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Grandparents University
Grandparents University

Majors

Majors

This year, we are proud to present almost 30 Grandparents University majors—all of which are taught by Purdue faculty and staff or Boilermaker experts. Some majors are available for both sessions, but many are only available during one of the sessions.

An adult must accompany each child at all times. For that reason, please select majors based on the ages and physical abilities of everyone in your group.

Guide to physical activity levels

Levels of physical activity vary among majors and field trips, so please choose what best suits your abilities. Every attempt will be made to honor accessibility requests made in advance.
  • Low: Most activities and tours take place indoors with some walking required. Majors will have mostly seated activities.
  • Medium: Some movement and walking required between classrooms and venues, which may include stairs. Long periods of standing may be required, and outdoor activity is possible.
  • High: Significant movement and physical activity, including walking or hiking outdoors.

This year, there are 29 Grandparents University majors, all of which are taught by Purdue faculty and staff or Boilermaker experts. Some majors are available for both sessions, but many are only available during one of the sessions.

An adult must accompany each child at all times. For that reason, please select majors based on the ages and physical abilities of everyone in your group.

Guide to physical activity levels

Levels of physical activity vary among majors and field trips, so please choose what best suits your abilities. Every attempt will be made to honor accessibility requests made in advance.
  • Low: Most activities and tours take place indoors with some walking required. Majors will have mostly seated activities.
  • Medium: Some movement and walking required between classrooms and venues, which may include stairs. Long periods of standing may be required, and outdoor activity is possible.
  • High: Significant movement and physical activity, including walking or hiking outdoors.

CHOOSE A SESSION

LEAVEA BLANK
Hexagon icon showing for the ABCs of ABE major, featuring a leaf within a beaker.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

ABCs of ABE

TAUGHT BY: 

Mandy Limiac

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

High

Location:

Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building // Room B107
Experience the world of agricultural and biological engineering—from farm and forest to food and pharmaceuticals! Learn about the kinds of technologies that help crop production around the globe, discover how ecological engineers create designs and restore natural ecosystems, and hear how bioprocess engineers solve problems related to health, food, and the environment.

Examples of activities

        • Discover how drones and robots are pushing agriculture into the digital age—and then fly/drive them
        • Explore a stream redesign site
        • Get a taste for bioprocess engineering by making popping boba

ABCs of ABE

Hexagon icon showing for the Advancing Animal Health major, featuring an outline of a dog and a cat with the medical plus sign.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Advancing Animal Health

TAUGHT BY: 

Chad Brown

Facilitated BY: 

College of Veterinary Medicine

Age Group:

11-14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Charles J. Lynn Hall of Veterinary Medicine // Room B189
Discover some of the day-to-day activities of a veterinarian and veterinary nurse. You’ll get to see what they see by working directly with live animals, studying X-rays, and even examining the microorganisms that live inside a cow’s stomach!

Examples of activities

  • Practice physical exam techniques on a dog
  • Reach inside a real cow’s stomach
  • Look at blood cells under a microscope

Advancing Animal Health

Hexagon icon showing for the Amazing Science major, featuring an atomic symbol.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Amazing Science

TAUGHT BY: 

Sarah Nern, Steven Smith, and Bill Bayley

Facilitated BY: 

College of Science

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Herbert C. Brown Laboratory of Chemistry // Room 1175
Is it magic? No, it’s science! Get ready to amaze your family and friends by learning how to perform mind-bending science demonstrations and discovering the science behind them. And because you’re not a magician, you’ll be able to tell your audience the secrets behind every one of your tricks!

Examples of activities

  • Conduct investigations and solve puzzles using science
  • Uncover the secrets behind demonstrations using air pressure, wavelengths of light, and the laws of physical science
  • Engage in friendly competitions using the science you’ve learned

Amazing Science

Hexagon icon showing for the Building Your World major, featuring a suspension bridge over water.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Building Your World

TAUGHT BY: 

Juliana Pereira and staff from the Women in Engineering Program

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 2051
Have you ever thought about who designs the structures around you—things like buildings, bridges, and roads? That would be civil engineers! Using imagination and innovation, civil engineers create sustainable designs that we see every day, and now it’s your turn!

Examples of activities

  • Create your very own structure
  • Learn how buildings are designed to withstand extreme weather
  • Discover how engineers are preparing cities for the future

Building Your World

Hexagon icon showing for the Connecting Families major, featuring three figures over a game controller.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Connecting Families

TAUGHT BY: 

Rua Williams

Facilitated BY: 

Purdue Polytechnic Institute

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center
Thursday: Room B091
Friday: Room 3122
How does your family stay connected? Do you video chat? Do you share pictures of exciting moments? What if you could create a game that you could play together—no matter where you are? Discover how to use technology and design to create a game that combines in-person and digital features.

Examples of activities

  • Learn about the technology ecosystems we have in our homes
  • Imagine how your favorite games could become shared experiences in different homes
  • Create three collaborative games, pick the best aspects of each one, and play the final game together

Connecting Families

Hexagon icon showing for the Diagnostic Detectives major, featuring a magnifying glass over a test tube.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Diagnostic Detectives

TAUGHT BY: 

Lisa Hilliard

Facilitated BY: 

College of Health and Human Sciences

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 3132
Figuring out what’s wrong when you’re sick takes a lot more than checking a website for symptoms. Explore the world of medical laboratory science, where experts detect and diagnose disease. Uncover how these scientists do their detective work using their knowledge of anatomy and the body’s own defense system.

Examples of activities

  • Construct a kidney model to see how it functions when you’re healthy and when you’re sick
  • Discover how blood and its composition helps your body fight germs, and make connections to patient symptoms
  • Play the role of a medical laboratory scientist and diagnose patients based on symptoms

Diagnostic Detectives

Hexagon icon showing for the Engineering in Space major, featuring a rocket ship.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Engineering in Space

TAUGHT BY: 

Brianne Wrede and staff from the Women in Engineering Program

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 2088
When you think about going to space, you probably think about astronauts. But what about engineers? Through the design, creation, and operation of aircraft, rockets, and space-based systems, engineers play a big part in space exploration! Discover space from an engineer’s perspective, and learn about their roles in recent missions to space.

Examples of activities

  • Build your very own rocket
  • Explore origami in Space Engineering

Engineering in Space

Hexagon icon showing for the Future Teachers major, featuring an apple and the letters “A,” “B,” and “C.”

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Future Teachers

TAUGHT BY: 

Adrie Koehler, Jennifer Richardson, and Wanju Huang

Facilitated BY: 

College of Education

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Steven C. Beering Hall of Liberal Arts and Education // Room 3292
Digital storytelling, web applications, and even artificial intelligence are changing the ways teachers teach—and the ways you learn. By discovering how to use new technology safely and appropriately, you can unlock a world of new educational experiences. Step into your teacher’s shoes, and find out how technology is advancing your classroom!

