Renee Olney Bridges the Gap in Radiochemistry

Bridging the Gap: A High School Science Communication Workshop from the UNLV Radiochemistry Program

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans' trust in science has declined 16 percentage points — from 73% to 57% people reporting a positive view of science's societal impact, according to the Pew Research Center. This erosion has had real consequences, including significant research funding cuts in 2025. When the public better understands why scientists conduct research and how it benefits daily life, they are more likely to support that investment. Bridging this gap is the foundation of the High School Science Communication Workshop, developed by the UNLV Radiochemistry Program.

Workshop Design and Goals

Twenty graduate student volunteers spent an entire school day at Sunrise Mountain High School conducting science demonstrations during regular class periods. Five 10-minute demonstrations ran simultaneously and on repeat throughout the day, with students rotating through each. The workshop pursued four goals: humanizing scientists to make science less intimidating; exposing students to research career paths they might never otherwise encounter; cultivating a future generation that values scientific research; and giving graduate students meaningful practice communicating complex ideas to non-specialist audiences.

The Demonstrations

All five demonstrations were hands-on and interactive. In the DNA extraction simulation, students searched for hidden "DNA" (magnets) within jars of mixed materials, illustrating forensic isolation techniques. The flame color demonstration showed how different metals produce distinct flame colors when combusted, illustrating atomic emission. A liquid-liquid extraction activity used glitter transferring between water and oil as an analogy for safely isolating radioactive materials. The Oobleck demonstration let students explore non-Newtonian fluid properties using cornstarch and water. Finally, the radioactivity demonstration featured actual radioactive materials alongside handheld detectors, allowing students to compare background radiation with radioactive objects and learn about time, distance, and shielding as protective strategies.

Student Survey Results

Post-workshop surveys showed strong enthusiasm for the workshop. Hands-on activities were the standout favorite, cited by 86.5% of students. Meeting graduate students was highlighted by 51.3%, seeing radioactive material by 47.6%, and asking questions of researchers by 26.5%, suggesting that interaction with scientists was nearly as important as the demonstrations themselves.

When asked what they learned, students most frequently referenced the flame color demonstration (41.1%), followed by radioactivity (31.4%), DNA extraction (16.8%), liquid-liquid extraction (13.0%), and Oobleck (7.6%), indicating every demonstration left a meaningful impression. Overall, 94.6% of students rated the workshop as interesting or very interesting. When asked whether they would attend a summer science program at UNLV, only 14.6% said yes, with 56.2% saying maybe and 28.1% no — reinforcing that bringing the workshop to students reached a population that would largely not have sought out science enrichment on their own.

  

Graduate Student and Teacher Feedback

Volunteers overwhelmingly validated the workshop format, with 93.8% rating it as effective. Nearly 70% found it very valuable for developing science communication skills. As one volunteer noted, "Demonstrating concepts through hands-on activities and encouraging questions created a comfortable, two-way dialogue rather than a one-sided lecture." Teachers rated the workshop as excellent in quality and extremely effective at conveying scientific concepts, adding that science career exploration rarely occurs in the classroom, making the workshop a rare and valuable opportunity for students.

Challenges and Future Directions

Several challenges offer guidance for future workshops. A significant portion of students in one period were Spanish-speaking, and insufficient translation support limited their engagement; future workshops should ensure translators are available for all participants. Noise from larger class sizes made it difficult for some students to hear demonstrations clearly, suggesting a cap on group size per session. Finally, a wide variation in students' scientific backgrounds made it hard to keep all students equally engaged. One volunteer recommended providing pre-printed question sheets to lower the barrier for less confident students and inspire curiosity across ability levels.

Conclusion

The UNLV Radiochemistry Program's High School Science Communication Workshop demonstrates that bringing science directly into schools is a powerful and replicable model for public engagement. Students were enthusiastic, every demonstration taught them something new, graduate students sharpened their communication skills, and teachers confirmed that the workshop filled a genuine gap in science career exposure. Critically, the data suggest the program reached students who would not have independently sought out science enrichment, extending the impact well beyond the already science-curious. At a time when public trust in science is declining and research funding is under pressure, programs like this offer a direct path toward rebuilding that trust. With modest improvements in translation support, group size, and student prompting, future workshops are well-positioned to create lasting value for both researchers and their communities.

Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge Sunrise Mountain High School for hosting the UNLV Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, and Emily Jones and Wendee Johns for their support and efforts in making this workshop possible. I would also like to thank the graduate student volunteers who dedicated their time to planning, preparing, and performing the science demonstrations.