UCSD Undergrads Launch Chem Ed Tool
Chemorphesis teaches key chemical concepts using a comic-book format. See description in February 27, 2012 Chemical and Engineering News or visit the Chemorphesis site.
Multimedia Resources
Innovative, interdisciplinary research efforts are focused on discovering new sources of biofuels and developing efficient ways to produce the fuels and make them a feasible, long-term solution to our energy needs. Learn about the latest research on biofuels through a video featuring local scientists. An accompanying lesson plan and activities for teachers and students are tied to the high school chemistry standards.
We may think of diseases in terms of collections of symptoms, but interactions between proteins are at the root of all diseases, from bacterial infections to Alzheimer's to cancer. Understanding how proteins function and misfunction is the essential first step toward the design of drug therapies. Learn about the latest research on molecular mechanisms of disease through a video featuring local scientists. An accompanying lesson plan and activities for teachers and students are tied to the high school chemistry and biology standards.
UCSD scientists and engineers are collaborating across disciplines to develop and network miniaturized intelligent nanosensors that can rapidly and remotely detect change in their surroundings. These sensors have a wide range of potential applications: environmental, medical, military and transportation. Learn about the latest research on molecular mechanisms of disease through a video featuring local scientists. An accompanying lesson plan and activities for teachers and students are tied to the high school chemistry and biology standards.
Additional videos and lessons are available
Summer Science Camps
A directory of summer science camps in California and across the United States.
K-12 Programs
San Diego Math Circle provides an opportunity for eager mathematics students in grades 6-12 to explore challenging areas of mathematics. Instructors, including UC San Diego mathematics faculty, present an enriched mathematics curriculum and interesting problems for the students to discuss and solve.
More K-12 programs at UC San Diego
K-12 Programs in the greater San Diego region
Programs
Basic scientific concepts linked to current research
Nuclear processes. Atomic nuclei consist of protons and neutrons held together by nuclear forces that overcome the repulsive forces between the positively charged protons. Chemical elements have isotopes--variants that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. Isotopes are useful to researchers interested in geological processes. For instance, decay of radioactive isotopes can provide information about the time scale of various processes. Recent research also shows that different isotopes, based on their individual masses, hop differently in hot rocks. Therefore, the distribution of the isotopes can reveal secrets about rock formation.
Earth's place in the universe. If a type of astronomical object has only been spotted in old galaxies, does that mean it contributes to the aging of the galaxy? Astronomers thought that could be the case for active galactic nuclei--very luminous objects powered by black holes--because they always seemed to be in galaxies full of old, red stars. But scientists are not satisfied with such circumstantial evidence. Using the most powerful telescopes to detect X-rays from tens of thousands of galaxies, they saw that even galaxies full of youthful blue stars have active galactic nuclei. New tools helped the science progress by shedding light on an old question.
Chemical bonds. Graphene, graphite and diamond have completely different properties, but are all made of pure carbon. The arrangement of atoms within a molecule determines the molecule's properties. Atoms form molecules by sharing or exchanging electrons to form bonds.
Cell biology. Cells are enclosed in membranes that contain the cell's organelles and regulate the passage of substances in and out of the cell. Understanding how membranes form is critical to understanding how the first one-celled organisms came to be. Producing and studying synthetic membranes can show researchers how the molecules that form membranes assemble, and what conditions are necessary for membrane formation.