Zihan Wang and Victoria Russell Get Spooky at the Salt Lake Farmers Market

Upon discovering the outreach opportunity for the first time, I knew I wanted to work on events involving simple scientific experiments for children and make science enjoyable for them. Coincidentally, it fell during the Halloween season, my favorite holiday of the year! So, I approached Victoria Russell, the CSOE Outreach Coordinator, and together, we decided to organize a Halloween-themed Farmers Market in Salt Lake City. I vividly recall my excitement at the prospect of combining my favorite elements: Chemistry, Halloween, and a nice local Farmers Market. Collaborating with Victoria, who has extensive outreach experience, has been immensely joyful and rewarding. While brainstorming ideas for this Halloween-themed event, which excited both of us, numerous creative concepts naturally emerged. We found the idea of showcasing elephant toothpaste in a carved pumpkin to be both decorative and engaging for kids interacting with our setup. We also added little plastic spiders for an added spooky and attention-grabbing element to the traditional density difference experiment. Naturally, we also aimed to educate attendees about the importance and methods of battery recycling, as green chemistry is a key focus of the CSOE outreach project. Victoria assisted in preparing all the necessary materials for the event. On October 14th, a total of 153 people visited our booth! Unfortunately, I sustained an injury while carving the pumpkins and ended up in the ER in the morning of the Farmers Market, so I couldn’t attend. Consequently, Victoria had to shoulder the entire responsibility, and she did an exceptional job.

It was indeed unfortunate that I couldn’t attend the Farmers Market in person, but planning the event was still incredibly enjoyable for me. From a professional standpoint, the opportunity to shape and design the CSOE outreach project at the Farmers Market has provided me with valuable training in general outreach project skills, such as knowing your audience, the significance of teamwork, and crafting key takeaway messages. Personally speaking, as an international student in grad school, I didn’t anticipate finding so much fulfillment in my personal life upon arriving in Salt Lake City. To my surprise, the community here has given me a precious sense of belonging. Consequently, I felt genuinely happy to have the opportunity to give something back to the community. I thoroughly enjoyed designing engaging experiments for the kids, as I am a big fan of the Farmers Market myself. I often go there with friends, engaging in conversations with people, which has helped me connect better with the local community. Upon reflection, I realize I would like to have more opportunities to directly engage with low-income communities and host outreach projects there. I’ve been thinking about what more I can do for kids who might not have the chance to interact with science in the first place. While kids at the Farmers Market typically have access to transportation, what about those whose parents lack the time to take them to such places? Therefore, given more opportunities, I would like to delve deeper into outreach projects involving working with children from low-income communities.

As a graduate student in the STEM field, I have always believed that the progress of science and technology should benefit all human beings. Initially, I considered myself too insignificant to make any difference at this stage of my life. However, this outreach project has inspired me and reminded me that science should not be exclusive, and no one should have to wait until they feel “smart” enough to engage in scientific experimentation. There are numerous ways in which I can contribute to helping people discover more about science. Furthermore, I have come to realize that the positive outcomes of outreach projects are often reciprocal. Not only do the individuals or groups we engage with benefit from learning things they might not otherwise have access to, but also the volunteers, such as myself, who are in graduate school, are afforded the opportunity to explore the often hidden yet vital aspects of the scientific community and the true meaning of belonging to a community. All in all, I am immensely grateful for this opportunity and the inspiration it has brought into my life. I eagerly anticipate a future filled with more opportunities like this one.