The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry will host the 2014 Children’s Chemistry Show at 10:30 a.m, Saturday, in room 101 Clark Hall on the downtown campus of West Virginia University.

The event is free and open to the public.

The 75-minute show will feature demonstrations, hands-on activities and for those who want it, a tour of the WVU chemistry facilities.

“You try to do a lot of different demonstrations, and hopefully they’re entertaining and fun, and informative at the same time,” said Terry Gullion, professor of chemistry at WVU.

“If you expose kids to (science) as much as possible, those kids have a genuine interest in it, and ultimately pursue it.”

While some of the most popular demonstrations from years past will return, many of the demonstrations will be brand new for the show.

Even when the show is over, the learning doesn’t stop. Children can participate in hands-on activities with faculty.

Children ages 12 and under have specific experiments designed for them to complete, while children over the age of 12 will be conducting experiments similar to those done in freshman chemistry classes at WVU.

Following the activities, anyone who is interested in a tour of the WVU chemistry department may meet with a faculty member to view the facilities.

The show is part of the famous Faraday Christmas Lectures, named after Michael Faraday, one of the great intellectual giants of chemistry and physics.

Faraday believed in teaching science to young people, and started the series in 1825 as a way to generate enthusiasm for science.

For more information, contact Terry Gullion at 304-293-0110 or terry.gullion@mail.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

ma/12/04/14

CONTACT: Devon Copeland, Director of Marketing and Communication, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
304-293-6867, Devon.Copeland@mail.wvu.edu

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