Previous to the summer of 2020, the University of Utah Department of Chemistry has offered a variety of chemistry enrichment courses designed for high school students from across Utah for more than 30 years. As thousands of students would agree, these summer enrichment courses continued to be extremely rewarding and successful until COVID hit. Alas – waxing optimistically and thinking forward to this summer, 2024, our Department is offering a limited-enrollment Chemistry Lab Practicum experience. For two weeks in June, students accepted into this special program will enjoy a number of lab experiences along with training in crucial laboratory techniques and associated chemical demonstrations. The program is directed by Professor Jeff Statler, and assisted by Susan Banks and Austin Gillespie. And consists of interactive pre-labs & demonstrations, diverse & intelligent students, develop lab composition notebook skills, and strict lab safety protocols.

One of the assistants of the program, Austin Gillespie, wrote:”The summer enrichment program gives me an opportunity work with invested students, collaborate with the preeminent faculty of the university, and learn new and interesting lab techniques.  Working with students who willingly give up a portion of their summer to study chemistry will always be special. This year alone, I’ve learned of two or three labs I can use with my high school students next year.”

Director and Professor, Jess Statler, noted: “Our high school summer enrichment program has evolved in recent years, but has always focused on exposing these young students to the rigors and rewards of university-level academics and laboratory work.  Students from throughout the area are exposed to demonstrations and lab work that are not available to them anywhere else.”