Don’t let excuses get in the way of interacting with teachers
and students. One of the more enjoyable and effective outreach
activities scientists can engage in is interaction with K – 12
teachers and their students. I can’t count the number of times I
have come across an outstanding first-year student who got into
science because he or she was mentored by a teacher who
interacted with faculty members at a nearby college or
university. Interactions between K – 12 teachers and students
and science faculty can take many forms, including opening up
your lab to summer research projects. This often is supported by
funding agencies, professional societies, and colleges and
universities in a variety of ways, and in this day and age when
high school students know that research experience gives a
competitive advantage when it comes to college applications,
finding students to participate in summer research is not a
problem. Finding teachers interested in pursuing summer research
also is not a limitation. The problem i