RIT and Girl Scouts of Genesee Valley Host Three Science-Related Events in August

Rochester Institute of Technology and Girl Scouts of Genesee Valley have teamed up to encourage girls to explore careers in math and science during three events in August. The Reach for the Stars program will include an overnight at RIT, a science-training day for troop leaders and a career fair.

RIT’s partnership with GSGV is led by Stefi Baum, director of the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science, who holds a doctorate in astronomy and a bachelor’s in physics. The events were made possible, in part, by a NASA grant supporting the efforts of the James Webb Space Telescope NIRCam (Near Infrared Camera) science team, of which Baum is a member.

Overnight event at RIT, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 12-13: The overnight at RIT coincides with the annual Perseid meteor shower. Girl Scouts ages nine to 17 will search the sky with telescopes at the RIT Observatory. They will count meteors, make a star wheel, and conduct a series of experiments.

Activities will be held at RIT from 7 p.m. Saturday to 9 a.m. Sunday in the Chester F. Carlson Building and in the observatory. The cost is $3 per girl. This event is open to all girls whether a registered Girl Scout or not. An adult must accompany individual girls and troops must maintain the proper-adult-to-girl ratio. The deadline is Aug. 4. Space is limited to 40 girls.

Science training for troop leaders, Saturday, Aug. 19: RIT and GSGV encourage scouts to earn badges related to science and astronomy, such as the Space Explorer Try-it, Sky Search Badge, Aerospace Badge and Space Exploration Interest Project. RIT scientists will help troop leaders assist their scouts in striving for science badges through workshops on imaging science, optics, digital cameras, perspective and optical illusions, and magnification.

The workshops will provide leaders with equipment and instructions needed to perform the activities with their troops. In the near future, a new program and badge will be created for the Girl Scouts in imaging science.

The free training program for troop leaders will be held at RIT’s Chester F. Carlson Building from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Deadline for registration is Aug. 11.

Career Fair, Monday, Aug. 21: RIT and GSGV invite all girls ages nine to 17 to a career fair at RIT’s Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science. The fair’s main focus will be careers in the math and science, including astronomy and imaging science, and the education necessary to enter these fields. Participating corporate partners will talk about current and emerging careers.

A collaboration of two former Girl Scouts, astronaut Eileen Marie Collins from Elmira, and Baum has made the career fair possible along with support from GSGV, NASA’s NIRCam science team, the Rochester Museum and Science Center, and local corporations such as Xerox, Melles-Griot and VirtualScopics.

Registration forms for all three events can be found at www.gsgv.org by clicking on GSGV Events. For more information or questions, contact Kathie Woika at GSGV at 1-800-398-3855.