APL-UW staff volunteer their time and expertise to provide learning opportunities to students and educators from across the Pacific Northwest. The Laboratory often works in concert with UW programs and initiatives; staff mentor students in sponsored programs and the Laboratory periodically hosts large groups of K-12 students.

Group Learning Opportunities
Student groups are treated to tours of individual laboratories where they may see a lithotripter that uses sound waves to disintegrate kidney stones, graphic demonstrations of wave motion, a "guided tour" from Earth to Jupiter's moon Europa, or hear how a software engineer who began her college career as a dancer became involved in neural net development. Contact Bob Odom, Assistant Director for Education and Development, if you wish to schedule a group visit.

The Laboratory is a regular participant in Math Day, an annual event sponsored by the UW Mathematics Department that brings 1200 high school students to campus.

A printable synopsis of APL-UW education outreach offerings is available. You can also search all UW educational outreach offerings.


One-to-One Mentorships
APL-UW staff mentor students participating in the following programs. Explore the links or contact Bob Odom for more information about how you can be involved in any one of them.

ALVA
Alliance for Learning and Vision for Underrepresented Americans is a partnership among the UW, research laboratories, and industry that brings prospective students to campus during the summer for intensive college preparation mathematics courses and paid research/work experience in the sciences and engineering.

BRIDGES4
Biomedical Research IDentification of Graduate Education Successful Student Support Services is a series of services and support mechanisms designed to attract, retain, and promote the success of minority students in the biomedical sciences.

GEAR UP
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs brings 200 middle school students to the university campus during the summer to motivate them toward successful preparation for college entrance.
Sharing Science
"Traveling Science Guy" Senior Oceanographer Mike Steele and Physicist Bonnie Light demonstrated sea ice properties to elementary school students. Liquid nitrogen was used to create sea ice in faster-than-real-time so that students could explore the differences between ice made from fresh and salty water and then imagine how sea ice microstructure provides habitat for tiny animals.
Sharing Science at –196°C


Listening to Raindrops by Senior Oceanographer Jeffrey Nystuen was prepared for NASA's Earth Observatory project. It explains how rainfall over the ocean is measured using underwater microphones and recording devices, and how these data aid meteorologists, oceanographers, and climatologists.


Gail Grimes of Lake Stevens High School in Washington joined APL-UW's Rebecca Woodgate on a five-week cruise in the Arctic Ocean. They taught lessons on arctic oceanography and marine biology in Barrow, AK, before and after the cruise, and Grimes filed daily reports for the duration. More >>




The Sound: Puget Sound Multimedia CD-ROM was created by APL-UW scientists and design staff for K-12 students to explore the geology, biology, oceanography, and weather of Puget Sound and their effects on water quality, the economy, and recreation. The CD-ROM and companion Tutorial Guide are available through the Washington Sea Grant Program

e-mail: sgpubs@u.washington.edu