Students celebrate National Chemistry Week during Chemistry Nights

Many area high school juniors and seniors will perform hands-on chemistry projects during upcoming Chemistry Nights at Saint Mary’s, which will run 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, Oct. 22 and 29.

Chemistry Night, sponsored by the Saint Mary’s Department of Chemistry and the La Crosse-Winona local section of the American Chemical Society, is an annual event designed to help students explore the discipline of chemistry and appreciate the positive role that chemistry plays in our everyday world.

Each year students solve challenging but fun chemical problems, based on the National Chemistry Week theme. This year the theme is “The Sweet Side of Chemistry—Candy.”

Students will work in small teams, using wet chemistry and working with chemical instrumentation in the Saint Mary’s Department of Chemistry, under the guidance of chemistry and biochemistry majors.

Prizes will be awarded to the teams that have the greatest success in solving the chemical problems. Prizes will include Saint Mary’s scholarships of $2,000 and $1,000. Pizza and refreshments will also be provided.

About 10 area schools and 50 students typically participate in this event.

For more information, contact Dr. Brett Bodsgard at Ext. 6972.