolerant and water-efficient varieties. This exercise/activity will demonstrate one method for quantifying stomatal density.
- Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs, Oh My! (UW Department Animal Science): As part of research efforts lead by University of Wyoming Department of Animal Science Faculty and Graduate Students, we are excited to show you ongoing research projects with cattle, sheep, and pigs! Students can expect to see live animals, hear from graduate students about their projects, and learn exciting things about each type of animal!
- Sustainable Agriculture (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center (SAREC)): Explore and learn about the ongoing efforts to increase integrated agricultural systems that foster innovative growth in the field. This includes precision agriculture and irrigation technologies that are ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially acceptable.
- Cattle Get Broken Hearts Too: Why it Happens and How We Can Test for It (Laramie Research and Extension Center (LREC)): Brisket disease is a condition of the heart and lungs in cattle managed at high elevation. This demonstration will cover why it happens and how ranchers can diagnose and manage it.
Join us in saving the date for the 4th Annual UW STEM Carnival scheduled for Friday, September 5, 2025! Thank you to all of our participating units this year who made the STEM Carnival possible.
Participating Units:
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