Have a look at our flyer: Flyer

Interest form (If you want to help volunteer with us!): ASBMBVolunteerForm

Hello, I’m Kai Smith, president of the University of Kansas chapter of the American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and our student volunteers bring laboratory-quality STEM experiences to classrooms that do not have them.

What we do – We run pop-up science labs, guest lectures, and research-integration workshops for both K-12 and college students. Last year, we worked with over 700 students in the Douglas County area and ran experiments such as DNA extraction, Bacterial Forensics, Bomb calorimetry, Gluten Balloons, and much more.

Why it matters – Although we have previously collaborated with schools such as Hillcrest Elementary and Raintree Montessori, we primarily work with rural schools like McLouth Elementary, communities that are often overlooked because they are farther away and have fewer resources. I attended such a school myself, Pretty Prairie High School, which lacked a science teacher during my senior year, meaning we didn't get to try experiments often, if at all. This made the transition to college difficult, and I know a lot of my friends avoided University entirely because it seemed so foreign. These are the people we hope to inspire most. Please give them a chance to experience science and have a fair chance to decide if University is for them or not.

The experience is also just very fun for everyone involved. Mr. Holland Evans, one of the science teachers at McLouth, was so excited as he had more students than usual enroll in the high school classes he teaches after our event at their school back in spring.

Partners in 2025 – We now ask for your help to purchase the materials needed to continue STEM outreach in Lawrence and Douglas County during the summer and fall 2025 semesters. We are currently working with the Perry-Lecompton Community Library, the Girl Scouts of Douglas County (through Annie Rajaei), and Camp Raintree to offer fun, unique experiments that children can perform to earn patches, learn relevant chemistry concepts, and explore in a safe, productive environment. This would be over 500 students in just this summer alone.

Where you come in – New experiments need new supplies.

$30 would cover a jumbo elephant toothpaste experiment (around 50 students)

$50 covers a semipermeable egg membrane experiment for over 100 students.

Even $10 could give us enough to run over 30 ethanol jet experiments

Any amount helps us serve more communities

With your help, we can fulfill the needs the Douglas County community has shown us and give students the tools and the confidence to pursue STEM careers.

Thank you for your time and consideration!