Examples of activities

  • Investigate a topic and create a digital story using iPads to share what you’ve learned
  • Learn how artificial intelligence can support teaching and learning
  • Design a learning experience from a teacher’s perspective using Google Workspace

Future Teachers

Hexagon icon showing for the Health Explorers major, featuring EKG lines within a heart graphic.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Health Explorers

TAUGHT BY: 

Elizabeth Wertz

Facilitated BY: 

College of Health and Human Sciences

Age Group:

7–10

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Lyles-Porter Hall // Lobby
You’re being paged—get ready to unravel some of the mysteries of the human body! Discover what a career in health care would be like by working with and learning from Boilermakers in Purdue’s School of Nursing.

Examples of activities

  • Learn about vital signs and practice taking them
  • Discover the world of germs—how they spread and how to keep yourself healthy
  • Explore various systems of the body and how they work together

Health Explorers

Hexagon icon showing for the Hot Science major, featuring a chili pepper within a flame.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Hot Science

TAUGHT BY: 

Amanda Deering

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Philip E. Nelson Hall of Food Science // Skidmore Lab
What do peppers, bacteria, and hot sauce all have in common? You! Before you create your own hot sauce to take home, you’ll learn more about its basic ingredient—bacteria. Study the natural bacteria present on different varieties of peppers, and discover how that bacteria can be put to work to make hot sauce!

Examples of activities

  • Use Petri dishes to explore the natural bacteria on different peppers
  • Prepare hot sauces from the peppers—making sure to measure the pH and allowing it to ferment overnight
  • Test the pH the next day, evaluate the different results, and take your hot sauce home to enjoy

Hot Science

Hexagon icon showing for the Insect Expedition major, featuring a beetle.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Insect Expedition

TAUGHT BY: 

Emily Justus

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Smith Hall // Room 126
Explore the awesome world of arthropods—the species that makes up approximately 80% of all living animals on Earth. The numbers are large, but the creatures are not! Insects, spiders, scorpions, millipedes, and isopods—discover how all of these bugs interact with each other and the world around them.

Examples of activities

  • Explore the habitats of these crawling creatures
  • Learn about what they need to survive
  • Meet and interact with residents of the Purdue Bug Barn

Insect Expedition

Hexagon icon showing for the Microbes to Medicines major, featuring bacteria.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Microbes to Medicines

TAUGHT BY: 

Elizabeth Parkinson

Facilitated BY: 

College of Science

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Chaney-Hale Hall of Science // Room 1038
Get ready to look at dirt like a scientist, and explore the bacteria that live in your own backyard! Discover how the bacteria found in soil can be used to make antibiotics—maybe even ones you’ve taken!

Examples of activities

  • Isolate bacteria from soil
  • Learn how microorganisms make molecules that we use as medicines
  • Observe Streptomyces bacteria and the colored compounds they produce

Microbes to Medicines

Hexagon icon showing for the Monster Innovation major, featuring a robot with antenna and six arms.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Monster Innovation

TAUGHT BY: 

Robin Meher and Victoria Thomas

Facilitated BY: 

Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 3007
Monsters are on the loose in Purdue Libraries! Well, not yet, but they will be once you create them! After making sure your design complies with American Society of Monster Engineering standards and that it doesn’t infringe on other monster patents, you’ll be able to transform your design into a constructed creation.

Examples of activities

  • Design a cardboard monster prototype
  • Study standards and patents for prototypes
  • Add excitement to the creation with circuitry

Monster Innovation

Hexagon icon showing for the No Bones About It major, featuring a broken bone.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

No Bones About It

TAUGHT BY: 

Thomas Siegmund

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Chaney-Hale Hall of Science // Room 1060
Have you ever broken a bone before? Have you ever wondered why bones break after some falls but not others? Get ready to learn all about bones—what makes them weak, what makes them strong, and how to keep them strong. What’s the best way to learn about bones? By creating your own, of course!

Examples of activities

  • Make your own bones and then break them
  • Discover what your bones are made of
  • Learn how bones change the older you get

No Bones About It

Hexagon icon showing for the Prevent and Protect major, featuring three germs.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Prevent and Protect

TAUGHT BY: 

Mark Wilson

Facilitated BY: 

College of Health and Human Sciences

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 3121
Who protects your community? A police officer? A firefighter? What about you? You can play a big role in protecting your community by learning how to prevent disease and promote wellness. Prepare yourself for the job by learning how to recognize, evaluate, control, and confirm health hazards.

Examples of activities

  • Train for your job through the Industrial Hygiene Heroes video game
  • Conduct air and surface sampling to discover potential health hazards
  • Create controls and establish protocols to keep your community safe from identified hazards

Prevent and Protect

Hexagon icon showing for the Running a Restaurant major, featuring a hand holding a serving platter with steam.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Running a Restaurant

TAUGHT BY: 

Bruce Goad

Facilitated BY: 

College of Health and Human Sciences

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

John Purdue Room in Marriott Hall
Opening a dream restaurant is only the beginning—you have to make money to stay in business. Discover the secrets to great hospitality and the details that make a food-service operation successful, including cleanliness, wonderful employees, and—of course—delicious menus!

Examples of activities

  • Design a menu
  • Make your own dish in a commercial kitchen
  • Practice managing your restaurant’s money in a fun competition

Running a Restaurant

Hexagon icon showing for the Shark Tank Jr. major, featuring a hand holding a bag with the money symbol on it.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Shark Tank Jr.

TAUGHT BY: 

Wan-Ting Chiu

Facilitated BY: 

Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Jerry S. Rawls Hall // Room 2058
Messy rooms. Confusing homework problems. Chores you wish would do themselves. You encounter problems every day! If you have ever come up with a solution, then it’s time to enter the shark tank. Discover your inner entrepreneur before getting the chance to pitch your very own ideas!

Examples of activities

  • Create possible solutions to real-world problems
  • Learn about product development and how to conduct market research
  • Discover how to find solutions to problems through reverse brainstorming

Shark Tank Jr.

Hexagon icon showing for the STEM-IT! major, featuring a robot with a lightning bolt on its chest.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

STEM-IT!

TAUGHT BY: 

Sascha Harrell

Facilitated BY: 

Purdue’s Indiana Manufacturing Competitiveness Center

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Indiana Manufacturing Institute
Discover new ways to design, innovate, solve problems, and create through STEM! From building with Legos to working with robots, get ready to explore just how fun and exciting science, technology, engineering, and math can be—and find out why STEM is important.

Examples of activities

  • Experience 3D printing
  • Explore STEM through robotics, including Dobot, Dash and Dot, and Sphero
  • Tour a micromanufacturing testbed

STEM-IT!

Hexagon icon showing for the Supporting Conservation major, featuring a deer with antlers.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Supporting Conservation

TAUGHT BY: 

Steve Thompson

Facilitated BY: 

College of Veterinary Medicine

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

High

Location:

Charles J. Lynn Hall of Veterinary Medicine
Thursday: Room G119
Friday: Room G167
There are a lot of actions you can take to protect Earth’s incredible animals, and there are certain things only professionals can handle. Go behind the scenes to see how veterinarians treat and support species facing infectious disease outbreaks. You’ll also learn about the heartwarming but delicate process of reintroducing animals to their habitats.

