From August 1st – 5th, the department of Chemistry and Biochemistry welcomed local high school students participating in the UO’s Summer Academy to Inspire Learning as they put on their goggles for our annual SAIL Chemistry Camp, a hands-on chemistry lab experience sponsored and designed by the Cook Lab.

Camp leaders Amanda Cook and 4th-year graduate student Alison Chang – along with numerous volunteers – assisted campers as they conducted experiments exploring the chemistry of photography, sunscreen and spectroscopy, catalysts and oxygen, paper nanotechnology, and then wrapped up the week by making ice cream with liquid nitrogen. Be sure to check out our photos!

SAIL is a University of Oregon program led by volunteer faculty and aimed at increasing students’ enrollment and success in college. SAIL invites eligible 8th through 12th grade students to attend free, annual academic summer camps until they graduate from high school.