Community Outreach

Discovery Days

"Discovery Days is a free outreach program sponsored by the Colleges of Science and Engineering. This highly popular event was developed to allow students to explore more of the world around them by engaging their minds in interactive exhibits.

Students are able to participate in a number of hands-on activities including examining live specimens and making polymers.

Discovery Days encourages students to develop their own questions and ideas regarding the sciences while creating a deeper interest to learn more."

With the help of graduate and undergraduate students, the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology hosts an exhibit at Discovery Days. Discovery Days is usually held during Spring Term. If you are interested in volunteering for a 1 or 2 hour period, please contact Melinda Guzman for more details.

STEM Academy at Oregon State University

"STEM Academy engages K-12 youth in programs designed to increase college attendance and participation in the STEM fields."

Camps that BPP Faculty participate/host:

DNA Biology and Bioinformatics summer camp

Students from 8th-12th grade come to campus and explore the world of modern biology and learn how to examine the complexities of DNA. Through model-building, laboratory experiments and computer analyses – participants gain basic understanding of biology, genetics, biotechnology and bioinformatics.

Course Coordinator: Pankaj Jaiswal, Ph.D.

Other Outreach

BPP GSA also participates in the following community outreach programs:

The SMILE Program 

"Science & Math Investigative Learning Experiences (SMILE) is a precollege program at Oregon State University (OSU) supporting out-of-school time learning opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields for students from groups underrepresented in higher education in Oregon."

Wood Magic 

"Oregon Wood Magic is a 2 hour and 45 minute interactive experience designed to educate elementary students about the wonders of wood as a material. The goal is to educate students about wood material and encourage them to think about resource issues. Each station is connected to a series of lesson plans."

Outreach to OSU's scientific community: