2018 JASON Project hosts area kids about ‘Forces of Nature’

Photo Caption: Eighth grade JASON video Argonauts discover how Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) made by BASF, works as the active ingredient in diapers, under the supervision of BASF engineers.

Southeast Texas students in 4^th through 8^th grade are engaging in entertaining and educational activities to further expand their interests in mathematics, technology, science, and engineering thanks to the JASON Project.

About 6,500 area students are joining in workshops taking place at Lamar University’s John Gray Center and in the new Center for Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship. The programs began January 4 and run weekdays throughFriday, January 19.

The students view a 37-minute JASON video produced by Lamar’s communication and Earth and space sciences departments. Eighth grade student “Argos” and engineers from Arkema, BASF, ChevronPhillips and Entergy star in the video. Each student group then share in 15-minute physics demonstrations by meteorologists from the National Weather Service office in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

During the second hour, students visit six breakout stations in the CICE building where engineers from local industry, government agency experts and NGO experts host Scientific Interactive Sessions with the students.

Participating schools include: Adams, Amelia, Blanchette, Bridge City, Caldwood, Curtis, DeQueen, Dishman, Dowling, Ehrhart, Fehl, Fletcher, Highland Park, Hillcrest, Homer, King, Kountze, Legacy, Marshal, Nederland, Odom, Orangefield, Pathways, Pietzsch McArthur, Regina, Roy Guess, Sam Houston, Smith, South Park, St. Anthony, Travis, Tyrrell, Vincent, West Orange-Cove, and Woodville.