See and interact with real marine life in the MD´«Ã½Èë¿Ú Shark Lab and Marine Lab
Become an astronomer with our solar telescopes
Move mountains with our augmented reality sandbox
Practice mathematician skills with puzzles
Learn how wetlands work
Conduct cool chemistry experiments and even learn the science behind the food you eat
Practice killing viruses and learn how to stay healthy
Learn the Science Behind the "Stingray Shuffle"
And so much more!
Activity offerings are subject to change. Additional details will be posted as they become available.
What You'll Experience
Here are some of the experiences and activities we will share with you, and the research teams you may have the opportunity to meet. Please note that activity offerings are subject to change, and lab tour experiences have limited availability.
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Check out the Museum Collections for a special display of Mammal, Bird, Reptile, and Fish specimens! The MD´«Ã½Èë¿Ú collections of vertebrate animals boast a count of nearly 40,000 specimens, making them a valuable resource for study by researchers within and outside of the university. The collections are also used for instruction in laboratory classrooms and for educational displays on and off campus.
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Use geologist tools to uncover hidden fossils buried within hardened sand. Geologists and archeologists use specialized tools to gently and carefully unlock treasures trapped in the earth.
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Explore the Science Learning Center (SLC), a unique learning space located on campus. The SLC seeks to provide exceptional learning experiences for both local K-8 youth as well as the students of MD´«Ã½Èë¿Ú through exhibits and activities that encourage questioning and hands-on investigation.
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Tour the Shark Lab's facilities, which include a semi-enclosed outdoor tank bay that has a 10,000 gallon recirculating system including chillers, protein skimmers, and cartridge filters. The tank bay has several large polyurethane tanks for holding gamefishes, sharks, skates and rays.
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Tour the Marine Lab's facilities, which include an 6,000 gallon recirculating seawater system which supplies tanks in both indoor and semi-enclosed outdoor spaces with a constant supply of clean water at local environmental temperatures. Thus it has the ability to keep locally collected live marine animals (algae, invertebrates, and fishes) for classroom and research purposes.
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Use an "augmented reality sandbox" to visualize the shapes of mountains and valleys. Understanding the Earth and environment requires working with maps and developing great visualization skills - this unique activity from our Department of Earth Science will help you understand mountains, valleys, and watersheds.
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Create patterns and see modern mathematics. Our Department of Mathematics and Statistics will introduce you to current mathematics being researched today such as tiling and graph theory, through playing with patterns and coloring. We have activities appropriate for all ages, with difficulties ranging from simple to complex.
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Discover how soap destroys viruses like SARS-CoV-2 with Dr. Peter Ramirez and his Virology Lab team of graduate and undergraduate students. In this activity, participants will build different virus models to see how they react to soap. The Ramirez lab studies virus-cell interactions that control infection to Retroviruses (HIV-1) and Coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2).
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Explore the diversity of round stingray barbs under the microscope. There are all sorts of shapes and sizes to see! Also, check out the different "zombie" feet that we use in the lab to simulate what happens when you accidentally step on a stingray at the beach. We also have some surf booty material that we tested to see if it will keep your feet safe at the beach if stung by a stingray.
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Explore the shapes and hidden crystal structures of rocks, minerals and beach sand that tell you how they formed, where they came from, and what kind of ancient life lived in the past. Examine samples with your eyes and special geologic microscopes, provided by our Department of Earth Science, that let you look into the rocks to see their beautiful, hidden features, and colors.
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Use the Shake Table to simulate an earthquake, and see how vibrations affect structures and can even turn sand into a liquid-like substance.
