Blogs

Hamilton-Wenham STEM night

Analytical Answers is pleased to participate in programs and activities in the community, especially those that focus on science, and even more so when we can shed light on analytical sciences and techniques that many people don’t even know exist.

On Wednesday, October 3, 2018 we joined more than 50 other companies and organizations that exhibited at a STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) night event at Hamilton-
Wenham Regional High School (HWRHS)/Miles River Middle School (MRMS) in Hamilton, MA. This is a biennial event that consistently draws attendance of about 500, including students, parents and siblings (elementary through high school). The event was organized by Science Department Chair (grades 6-12) John Kotch and Parent Coordinator Lorraine Miller.

To the extent possible, exhibitors are asked to provide a hands-on experience for the students. As one might expect, it is not possible to bring along an electron microscope or infrared analysis system and set it up for a couple of hours. But we were able to bring a stereo microscope with multiple illumination systems to the event for hands-on viewing of a number of samples – geological (lead ore and beach sands), microelectronic (opened packages of microprocessors), and even a Lunar Soil simulant material obtained from NASA. Then, using AAI’s Analysis Anywhere™ capabilities we connected to Joe Bedard, our Senior Electron Microscopist at our Woburn, MA laboratories for a live session using Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) to enable the students to engage in the imaging of those same materials and analyze their elemental composition.

It was a pleasure talking with the students who visited our booth. One elementary student was captivated by viewing the various samples through the zoom microscope (his dad had to practically tear him away from the microscope!). The high school students included a few who were completely undecided which direction to go after graduation, to interested in various sciences but maybe not certain, to one student intent upon pursuing a career in quantum physics! A very diverse, bright and articulate group, and a pleasure to visit with!

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