Examples of activities

  • Learn fascinating facts about animals from Columbian Park Zoo visitors
  • Discover how we learn more about snakes by using tracking devices
  • Watch a video of a snake surgery

Supporting Conservation

Hexagon icon showing for the Tiny House Engineering major, featuring a house within a scroll.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Tiny House Engineering

TAUGHT BY: 

Nusrat Jung

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Delon and Elizabeth Hampton Hall of Civil Engineering // Room G157
Purdue University’s campus may be huge, but this is one tiny house! Focus on the future of our planet by learning about energy efficiency and complex building systems in a 192-square-foot house called zEDGE. After learning about Purdue’s tiny house and its sustainable systems, you will get to design your own!

Examples of activities

  • Install temperature sensors in the tiny house
  • Investigate how electrical appliances affect energy consumption
  • Measure volatile organic compounds in the house using scented products, such as air-cleaning spray

Tiny House Engineering

Hexagon icon showing for the Weather or Not major, featuring a sun behind a raincloud.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Weather or Not

TAUGHT BY: 

Beth Hall, Austin Pearson, and Melissa Widhalm

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 3138
Have you ever thought about how forecasts predict our weather? Do you know the difference between climate and weather? Is the greenhouse effect just like a glass greenhouse? Become a weather detective as you decode its impact on our planet.

Examples of activities

  • Plan a vacation around climate and weather
  • Discover some of nature’s clues for incoming weather
  • Learn where weather forecasts come from
  • Explore the causes of and contributors to the greenhouse effect

Weather or Not

Hexagon icon showing for the Writing With an Author major, featuring a hand holding a pencil.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Writing With an Author

TAUGHT BY: 

Angie Klink (LA’81)

Facilitated BY: 

College of Liberal Arts

Age Group:

7–10

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Krannert Building // Rooms 258 and 260
This is your chance to learn from and write with a beloved Boilermaker author! Every book starts with just an idea, but then it goes through quite the journey—research, interviews, putting words to ideas, and illustrations. Get ready to go on your own journey as you create a book filled with memories!

Examples of activities

  • Interview grandparents to create a lap-book biography
  • Explore examples of Amelia Earhart’s writings from Purdue Archives and Special Collections
  • Celebrate your achievements as an author with a book launch

Writing With an Author

Hexagon icon showing for the ABCs of ABE major, featuring a leaf within a beaker.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

ABCs of ABE

TAUGHT BY: 

Mandy Limiac

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

High

Location:

Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building // Room B107
Experience the world of agricultural and biological engineering—from farm and forest to food and pharmaceuticals! Learn about the kinds of technologies that help crop production around the globe, discover how ecological engineers create designs and restore natural ecosystems, and hear how bioprocess engineers solve problems related to health, food, and the environment.

Examples of activities

  • Discover how drones and robots are pushing agriculture into the digital age—and then fly/drive them
  • Explore a stream redesign site
  • Get a taste for bioprocess engineering by making popping boba

ABCs of ABE

Hexagon icon showing for the All the Small Things major, featuring a DNA model.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

All the Small Things

TAUGHT BY: 

Ron Reger and Neil Dilley

Facilitated BY: 

Discovery Park District at Purdue

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Birck Nanotechnology Center // Room 1001
Can you imagine a world that’s too small to see? Introducing nanotechnology! Explore nanoscale science and engineering, and learn about their impacts on society. By engaging with engineers and scientists, you’ll discover materials and technologies that are changing the world.

Examples of activities

  • Experiment with and manipulate liquid crystals and thin films
  • Tour the nanotechnology center’s research cleanroom
  • Watch a nano ice cream demonstration before enjoying your own sweet treat

All the Small Things

Hexagon icon showing for the Amazing Science major, featuring an atomic symbol.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Amazing Science

TAUGHT BY: 

Sarah Nern, Steven Smith, and Bill Bayley

Facilitated BY: 

College of Science

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Herbert C. Brown Laboratory of Chemistry // Room 1175
Is it magic? No, it’s science! Get ready to amaze your family and friends by learning how to perform mind-bending science demonstrations and discovering the science behind them. And because you’re not a magician, you’ll be able to tell your audience the secrets behind every one of your tricks!

Examples of activities

  • Conduct investigations and solve puzzles using science
  • Uncover the secrets behind demonstrations using air pressure, wavelengths of light, and the laws of physical science
  • Engage in friendly competitions using the science you’ve learned

Amazing Science

Hexagon icon showing for the Building Your World major, featuring a suspension bridge over water.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Building Your World

TAUGHT BY: 

Juliana Pereira and staff from the Women in Engineering Program

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 2051
Have you ever thought about who designs the structures around you—things like buildings, bridges, and roads? That would be civil engineers! Using imagination and innovation, civil engineers create sustainable designs that we see every day, and now it’s your turn!

Examples of activities

  • Create your very own structure
  • Learn how buildings are designed to withstand extreme weather
  • Discover how engineers are preparing cities for the future

Building Your World

Hexagon icon showing for the Connecting Families major, featuring three figures over a game controller.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Connecting Families

TAUGHT BY: 

Rua Williams

Facilitated BY: 

Purdue Polytechnic Institute

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center
Thursday: Room B091
Friday: Room 3122
How does your family stay connected? Do you video chat? Do you share pictures of exciting moments? What if you could create a game that you could play together—no matter where you are? Discover how to use technology and design to create a game that combines in-person and digital features.

Examples of activities

  • Learn about the technology ecosystems we have in our homes
  • Imagine how your favorite games could become shared experiences in different homes
  • Create three collaborative games, pick the best aspects of each one, and play the final game together

Connecting Families

Hexagon icon showing for the Culinary Adventures major, featuring a leaf, carrot, turnip, and eggplant within a bowl.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Culinary Adventures

TAUGHT BY: 

Deandrae Smith

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Philip E. Nelson Hall of Food Science // Skidmore Lab
Discover the fascinating world of food by exploring how raw ingredients transform into delicious and nutritious meals. Uncover the science and technology that helps food end up on our tables while also learning about the importance of healthy eating habits.

Examples of activities

  • Prepare a recipe using only the ingredients and utensils provided
  • Host a tasting session where everyone can sample the food
  • Evaluate samples of food processed using microwave technology

Culinary Adventures

Hexagon icon showing for the Engineering in Space major, featuring a rocket ship.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Engineering in Space

TAUGHT BY: 

Brianne Wrede and staff from the Women in Engineering Program

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 2088
When you think about going to space, you probably think about astronauts. But what about engineers? Through the design, creation, and operation of aircraft, rockets, and space-based systems, engineers play a big part in space exploration! Discover space from an engineer’s perspective, and learn about their roles in recent missions to space.

Examples of activities

  • Build your very own rocket
  • Explore origami in Space Engineering

Engineering in Space

Hexagon icon showing for the Health Explorers major, featuring EKG lines within a heart graphic.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Health Explorers

TAUGHT BY: 

Elizabeth Wertz

Facilitated BY: 

College of Health and Human Sciences

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Lyles-Porter Hall // Lobby
You’re being paged—get ready to unravel some of the mysteries of the human body! Discover what a career in health care would be like by working with and learning from Boilermakers in Purdue’s School of Nursing.

