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DSU Students volunteer for Chemistry Show

            Dakota State University will be hosting its annual Chemistry Show for third grade students Thursday, March 29 at 9am in the Science Center Auditorium. The show has a rich and long history.

After a year’s absence in 1999, Associate Professor of Chemistry at DSU, Richard Bleil, decided to perform the show for third and fourth graders last year.

            DSU students volunteer their time to perform chemistry experiments for the elementary students. “The fact is that this show would not happen if it were not for the student volunteers,” said Bleil. “Most of whom are DSU students, but with two high school students as well.”

              This year’s show will feature students, Ryan Fisher, a junior computer science major from Lesueur, MN who is in charge of the show; Jeremy Javers, a senior chemistry major from Tea; Molly Hansen, a freshman from Irene; Erin Nielsen, a sophomore Fitness/Wellness management major from Pierre; Ann Veitz, a senior biology education major from Hettinger, ND; Mikal Moriarty, a sophomore Biology for Information Systems major from Philip; Elizabeth Miller a freshman math education major from Hurley, SD; and high school students, Lori Weismantel and Xin Wang.

            These students will perform a variety of experiments including a Water lock experiment that solidifies water with powder and reliquifies it with salt, a flaming dollar bill that remains unburned, an oscillating clock reaction that changes back and forth from blue to pale yellow, as well as different chemical reaction experiments with chemicals such as liquid nitrogen and ammonia.

If you would like to see last year’s show, it was recorded and can be seen on-line at http://www.video.dsu.edu:8080/ramgen/bleilr/99chemshow.rm.