Science & Engineering Professionals: Become an Expert

First-time volunteers: Click here to sign up for the Ask an Expert programs.

Returning volunteers: Click here to log in and enroll.

To author a Science Fair Project Idea, click here.

"Growing up, I wondered why more people didn't think science was as cool (as in "fascinating") as I did. It didn't take long to realize that one of the reasons was because of how it was taught. Science classes can be downright boring, confusing, or obtuse. It can seem far away, not right under your nose (and feet, and hands, and eyes). I think that teaching science (not that I've even done it) must be about tapping into the natural curiosity that so many kids have for the world around them -- their dogs and cats and fish, the ocean's undertow that knocked them on their butt, how the sky turns colors when the sun goes up or down. I've always wanted to help kids/young adults discover that science can be amazing and fun and that asking "why" can lead to some pretty interesting stories (if there's someone around to tell them, or help them find answers for themselves)." -- Shannon, Expert.

*Please note: The Classroom Scientists Program will not be in operation this year.

Why Do It

If you have been looking for a volunteer opportunity that doesn't require a lot of time but has high impact or you are dismayed by the state of science education and want to do something about it, consider being a Science Buddies Expert. A little of your time can make a student's day -- or year -- or beyond. You'll experience a great sense of satisfaction in helping kids do something they didn't think they could.

93% of middle school students surveyed in the 2001-2002 program said they would participate again. Their top three reasons:

Plus, surveys showed that middle school participants turned to Experts for science fair help first over parents and teachers. This enables those adults to allocate their time to other areas of their children's educations.

Three Ways to Help

We need Experts for two different programs, both focused on students completing a science fair project:

• The Classroom Scientists Program, formerly called the Ask an Expert Mentoring Program, matches adult and high school Experts with a small group of student Investigators doing individual science fair projects. You are part of a team of Experts advising this group of students from start to finish. It takes about one hour per week.
• In the Ask an Expert Forum you work with a team of science and technology professionals to handle questions posed in a traditional online bulletin board. It will take about half as much time (about 1/2 hour per week) as our Ask an Expert Mentoring Program, but you won't have the same opportunity to get to know the students you help. In most cases, you'll answer a student's question, accept his or her thanks, and move on to another student.

In the application form you will have the opportunity to select the program you want to work with: Classroom Scientists Program or Ask an Expert Forum.

We've just added a third way you can help:

• Science Buddies encourages science and technical professionals to submit Project Ideas (previously called Starter Kits) for science fair projects in their area of expertise. This is a great way to share your knowledge with budding young scientists without any requirement to be an Expert. You do not need to fill out an application to develop a Project Idea. For instructions, click here: Submit a Science Fair Project Idea.

Who Benefits

The primary beneficiaries of both programs are students in grades 7-10, who are 12-15 years old. Most students have not had much exposure to the sciences yet, but by the time they reach 9th grade, they should have studied general earth, life, and physical sciences.

"The experience has been awesome. I would never have been able to do this on my own." - Michael, 13.

"I look forward to involving more of my students in the Science Buddies program next year - seeing their peers' accomplishments makes it much more accessible. Plus, it was a fun way to teach them about science outside of a textbook. They didn't just read about scientific principles, they actually used them." - David Ellingson, teacher, Lawton Middle School.

High school student Experts are in grades 9-12 and range from 14-17 years old. They enjoy the sciences, have strong academic backgrounds, want to do community service, and are college-bound.

"I learned a lot from my advisor, and I had a great experience learning how to teach and help out younger kids." - Dan, 16, Expert.

Science Buddies reaches out to a broad cross-section of students from various socioeconomic backgrounds. Some students come from underserved communities or schools with limited resources. Some have school computer labs that rival corporations. Some are high-achievers who don't need much prodding but want to be challenged. Some have never had a good role model or learning environment and would benefit greatly from one.