Examples of activities

  • Learn about vital signs and practice taking them
  • Discover the world of germs—how they spread and how to keep yourself healthy
  • Explore various systems of the body and how they work together

Health Explorers

Hexagon icon showing for the Hot Science major, featuring a chili pepper within a flame.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Hot Science

TAUGHT BY: 

Amanda Deering

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Philip E. Nelson Hall of Food Science // Rooms 1195 and 1215
What do peppers, bacteria, and hot sauce all have in common? You! Before you create your own hot sauce to take home, you’ll learn more about its basic ingredient—bacteria. Study the natural bacteria present on different varieties of peppers, and discover how that bacteria can be put to work to make hot sauce!

Examples of activities

  • Use Petri dishes to explore the natural bacteria on different peppers
  • Prepare hot sauces from the peppers—making sure to measure the pH and allowing it to ferment overnight
  • Test the pH the next day, evaluate the different results, and take your hot sauce home to enjoy

Hot Science

Hexagon icon showing for the Insect Expedition major, featuring a beetle.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Insect Expedition

TAUGHT BY: 

Emily Justus

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Smith Hall // Room 126
Explore the awesome world of arthropods—the species that makes up approximately 80% of all living animals on Earth. The numbers are large, but the creatures are not! Insects, spiders, scorpions, millipedes, and isopods—discover how all of these bugs interact with each other and the world around them.

Examples of activities

  • Explore the habitats of these crawling creatures
  • Learn about what they need to survive
  • Meet and interact with residents of the Purdue Bug Barn

Insect Expedition

Hexagon icon showing for the No Bones About It major, featuring a broken bone.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

No Bones About It

TAUGHT BY: 

Thomas Siegmund

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Chaney-Hale Hall of Science // Room 1060
Have you ever broken a bone before? Have you ever wondered why bones break after some falls but not others? Get ready to learn all about bones—what makes them weak, what makes them strong, and how to keep them strong. What’s the best way to learn about bones? By creating your own, of course!

Examples of activities

  • Make your own bones and then break them
  • Discover what your bones are made of
  • Learn how bones change the older you get

No Bones About It

Hexagon icon showing for the Running a Restaurant major, featuring a hand holding a serving platter with steam.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Running a Restaurant

TAUGHT BY: 

Bruce Goad

Facilitated BY: 

College of Health and Human Sciences

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

John Purdue Room in Marriott Hall
Opening a dream restaurant is only the beginning—you have to make money to stay in business. Discover the secrets to great hospitality and the details that make a food-service operation successful, including cleanliness, wonderful employees, and—of course—delicious menus!

Examples of activities

  • Design a menu
  • Make your own dish in a commercial kitchen
  • Practice managing your restaurant’s money in a fun competition

Running a Restaurant

Hexagon icon showing for the Shark Tank Jr. major, featuring a hand holding a bag with the money symbol on it.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Shark Tank Jr.

TAUGHT BY: 

Wan-Ting Chiu

Facilitated BY: 

Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Jerry S. Rawls Hall // Room 2058
Messy rooms. Confusing homework problems. Chores you wish would do themselves. You encounter problems every day! If you have ever come up with a solution, then it’s time to enter the shark tank. Discover your inner entrepreneur before getting the chance to pitch your very own ideas!

Examples of activities

  • Create possible solutions to real-world problems
  • Learn about product development and how to conduct market research
  • Discover how to find solutions to problems through reverse brainstorming

Shark Tank Jr.

Hexagon icon showing for the STEM-IT! major, featuring a robot with a lightning bolt on its chest.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

STEM-IT!

TAUGHT BY: 

Sascha Harrell

Facilitated BY: 

Purdue’s Indiana Manufacturing Competitiveness Center

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Purdue Manufacturing Inst.
Discover new ways to design, innovate, solve problems, and create through STEM! From building with Legos to working with robots, get ready to explore just how fun and exciting science, technology, engineering, and math can be—and find out why STEM is important.

Examples of activities

  • Experience 3D printing
  • Explore STEM through robotics, including Dobot, Dash and Dot, and Sphero
  • Tour a micromanufacturing testbed

STEM-IT!

Hexagon icon showing for the Supporting Conservation major, featuring a deer with antlers.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Supporting Conservation

TAUGHT BY: 

Steve Thompson

Facilitated BY: 

College of Veterinary Medicine

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

High

Location:

Charles J. Lynn Hall of Veterinary Medicine // Room G155
There are a lot of actions you can take to protect Earth’s incredible animals, and there are certain things only professionals can handle. Go behind the scenes to see how veterinarians treat and support species facing infectious disease outbreaks. You’ll also learn about the heartwarming but delicate process of reintroducing animals to their habitats.

Examples of activities

  • Learn fascinating facts about animals from Columbian Park Zoo visitors
  • Discover how we learn more about snakes by using tracking devices
  • Watch a video of a snake surgery

Supporting Conservation

Hexagon icon showing for the The Art of Nature major, featuring a squirrel holding a plant.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

The Art of Nature

TAUGHT BY: 

Tami Mosier and Effie Campbell

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 3090
Experience nature in a brand-new way by combining art with scientific exploration. Learn how to sketch scientific observations using various creative mediums and techniques, create your own maps, and even simulate water flow in a miniature landscape. You will be amazed by what you can create while exploring the world around you.

Examples of activities

  • Watch contour lines and elevations come to life by creating 3D models
  • Become a cartographer by creating a watercolor fantasy map
  • Conduct an archaeological cookie dig

The Art of Nature

Hexagon icon showing for the The Power of Podcasting major, featuring a microphone.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

The Power of Podcasting

TAUGHT BY: 

Kate Young

Facilitated BY: 

College of Liberal Arts

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration //
Thursday: Varsity Conference Room (3rd floor)
Friday: Discovery Conference Room (1st floor)
Purdue uses its podcast to tell all kinds of stories—from scientists who create lifesaving cancer treatments to legendary Purdue athletes and coaches. Explore how you can create a podcast to tell your own stories! You’ll even get to hear behind-the-scenes info from your favorite Boilermakers.

Examples of activities

  • Learn how to prepare and conduct an interview
  • Discover more about the podcast industry
  • Create your very own short podcast clip

The Power of Podcasting

Hexagon icon showing for the Writing With an Author major, featuring a hand holding a pencil.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Writing With an Author

TAUGHT BY: 

Angie Klink (LA’81)

Facilitated BY: 

College of Liberal Arts

Age Group:

7–10

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Krannert Building // Rooms 258 and 260
This is your chance to learn from and write with a beloved Boilermaker author! Every book starts with just an idea, but then it goes through quite the journey—research, interviews, putting words to ideas, and illustrations. Get ready to go on your own journey as you create a book filled with memories!

Examples of activities

  • Interview grandparents to create a lap-book biography
  • Explore examples of Amelia Earhart’s writings from Purdue Archives and Special Collections
  • Celebrate your achievements as an author with a book launch

Writing With an Author

Hexagon icon showing for the ABCs of ABE major, featuring a leaf within a beaker.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

ABCs of ABE

TAUGHT BY: 

Mandy Limiac

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

High

Location:

Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building // Room B107
Experience the world of agricultural and biological engineering—from farm and forest to food and pharmaceuticals! Learn about the kinds of technologies that help crop production around the globe, discover how ecological engineers create designs and restore natural ecosystems, and hear how bioprocess engineers solve problems related to health, food, and the environment.

