Katherine Herzog reports on her experiences at the Michigan Math and Science Scholars program where she is studying Catalysis, Solar Energy and Green Chemical Synthesis.
“My time at Michigan Math and Science Scholars served as a decent analogue of college life, both in its class structure and after-class activities. Being in a chemistry class, my group of students were split into several smaller groups of lab partners. This gave learning a more intimate feel and allowed me and my group mate to both use each other for ideas and have someone you could sit next to in the dining hall. It also simulated an actual lab environment rather accurately, so far as I could tell. We did work in a real lab for most of the class, with full PPE and protocols. However, I never felt myself to be in any danger from the chemicals around me,” Katherine explains.
Katherine loved the Michigan campus, especially the dorm building, where she felt safe and was able to focus on her studies. Katherine was also able to attend optional after-class activities each night, which included water balloon fights, hiking, plus touring the campus gymnasium, art museum and shops. In addition, Katherine met students from a variety of different backgrounds, and learned the value of teamwork when working out the more challenging aspects of the course.
“One of the best parts of camp was all the people I got to meet. There were students from all over the US and beyond. I got to meet Koreans, Bostonians, Californians, Indonesians, and all sorts of people I otherwise never would have met. I mostly hung out with my lab partner, who was from New York, and some of my roommate’s friends from her class who I inherited when she left,” Katherine says.
“The class itself was challenging. It was designed for kids with an AP Chemistry education, which I definitely don’t have. My lab partner understood most of the hard stuff though, and I was better at working the equipment, so we balanced each other out. Despite the challenges, I think I learned more chemistry in two weeks than in an entire semester in high school. I can identify different functional groups now along with knowing what a functional group is, and have a basic grasp of how biochemistry operates,” Katherine adds.
Sounds like you are off to a great start, Katherine. We can’t wait to learn more!
