Neighbor News
Analytical Answers Provides STEM Field Trips to Area Students
Area high school, junior high students are learning about science and technology careers at Woburn-based lab Analytical Answers.
In a major commercial lab on Arrow Street, students are learning hands-on what a career in science is really about. Area high school, junior high, and even younger students are getting to see the latest equipment, learn about the day-to-day work of scientists, and receiving mentorship so that they can pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) careers of their own. It’s part of an ongoing commitment from the lab, which has been headquartered in Woburn for over 25 years.
Chemists and materials scientists, the Woburn team feel it’s very important to help encourage the next generation of scientists. Many on the current staff can pinpoint the exact moment in high school or elementary school that they decided that a career in science was for them. In many cases, it was thanks to an inspirational adult showing them the way. “As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering science and technology education, we have opened our lab to tours for students from middle schools, high schools and
nonprofit organizations,” says CEO John Buono. The tours are tailored to each group and run from as short as 30 minutes to as long as 90 minutes.
Students can see how optical and electron microscopy help detect contamination or problems that can cause everyday things from snack bags to hockey sticks to fail. They can marvel at the detail and intricacies of nature in things as simple as a bugs wings or flower petals. They learn that relatively simple things like toss away potato chip bags are very sophisticated combinations of materials that have to work together to keep out moisture, sunlight and oxygen; keep the oil, salt and flavorings in the bag; and keep the ink and printing stuck on the bags and not on the chips.
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They meet and interact with analytical scientists who have worked on everything from space applications like the space shuttle, the Hubbell telescope and the space station to biological/biomechanical things like
artificial knees and hips to material products like fake currency, credit cards and stamps. These scientists are
enthusiastic and passionate about their work in applied science and enjoy sharing that passion with the next generation.
On a smaller group scale, AAI has encouraged its clients to bring their sons and daughters who are starting to think about college on lab visits with them to give them an insight on the role that science and
engineering plays in keeping the world around us working. AAI has even hosted “geek” sweet sixteen
birthday parties and technology tours and learning sessions for the boy scouts.
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Do the students and teachers enjoy and learn from these tours? One teacher from an exclusive north
shore private high school wrote “Thank you for a field trip that far exceeded my expectations. I think that it is rare to have a trip that reaches everyone but on this one they were all fascinated”.
A high school student wrote “Thank you so much! The chance to see such advanced devices of technology was so amazing.” Another student wrote “Thank you for everything you taught us. It was a really interesting experience.”
AAI schedules up to ½ day per month year round for these tours. Interested teachers can request a tour tailored to their grade level and students' need via the lab's online form, available at: http://analyticalanswersinc.co...
