About

MicroMoles: Learning STEMs from Curiosity

MicroMoles is a student group interested in developing media to foster informal science learning in children. Ultimately, the activities of this group aim to increase the future diversity in the sciences by creating widely-accessible and engaging scientific children’s media (stories, podcasts, engagements, etc) which fosters long-lasting interest in science.

Most exposure to science does not come from formal education. Informal and engaging science exploration is important as we spend the large majority of our lives outside of the classroom setting. Informal science learning can come in many forms including museum visits, public science expositions, self-exploration, film/television, podcasts, books, and other media. These types of exposures, particularly during childhood, are what many current scientists will cite as early reasons for their interest in science.

MicroMoles Mission:

Our primary mission is to expose children to recent science via storytelling. Most of what children are taught in school is focused on decades-old science, but often the most interesting questions lie in the cutting-edge of current work and new discoveries. Our current project is focused on composing stories for children based on recent scientific publications in order to connect them to the current activities of scientists.

MicroMoles Vision:

We believe that if we reach children at a vital age (3rd-5th grade), particularly those from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the sciences, and inspire them to follow their curiosities, we can encourage more diverse future students to pursue higher education in the sciences. We also hope to spark a general appreciation for science, broadly, even if individuals choose not to pursue science as a future career. Through the activities of this group, we aim to:

  1. Spark an interest in science for a diverse audience of children
  2. Introduce children to recent science in a fun and accessible way
  3. Expose children to a diverse/inclusive group of scientists.

 

Current and Proposed Activities:

  • As a group, we write short, illustrated children’s stories based on recent graduate student publications. These stories will be freely available online, and we also hope engage with local libraries, schools, and teachers in order to share the stories.

 

We are open to hearing and potentially implementing other informal science learning activities proposed by active members. If you are interested in getting involved, or learning more about our activities, please contact us!

Permanent link to this article: https://sites.duke.edu/micromoles/about/