Examples of activities

        • Discover how drones and robots are pushing agriculture into the digital age—and then fly/drive them
        • Explore a stream redesign site
        • Get a taste for bioprocess engineering by making popping boba

ABCs of ABE

Hexagon icon showing for the Advancing Animal Health major, featuring an outline of a dog and a cat with the medical plus sign.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Advancing Animal Health

TAUGHT BY: 

Chad Brown

Facilitated BY: 

College of Veterinary Medicine

Age Group:

11-14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Charles J. Lynn Hall of Veterinary Medicine // Room B189
Discover some of the day-to-day activities of a veterinarian and veterinary nurse. You’ll get to see what they see by working directly with live animals, studying X-rays, and even examining the microorganisms that live inside a cow’s stomach!

Examples of activities

  • Practice physical exam techniques on a dog
  • Reach inside a real cow’s stomach
  • Look at blood cells under a microscope

Advancing Animal Health

Hexagon icon showing for the Amazing Science major, featuring an atomic symbol.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Amazing Science

TAUGHT BY: 

Sarah Nern, Steven Smith, and Bill Bayley

Facilitated BY: 

College of Science

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Herbert C. Brown Laboratory of Chemistry // Room 1175
Is it magic? No, it’s science! Get ready to amaze your family and friends by learning how to perform mind-bending science demonstrations and discovering the science behind them. And because you’re not a magician, you’ll be able to tell your audience the secrets behind every one of your tricks!

Examples of activities

  • Conduct investigations and solve puzzles using science
  • Uncover the secrets behind demonstrations using air pressure, wavelengths of light, and the laws of physical science
  • Engage in friendly competitions using the science you’ve learned

Amazing Science

Hexagon icon showing for the Building Your World major, featuring a suspension bridge over water.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Building Your World

TAUGHT BY: 

Juliana Pereira and staff from the Women in Engineering Program

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 2051
Have you ever thought about who designs the structures around you—things like buildings, bridges, and roads? That would be civil engineers! Using imagination and innovation, civil engineers create sustainable designs that we see every day, and now it’s your turn!

Examples of activities

  • Create your very own structure
  • Learn how buildings are designed to withstand extreme weather
  • Discover how engineers are preparing cities for the future

Building Your World

Hexagon icon showing for the Connecting Families major, featuring three figures over a game controller.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Connecting Families

TAUGHT BY: 

Rua Williams

Facilitated BY: 

Purdue Polytechnic Institute

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center
Thursday: Room B091
Friday: Room 3122
How does your family stay connected? Do you video chat? Do you share pictures of exciting moments? What if you could create a game that you could play together—no matter where you are? Discover how to use technology and design to create a game that combines in-person and digital features.

Examples of activities

  • Learn about the technology ecosystems we have in our homes
  • Imagine how your favorite games could become shared experiences in different homes
  • Create three collaborative games, pick the best aspects of each one, and play the final game together

Connecting Families

Hexagon icon showing for the Diagnostic Detectives major, featuring a magnifying glass over a test tube.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Diagnostic Detectives

TAUGHT BY: 

Lisa Hilliard

Facilitated BY: 

College of Health and Human Sciences

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 3132
Figuring out what’s wrong when you’re sick takes a lot more than checking a website for symptoms. Explore the world of medical laboratory science, where experts detect and diagnose disease. Uncover how these scientists do their detective work using their knowledge of anatomy and the body’s own defense system.

Examples of activities

  • Construct a kidney model to see how it functions when you’re healthy and when you’re sick
  • Discover how blood and its composition helps your body fight germs, and make connections to patient symptoms
  • Play the role of a medical laboratory scientist and diagnose patients based on symptoms

Diagnostic Detectives

Hexagon icon showing for the Engineering in Space major, featuring a rocket ship.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Engineering in Space

TAUGHT BY: 

Brianne Wrede and staff from the Women in Engineering Program

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 2088
When you think about going to space, you probably think about astronauts. But what about engineers? Through the design, creation, and operation of aircraft, rockets, and space-based systems, engineers play a big part in space exploration! Discover space from an engineer’s perspective, and learn about their roles in recent missions to space.

Examples of activities

  • Build your very own rocket
  • Explore origami in Space Engineering

Engineering in Space

Hexagon icon showing for the Future Teachers major, featuring an apple and the letters “A,” “B,” and “C.”

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Future Teachers

TAUGHT BY: 

Adrie Koehler, Jennifer Richardson, and Wanju Huang

Facilitated BY: 

College of Education

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Steven C. Beering Hall of Liberal Arts and Education // Room 3292
Digital storytelling, web applications, and even artificial intelligence are changing the ways teachers teach—and the ways you learn. By discovering how to use new technology safely and appropriately, you can unlock a world of new educational experiences. Step into your teacher’s shoes, and find out how technology is advancing your classroom!

Examples of activities

  • Investigate a topic and create a digital story using iPads to share what you’ve learned
  • Learn how artificial intelligence can support teaching and learning
  • Design a learning experience from a teacher’s perspective using Google Workspace

Future Teachers

Hexagon icon showing for the Health Explorers major, featuring EKG lines within a heart graphic.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Health Explorers

TAUGHT BY: 

Elizabeth Wertz

Facilitated BY: 

College of Health and Human Sciences

Age Group:

7–10

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Lyles-Porter Hall // Lobby
You’re being paged—get ready to unravel some of the mysteries of the human body! Discover what a career in health care would be like by working with and learning from Boilermakers in Purdue’s School of Nursing.

Examples of activities

  • Learn about vital signs and practice taking them
  • Discover the world of germs—how they spread and how to keep yourself healthy
  • Explore various systems of the body and how they work together

Health Explorers

Hexagon icon showing for the Hot Science major, featuring a chili pepper within a flame.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Hot Science

TAUGHT BY: 

Amanda Deering

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Philip E. Nelson Hall of Food Science // Skidmore Lab
What do peppers, bacteria, and hot sauce all have in common? You! Before you create your own hot sauce to take home, you’ll learn more about its basic ingredient—bacteria. Study the natural bacteria present on different varieties of peppers, and discover how that bacteria can be put to work to make hot sauce!

Examples of activities

  • Use Petri dishes to explore the natural bacteria on different peppers
  • Prepare hot sauces from the peppers—making sure to measure the pH and allowing it to ferment overnight
  • Test the pH the next day, evaluate the different results, and take your hot sauce home to enjoy

Hot Science

Hexagon icon showing for the Insect Expedition major, featuring a beetle.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Insect Expedition

TAUGHT BY: 

Emily Justus

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Smith Hall // Room 126
Explore the awesome world of arthropods—the species that makes up approximately 80% of all living animals on Earth. The numbers are large, but the creatures are not! Insects, spiders, scorpions, millipedes, and isopods—discover how all of these bugs interact with each other and the world around them.

