Exploration, Discovery and a Splash of Fun: UVA Wise Governor’s School in STEM-H

As the two-week Governor’s School program at UVA Wise winds down, the excitement has yet to slow.

The program is sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education and UVA Wise and is for rising sophomores, juniors and seniors who have demonstrated significant effort and achievement in the sciences. 

The first week was spent camping at the Oxbow Center’s Clinch River Ecological Education Center (CREEC) in St. Paul, Virginia, where students tested the water quality of the Clinch River and visited the Pinnacle Natural Area Preserve where they learned about benthic macroinvertebrates, decomposition and primary production. Students were also able to participate in an Aquatic Ecosystems Workshop led by the Virginia Tech “Salty-C” Research Group.

Now in their second week of the program, students have moved to the UVA Wise campus to continue their academic experience. 

Since arriving for week two, students have had the opportunity to learn from a host of UVA Wise professors, learning about topics ranging from environmental microbiology and physics to spectrophotometry and ethnobotany. They even took part in a competitive game of fruit fly mutation bingo in Professor Messer’s genetics lab and assisted Professor Wally Smith with salamander research on High Knob in Norton, Virginia.

“This cohort of students has enthusiastically learned to use various instruments and techniques to measure, monitor, and better understand their environment. We hope that this experience profoundly deepens their appreciation for science-based stewardship of the region’s outstanding biodiversity,” said Teresa Brown, assistant professor of geology at UVA Wise, who oversees the Governor’s School program.

Before week two ends, students will continue their studies and fun with excursions, float trips, group presentations, a pool party and more.