Project Micro
The Microscopy Imaging Center at UVM, under the auspices of the Microscopy Society of America (MSA), began participating in the nation-wide outreach program - Project MICRO in 1999. With a kit (microscopes and supplies) provided by MSA, we visit local middle schools and set-up Microscopic Festivals during which students rotate through 10 learning activities, investigating sand, fabrics, fingerprints, pond life, bugs, crystals and other small specimens for a total of 2 hours. The program is totally staffed by volunteers (MIC staff, graduate students, office personnel, etc.) and depends heavily upon the involvement of parent volunteers during the Festivals.
Over 6000 students and 750 adults (teachers, parents, etc.) in Vermont have already participated in ProjectMICRO. Some of the students volunteered in the following year to help organizing new Festivals in their own and other schools. Festivals have been held in school classrooms, science labs, libraries, band rooms, UVM teaching lab and local community libraries. Since 1999, 90 Festivals have occured.
For more information please download our brochure (PDF) or contact Jan Schwarz directly and check out our photo gallery from previous ProjectMICRO Festivals.