Examples of activities

  • Explore the habitats of these crawling creatures
  • Learn about what they need to survive
  • Meet and interact with residents of the Purdue Bug Barn

Insect Expedition

Hexagon icon showing for the Microbes to Medicines major, featuring bacteria.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Microbes to Medicines

TAUGHT BY: 

Elizabeth Parkinson

Facilitated BY: 

College of Science

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Chaney-Hale Hall of Science // Room 1038
Get ready to look at dirt like a scientist, and explore the bacteria that live in your own backyard! Discover how the bacteria found in soil can be used to make antibiotics—maybe even ones you’ve taken!

Examples of activities

  • Isolate bacteria from soil
  • Learn how microorganisms make molecules that we use as medicines
  • Observe Streptomyces bacteria and the colored compounds they produce

Microbes to Medicines

Hexagon icon showing for the Monster Innovation major, featuring a robot with antenna and six arms.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Monster Innovation

TAUGHT BY: 

Robin Meher and Victoria Thomas

Facilitated BY: 

Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 3007
Monsters are on the loose in Purdue Libraries! Well, not yet, but they will be once you create them! After making sure your design complies with American Society of Monster Engineering standards and that it doesn’t infringe on other monster patents, you’ll be able to transform your design into a constructed creation.

Examples of activities

  • Design a cardboard monster prototype
  • Study standards and patents for prototypes
  • Add excitement to the creation with circuitry

Monster Innovation

Hexagon icon showing for the No Bones About It major, featuring a broken bone.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

No Bones About It

TAUGHT BY: 

Thomas Siegmund

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Chaney-Hale Hall of Science // Room 1060
Have you ever broken a bone before? Have you ever wondered why bones break after some falls but not others? Get ready to learn all about bones—what makes them weak, what makes them strong, and how to keep them strong. What’s the best way to learn about bones? By creating your own, of course!

Examples of activities

  • Make your own bones and then break them
  • Discover what your bones are made of
  • Learn how bones change the older you get

No Bones About It

Hexagon icon showing for the Prevent and Protect major, featuring three germs.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Prevent and Protect

TAUGHT BY: 

Mark Wilson

Facilitated BY: 

College of Health and Human Sciences

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 3121
Who protects your community? A police officer? A firefighter? What about you? You can play a big role in protecting your community by learning how to prevent disease and promote wellness. Prepare yourself for the job by learning how to recognize, evaluate, control, and confirm health hazards.

Examples of activities

  • Train for your job through the Industrial Hygiene Heroes video game
  • Conduct air and surface sampling to discover potential health hazards
  • Create controls and establish protocols to keep your community safe from identified hazards

Prevent and Protect

Hexagon icon showing for the Running a Restaurant major, featuring a hand holding a serving platter with steam.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Running a Restaurant

TAUGHT BY: 

Bruce Goad

Facilitated BY: 

College of Health and Human Sciences

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

John Purdue Room in Marriott Hall
Opening a dream restaurant is only the beginning—you have to make money to stay in business. Discover the secrets to great hospitality and the details that make a food-service operation successful, including cleanliness, wonderful employees, and—of course—delicious menus!

Examples of activities

  • Design a menu
  • Make your own dish in a commercial kitchen
  • Practice managing your restaurant’s money in a fun competition

Running a Restaurant

Hexagon icon showing for the Shark Tank Jr. major, featuring a hand holding a bag with the money symbol on it.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Shark Tank Jr.

TAUGHT BY: 

Wan-Ting Chiu

Facilitated BY: 

Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Jerry S. Rawls Hall // Room 2058
Messy rooms. Confusing homework problems. Chores you wish would do themselves. You encounter problems every day! If you have ever come up with a solution, then it’s time to enter the shark tank. Discover your inner entrepreneur before getting the chance to pitch your very own ideas!

Examples of activities

  • Create possible solutions to real-world problems
  • Learn about product development and how to conduct market research
  • Discover how to find solutions to problems through reverse brainstorming

Shark Tank Jr.

Hexagon icon showing for the STEM-IT! major, featuring a robot with a lightning bolt on its chest.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

STEM-IT!

TAUGHT BY: 

Sascha Harrell

Facilitated BY: 

Purdue’s Indiana Manufacturing Competitiveness Center

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Indiana Manufacturing Institute
Discover new ways to design, innovate, solve problems, and create through STEM! From building with Legos to working with robots, get ready to explore just how fun and exciting science, technology, engineering, and math can be—and find out why STEM is important.

Examples of activities

  • Experience 3D printing
  • Explore STEM through robotics, including Dobot, Dash and Dot, and Sphero
  • Tour a micromanufacturing testbed

STEM-IT!

Hexagon icon showing for the Supporting Conservation major, featuring a deer with antlers.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Supporting Conservation

TAUGHT BY: 

Steve Thompson

Facilitated BY: 

College of Veterinary Medicine

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

High

Location:

Charles J. Lynn Hall of Veterinary Medicine
Thursday: Room G119
Friday: Room G167
There are a lot of actions you can take to protect Earth’s incredible animals, and there are certain things only professionals can handle. Go behind the scenes to see how veterinarians treat and support species facing infectious disease outbreaks. You’ll also learn about the heartwarming but delicate process of reintroducing animals to their habitats.

Examples of activities

  • Learn fascinating facts about animals from Columbian Park Zoo visitors
  • Discover how we learn more about snakes by using tracking devices
  • Watch a video of a snake surgery

Supporting Conservation

Hexagon icon showing for the Tiny House Engineering major, featuring a house within a scroll.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Tiny House Engineering

TAUGHT BY: 

Nusrat Jung

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Delon and Elizabeth Hampton Hall of Civil Engineering // Room G157
Purdue University’s campus may be huge, but this is one tiny house! Focus on the future of our planet by learning about energy efficiency and complex building systems in a 192-square-foot house called zEDGE. After learning about Purdue’s tiny house and its sustainable systems, you will get to design your own!

Examples of activities

  • Install temperature sensors in the tiny house
  • Investigate how electrical appliances affect energy consumption
  • Measure volatile organic compounds in the house using scented products, such as air-cleaning spray

Tiny House Engineering

Hexagon icon showing for the Weather or Not major, featuring a sun behind a raincloud.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Weather or Not

TAUGHT BY: 

Beth Hall, Austin Pearson, and Melissa Widhalm

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 3138
Have you ever thought about how forecasts predict our weather? Do you know the difference between climate and weather? Is the greenhouse effect just like a glass greenhouse? Become a weather detective as you decode its impact on our planet.

Examples of activities

  • Plan a vacation around climate and weather
  • Discover some of nature’s clues for incoming weather
  • Learn where weather forecasts come from
  • Explore the causes of and contributors to the greenhouse effect

Weather or Not

Hexagon icon showing for the Writing With an Author major, featuring a hand holding a pencil.

SESSION 1, JULY 18—19

Writing With an Author

TAUGHT BY: 

Angie Klink (LA’81)

Facilitated BY: 

College of Liberal Arts

Age Group:

7–10

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Krannert Building // Rooms 258 and 260
This is your chance to learn from and write with a beloved Boilermaker author! Every book starts with just an idea, but then it goes through quite the journey—research, interviews, putting words to ideas, and illustrations. Get ready to go on your own journey as you create a book filled with memories!

