Outreach
The Maynard Group is committed to educational outreach and promoting diversity and equal opportunity. Several of our exciting efforts are highlighted below.
Teaching K-12 girls about science through partnership with the Girl Scouts of LA
Women are underrepresented in science and engineering. In an effort to help remedy this, Professor Maynard and her group familiarize kindergarten through 12th grade girls with polymers and nanobiotechnology through a multi-pronged approach. This has included creating a summer science internship for high school Girl Scouts, by having tables at big events such as the Girl Scout Science Fair and annual Cookie Kickoff, outreach to specific troops, and helping start the CurieosityTM program through CNSI.
Cait Decker talks to a Brownie scout about polymers at the Girl Scouts Science Fair; the Brownie scout is holding the slime we helped her make!! Check out our poster here!
Girl Scouts High School Summer Internship Program: Julianne with her poster and graduate student mentor, Cait Decker.
Cait Decker and Dina Ibrahim had a fun chemistry booth at Girltopia, October 29, 2011.
Professor Maynard, Kathryn Messina, and Doug Rose giving a polymer demonstration to a local Brownie Girl Scout Troop.
Women in STEM (WiSTEM) - Los Angeles
The Mayor of Los Angeles started an initiative to sustain and develop women in STEM. This is accomplished through active mentorship, providing networking and developing a community of females interested in STEM as a career. Maynard is actively involved in many aspects of the program and mentors female scientists.
Professor Maynard during an interview about WiSTEM mentoring on the Alex Cohen Show on Spectrum TV.
Professor Maynard speaking on panel at the WiSTEM kickoff.
Outreach to local schools
Maynard and her group members actively develop new outreach activities that are taken into elementary and middle schools to provide fun and interactive activities for the students.
Writing Without Ink: A Mechanically and Photochemically Responsive PDMS Polymer for Science Outreach
Cameron L. Brown, Meredith H. Barbee, Jeong Hoon Ko, Heather D. Maynard, Stephen L. Craig.
Group participation in CNSI outreach events
Maynard group members often participate in California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) outreach events, where the community is given the opportunity to learn about the many facets of nanotechnology. Demonstrations can vary from solar cells, to super-hydrophobicity, to ferromagnetism. Ultimately, these events make nanoscience concepts “visible” to the general community.
Priera Panescu teaches CNSI event participants about superhydrophobic surfaces.
Outreach to adult community
Professor Maynard gives lectures to non-scientists to help familiarize the community on nanotechnology. Learn more about nanotechnology and nanomedicine here.
Professor Maynard gives a talk to parents and students at UCLA Parent’s Weekend.