Eighty-two students from the Fort
Worthington Elementary School
came to the East Baltimore campus
on March 30 to have a little
science fun, courtesy of some
of the most prominent researchers in the
world.
For the sixth annual Johns Hopkins Community
Science Day, dozens of faculty and
students at the School of Medicine offered
hands-on science demonstrations to Fort
Worthington's fifth- and sixth-grade students.
Among other activities, the students got
close up with nematodes from the lab of
Geraldine Seydoux, professor of molecular
biology and genetics; learned about crystals
from Cynthia Wolberger, a professor of
biophysics and biophysical chemistry; and
examined banana DNA with faculty, staff
and students from the lab of Carol Greider,
director of the Molecular Biology and
Genetics Department.
Each student participated in at least four
science experiments held at JHMI's Wood
Basic Science and Hunterian buildings.
After lunch, the students were treated to a
space presentation in Mountcastle Auditorium
by John Stoke from the Space Telescope
Science Institute and "amazing optical
illusions" performed by Jeremy Nathans, a
professor of molecular biology and genetics.
Rhoda Alani, an associate professor
of oncology at the School of Medicine,
founded Community Science Day in 2001
in an effort to encourage children in the
East Baltimore community to aspire to
careers in science. The event is part of the
Community of Caring Campaign, an ongoing
effort to link employees and students at
JHMI with the surrounding community.
The next Community Science Day will
be held on April 21 in the Bunting Blaustein
Cancer Research Building, where 125
children from Dr. Bernard Harris Elementary
will visit four labs and take part in
several science-oriented presentations.
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