Examples of activities

  • Interview grandparents to create a lap-book biography
  • Explore examples of Amelia Earhart’s writings from Purdue Archives and Special Collections
  • Celebrate your achievements as an author with a book launch

Writing With an Author

Hexagon icon showing for the ABCs of ABE major, featuring a leaf within a beaker.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

ABCs of ABE

TAUGHT BY: 

Mandy Limiac

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

High

Location:

Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building // Room B107
Experience the world of agricultural and biological engineering—from farm and forest to food and pharmaceuticals! Learn about the kinds of technologies that help crop production around the globe, discover how ecological engineers create designs and restore natural ecosystems, and hear how bioprocess engineers solve problems related to health, food, and the environment.

Examples of activities

  • Discover how drones and robots are pushing agriculture into the digital age—and then fly/drive them
  • Explore a stream redesign site
  • Get a taste for bioprocess engineering by making popping boba

ABCs of ABE

Hexagon icon showing for the All the Small Things major, featuring a DNA model.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

All the Small Things

TAUGHT BY: 

Ron Reger and Neil Dilley

Facilitated BY: 

Discovery Park District at Purdue

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Birck Nanotechnology Center // Room 1001
Can you imagine a world that’s too small to see? Introducing nanotechnology! Explore nanoscale science and engineering, and learn about their impacts on society. By engaging with engineers and scientists, you’ll discover materials and technologies that are changing the world.

Examples of activities

  • Experiment with and manipulate liquid crystals and thin films
  • Tour the nanotechnology center’s research cleanroom
  • Watch a nano ice cream demonstration before enjoying your own sweet treat

All the Small Things

Hexagon icon showing for the Amazing Science major, featuring an atomic symbol.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Amazing Science

TAUGHT BY: 

Sarah Nern, Steven Smith, and Bill Bayley

Facilitated BY: 

College of Science

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Herbert C. Brown Laboratory of Chemistry // Room 1175
Is it magic? No, it’s science! Get ready to amaze your family and friends by learning how to perform mind-bending science demonstrations and discovering the science behind them. And because you’re not a magician, you’ll be able to tell your audience the secrets behind every one of your tricks!

Examples of activities

  • Conduct investigations and solve puzzles using science
  • Uncover the secrets behind demonstrations using air pressure, wavelengths of light, and the laws of physical science
  • Engage in friendly competitions using the science you’ve learned

Amazing Science

Hexagon icon showing for the Building Your World major, featuring a suspension bridge over water.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Building Your World

TAUGHT BY: 

Juliana Pereira and staff from the Women in Engineering Program

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 2051
Have you ever thought about who designs the structures around you—things like buildings, bridges, and roads? That would be civil engineers! Using imagination and innovation, civil engineers create sustainable designs that we see every day, and now it’s your turn!

Examples of activities

  • Create your very own structure
  • Learn how buildings are designed to withstand extreme weather
  • Discover how engineers are preparing cities for the future

Building Your World

Hexagon icon showing for the Connecting Families major, featuring three figures over a game controller.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Connecting Families

TAUGHT BY: 

Rua Williams

Facilitated BY: 

Purdue Polytechnic Institute

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center
Thursday: Room B091
Friday: Room 3122
How does your family stay connected? Do you video chat? Do you share pictures of exciting moments? What if you could create a game that you could play together—no matter where you are? Discover how to use technology and design to create a game that combines in-person and digital features.

Examples of activities

  • Learn about the technology ecosystems we have in our homes
  • Imagine how your favorite games could become shared experiences in different homes
  • Create three collaborative games, pick the best aspects of each one, and play the final game together

Connecting Families

Hexagon icon showing for the Culinary Adventures major, featuring a leaf, carrot, turnip, and eggplant within a bowl.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Culinary Adventures

TAUGHT BY: 

Deandrae Smith

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Philip E. Nelson Hall of Food Science // Skidmore Lab
Discover the fascinating world of food by exploring how raw ingredients transform into delicious and nutritious meals. Uncover the science and technology that helps food end up on our tables while also learning about the importance of healthy eating habits.

Examples of activities

  • Prepare a recipe using only the ingredients and utensils provided
  • Host a tasting session where everyone can sample the food
  • Evaluate samples of food processed using microwave technology

Culinary Adventures

Hexagon icon showing for the Engineering in Space major, featuring a rocket ship.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Engineering in Space

TAUGHT BY: 

Brianne Wrede and staff from the Women in Engineering Program

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 2088
When you think about going to space, you probably think about astronauts. But what about engineers? Through the design, creation, and operation of aircraft, rockets, and space-based systems, engineers play a big part in space exploration! Discover space from an engineer’s perspective, and learn about their roles in recent missions to space.

Examples of activities

  • Build your very own rocket
  • Explore origami in Space Engineering

Engineering in Space

Hexagon icon showing for the Health Explorers major, featuring EKG lines within a heart graphic.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Health Explorers

TAUGHT BY: 

Elizabeth Wertz

Facilitated BY: 

College of Health and Human Sciences

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Lyles-Porter Hall // Lobby
You’re being paged—get ready to unravel some of the mysteries of the human body! Discover what a career in health care would be like by working with and learning from Boilermakers in Purdue’s School of Nursing.

Examples of activities

  • Learn about vital signs and practice taking them
  • Discover the world of germs—how they spread and how to keep yourself healthy
  • Explore various systems of the body and how they work together

Health Explorers

Hexagon icon showing for the Hot Science major, featuring a chili pepper within a flame.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Hot Science

TAUGHT BY: 

Amanda Deering

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Philip E. Nelson Hall of Food Science // Rooms 1195 and 1215
What do peppers, bacteria, and hot sauce all have in common? You! Before you create your own hot sauce to take home, you’ll learn more about its basic ingredient—bacteria. Study the natural bacteria present on different varieties of peppers, and discover how that bacteria can be put to work to make hot sauce!

Examples of activities

  • Use Petri dishes to explore the natural bacteria on different peppers
  • Prepare hot sauces from the peppers—making sure to measure the pH and allowing it to ferment overnight
  • Test the pH the next day, evaluate the different results, and take your hot sauce home to enjoy

Hot Science

Hexagon icon showing for the Insect Expedition major, featuring a beetle.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Insect Expedition

TAUGHT BY: 

Emily Justus

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Smith Hall // Room 126
Explore the awesome world of arthropods—the species that makes up approximately 80% of all living animals on Earth. The numbers are large, but the creatures are not! Insects, spiders, scorpions, millipedes, and isopods—discover how all of these bugs interact with each other and the world around them.

Examples of activities

  • Explore the habitats of these crawling creatures
  • Learn about what they need to survive
  • Meet and interact with residents of the Purdue Bug Barn

Insect Expedition

Hexagon icon showing for the No Bones About It major, featuring a broken bone.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

No Bones About It

TAUGHT BY: 

Thomas Siegmund

Facilitated BY: 

College of Engineering

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Chaney-Hale Hall of Science // Room 1060
Have you ever broken a bone before? Have you ever wondered why bones break after some falls but not others? Get ready to learn all about bones—what makes them weak, what makes them strong, and how to keep them strong. What’s the best way to learn about bones? By creating your own, of course!

