Science Experts Needed! Help Youths By Answering Science Questions Online

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Be a volunteer in the Science Buddies Ask an Expert Program

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Volunteer as a Science Buddies online "Expert" and role model for young science students. Experts provide real-world scientific knowledge and examples of career diversity. Help students with their science fair projects and show them that science is both relevant and fascinating.

WHERE

The Science Buddies Ask an Expert Program offers personalized help to answer science project questions from middle and high school students across the nation. This online bulletin board takes questions from all fields. Volunteer Experts point students in the right direction, give research advice, and help students refine and improve their experiments. The objective is for students to have more fun and less frustration as they complete a science fair project while getting the guidance that may not be available from their parents or teachers. You become their go-to resource when they have questions and need help!

WHEN

The program runs year-round but peak traffic occurs during the science fair season from approximately September through May. Although we schedule new experts (and reassign returning volunteers) in August/September of each year, applications are accepted all year. We notify all applicants when we begin scheduling for the next school year.

Experts usually cover questions on one scheduled day per week and can log in at any point on that day. Experts spend approximately 1/2 hour each week responding to student questions.

1. Experts from many different fields, as well as staff members, are available to tackle questions that an individual Experts cannot field by him or herself
2. Check in and post replies to students at a convenient time on your scheduled day(s)
3. Flexible time commitment
4. Our website and staff provide resources to aid Experts in answering student questions.

WHO

What Science Buddies looks for in our Experts:

1. Desire to foster interest in the sciences at a pivotal age
2. Wish to give back to the community in a way that has high value but is not time-consuming
3. Science or engineering background by education and/or profession
4. Familiarity with Internet research techniques
5. Access to the Internet and e-mail on a regular basis

Applicants do not need to be actual "experts" in any particular field. The majority of student questions are basic and straightforward, and anyone with a solid background in science or engineering can offer good advice to the students, who need guidance in applying the rigor of the scientific method to their work rather than a lot of specialized knowledge about a given field. Our goal is to have the students develop sound inquiry and research skills so they can find the answers to their own questions. Science Buddies staff and other Experts can help out on any question that demands a greater degree of expertise than the "on-call" Expert possesses.

APPLY ONLINE

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/volunteer

CONTACT

Questions? Contact us at volunteer@sciencebuddies.org