More About the Classroom Scientists Program

The Classroom Scientists Program, formerly called the Ask an Expert Mentoring Program, is a mentoring program that we launched in 2005. It builds on the ease of use of our Ask an Expert Forum to develop private online communities where science professionals and high school students can work together to support small groups of middle school or high school students working on individual science fair projects. The program offers Experts the opportunity to work closely with highly engaged students eager to receive help on their science fair projects.

Key responsibilities of Experts include:

• Help the students in the selection of a science fair project topic. This is by far the most important job and your greatest opportunity to lead the students into a positive learning experience.
• Complete the training program. We'll give you the background you need to define and understand the boundaries of a mentoring relationship and brainstorm for project ideas and resources.
• Support the students by offering real-world scientific knowledge or research/experiment tips.
• Check in with the students weekly and respond to any inquiries on your assigned day, for a total time commitment of up to one hour per week from November to mid-March.
• Answer questions about how a science background can be applied to the working world. There are so many interesting careers that might surprise students. This is an area that parents and teachers sometimes don't have the exposure to know.

More About the Ask an Expert Program

Ask an Expert is an online bulletin board that offers personalized help to answer anyone and everyone's science fair questions: Ask an Expert. Experts usually login to the online discussion board to respond to inquiries on one scheduled day per week. Additional program highlights include:

• Experts from many different fields, as well as staff members, are available to tackle questions that an individual Expert cannot field by him or herself
• Experts may check in and post replies to students at a convenient time on your scheduled day(s)
• The time commitment is flexible depending on your availability.
• Our website and staff provide resources to aid Experts in answering student questions

The Ask an Expert Program is a great volunteer opportunity for science professionals who may not be available for the entire period from November to mid-March, or for Experts who are simply looking for more flexibility in a volunteer opportunity. Expert participation is scheduled on a weekly basis so that the time commitment is approximately 1/2 hour per week during the science fair season (most traffic falls between November and March).

Requirements for Both Programs

• Desire to foster interest in the sciences at a pivotal age.
• Wish to give back to the community in a way that doesn't take a lot of time but has high value.
• Science or engineering background by education and/or profession.
• Access to the Internet and email on a regular basis.
• Access to word processing and spreadsheet software (to open student assignments).
• Clear background screen.
• Only legal U.S. residents (e.g., U.S. citizen, work/student visa, green card) may volunteer with the Ask an Expert program, unless you are an international working with a company that has an established agreement with Science Buddies. Internationals interested in volunteering with Science Buddies are invited to help by developing Project Ideas (see http://sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/participate_starter_kit.shtml).

A common question the staff receives from Expert candidates is "Do I possibly know enough to be useful on a science fair project?" The answer is a resounding YES! The program matches Experts and students based upon a shared interest in a general area like engineering, physical, life, behavioral, computer, or environmental science. Next, the Expert helps the student narrow down a research question in that area. It is not at all necessary for an Expert to be an expert in a certain field in order to be a helpful. Most of our students are doing science projects for the first time and the projects they select are quite straightforward. Students need guidance in applying the rigor of the scientific method to their work rather than a lot of specialized knowledge about a given field.

Past Experts include:

* business executives	* consultants	* engineers of all kinds
* environmentalists	* forensic scientists	* graduate students
* health professionals	* patent attorneys	* plant specialists
* research scientists	* technical writers	* university faculty

How to Apply

1. Applications are Web-based only. Unfortunately, other formats (e.g. email, fax, print) cannot be accepted.
2. Please set aside 15 minutes to complete this application in one sitting. (Tip: Review the entire application before filling it out.)
3. In this one application you will have an opportunity to choose a preference between our different programs.
4. Immediately after you have submitted your application, you will see a "Thank You" page confirming that Science Buddies has received your application. If you do not see the "Thank You" page, your application did not go through and you will need to submit it again. A confirmation email will also be sent to your preferred email address.
   
5. If you have any questions, contact Staff at scibuddy@sciencebuddies.org.

Thank you!

First-time volunteers: Click here to sign up.

Returning volunteers: Click here to enroll.

Project Idea writers: Click here to begin.