Examples of activities

  • Make your own bones and then break them
  • Discover what your bones are made of
  • Learn how bones change the older you get

No Bones About It

Hexagon icon showing for the Running a Restaurant major, featuring a hand holding a serving platter with steam.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Running a Restaurant

TAUGHT BY: 

Bruce Goad

Facilitated BY: 

College of Health and Human Sciences

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

John Purdue Room in Marriott Hall
Opening a dream restaurant is only the beginning—you have to make money to stay in business. Discover the secrets to great hospitality and the details that make a food-service operation successful, including cleanliness, wonderful employees, and—of course—delicious menus!

Examples of activities

  • Design a menu
  • Make your own dish in a commercial kitchen
  • Practice managing your restaurant’s money in a fun competition

Running a Restaurant

Hexagon icon showing for the Shark Tank Jr. major, featuring a hand holding a bag with the money symbol on it.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Shark Tank Jr.

TAUGHT BY: 

Wan-Ting Chiu

Facilitated BY: 

Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Jerry S. Rawls Hall // Room 2058
Messy rooms. Confusing homework problems. Chores you wish would do themselves. You encounter problems every day! If you have ever come up with a solution, then it’s time to enter the shark tank. Discover your inner entrepreneur before getting the chance to pitch your very own ideas!

Examples of activities

  • Create possible solutions to real-world problems
  • Learn about product development and how to conduct market research
  • Discover how to find solutions to problems through reverse brainstorming

Shark Tank Jr.

Hexagon icon showing for the STEM-IT! major, featuring a robot with a lightning bolt on its chest.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

STEM-IT!

TAUGHT BY: 

Sascha Harrell

Facilitated BY: 

Purdue’s Indiana Manufacturing Competitiveness Center

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Medium

Location:

Purdue Manufacturing Inst.
Discover new ways to design, innovate, solve problems, and create through STEM! From building with Legos to working with robots, get ready to explore just how fun and exciting science, technology, engineering, and math can be—and find out why STEM is important.

Examples of activities

  • Experience 3D printing
  • Explore STEM through robotics, including Dobot, Dash and Dot, and Sphero
  • Tour a micromanufacturing testbed

STEM-IT!

Hexagon icon showing for the Supporting Conservation major, featuring a deer with antlers.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Supporting Conservation

TAUGHT BY: 

Steve Thompson

Facilitated BY: 

College of Veterinary Medicine

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

High

Location:

Charles J. Lynn Hall of Veterinary Medicine // Room G155
There are a lot of actions you can take to protect Earth’s incredible animals, and there are certain things only professionals can handle. Go behind the scenes to see how veterinarians treat and support species facing infectious disease outbreaks. You’ll also learn about the heartwarming but delicate process of reintroducing animals to their habitats.

Examples of activities

  • Learn fascinating facts about animals from Columbian Park Zoo visitors
  • Discover how we learn more about snakes by using tracking devices
  • Watch a video of a snake surgery

Supporting Conservation

Hexagon icon showing for the The Art of Nature major, featuring a squirrel holding a plant.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

The Art of Nature

TAUGHT BY: 

Tami Mosier and Effie Campbell

Facilitated BY: 

College of Agriculture

Age Group:

7–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Thomas S. and Harvey D. Wilmeth Active Learning Center // Room 3090
Experience nature in a brand-new way by combining art with scientific exploration. Learn how to sketch scientific observations using various creative mediums and techniques, create your own maps, and even simulate water flow in a miniature landscape. You will be amazed by what you can create while exploring the world around you.

Examples of activities

  • Watch contour lines and elevations come to life by creating 3D models
  • Become a cartographer by creating a watercolor fantasy map
  • Conduct an archaeological cookie dig

The Art of Nature

Hexagon icon showing for the The Power of Podcasting major, featuring a microphone.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

The Power of Podcasting

TAUGHT BY: 

Kate Young

Facilitated BY: 

College of Liberal Arts

Age Group:

11–14

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration //
Thursday: Varsity Conference Room (3rd floor)
Friday: Discovery Conference Room (1st floor)
Purdue uses its podcast to tell all kinds of stories—from scientists who create lifesaving cancer treatments to legendary Purdue athletes and coaches. Explore how you can create a podcast to tell your own stories! You’ll even get to hear behind-the-scenes info from your favorite Boilermakers.

Examples of activities

  • Learn how to prepare and conduct an interview
  • Discover more about the podcast industry
  • Create your very own short podcast clip

The Power of Podcasting

Hexagon icon showing for the Writing With an Author major, featuring a hand holding a pencil.

SESSION 2, JULY 25–26

Writing With an Author

TAUGHT BY: 

Angie Klink (LA’81)

Facilitated BY: 

College of Liberal Arts

Age Group:

7–10

Activity Level:

Low

Location:

Krannert Building // Rooms 258 and 260
This is your chance to learn from and write with a beloved Boilermaker author! Every book starts with just an idea, but then it goes through quite the journey—research, interviews, putting words to ideas, and illustrations. Get ready to go on your own journey as you create a book filled with memories!

Examples of activities

  • Interview grandparents to create a lap-book biography
  • Explore examples of Amelia Earhart’s writings from Purdue Archives and Special Collections
  • Celebrate your achievements as an author with a book launch

Writing With an Author

Questions? Contact Us!

Office of Special Events
765-494-0900
specialevents@purdueforlife.org

Patsy J. Mellott

BS College of Health and Human Sciences, 1969
Fishers, IN

Patsy earned a bachelor’s degree in food and nutrition in business from Purdue in 1969, in addition to an MBA in food marketing from Michigan State University in 1970. She retired from Kraft Foods in 2006 after 36 years in corporate food marketing and marketing communications management.

A community volunteer, Patsy serves on the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana Advisory Board and the Purdue College of Health and Human Sciences Dean’s Leadership Council, in addition to the President’s Council Advisory Board. She is a former member of the Health and Human Sciences Alumni Board. Patsy held several offices from 2006 through 2013, including president and treasurer. She serves her community’s Discover Indianapolis Club in Fishers, holding several leadership roles for over 10 years.

Patsy has received several honors, including the Purdue University Nutrition Science Department Hall of Fame recipient in 2009 and the Purdue University College of Health and Human Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award in 2016. She also received the college’s Gold and Black Award in 2016, an honor reserved for donors who have moved the college forward by committing exceptional financial resources.

In addition to endowing two scholarships, the Patsy J. Mellott Scholarship and Patsy J. Mellott HHS Scholarship, she established the Patsy J. Mellott Teaching Innovation Award in the College of Health and Human Sciences in 2013. In 2015, she endowed the Patsy J. Mellott Women’s Tennis Coach Performance Award. She is a lead donor in the Christine M. Ladisch Faculty Leadership Award and the Purdue Women’s Network Virginia C. Meredith Scholarship for the College of Health and Human Sciences.