Chemists-in-the-Library celebrates 20 years and 200 outreach events

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (9/26/2024)  – The Chemists-in-the-Library outreach program, which has been a fixture in the Twin Cities for over two decades, was recently honored with an invited talk at the American Chemical Society (ACS) national meeting in Denver. During a special session organized to highlight exceptional programs by local ACS sections, Prof. Blair Troudt – a University of Minnesota alumna (PhD 2022) and now an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin River Falls – told the story of the program's impactful history and ongoing contributions to community science education.

Founded in 2004 by Prof. Phil Buhlmann from the University of Minnesota and Prof. Emerita Janet Tarino from Ohio State University Mansfield, Chemists-in-the-Library has become a pillar of scientific outreach in the Twin Cities. The initiative brings science to life through free hands-on activities, visiting local libraries monthly to engage children with fun, interactive chemistry experiments. The program’s August 2024 event was the 212th since its inception. 

Each event is run by a dedicated team of volunteers and hosts between 30 to 100 local children. The activities – primarily designed for K-6 students – also attract older students, adults, and even toddlers who can barely see over the experiment tables. Regardless of age, the volunteers work to adapt explanations and expectations to each participant’s needs. For a lot of the younger kids, Chemists-in-the-Library events become their first experience with science.

Chemists-in-the-Library is committed to creating equitable opportunities for engagement with their program. By regularly visiting smaller community libraries, Chemists-in-the-Library reaches children in underserved neighborhoods, offering them the chance to explore hands-on science in a way they might not experience elsewhere. These events are more than just educational – they are an opportunity to spark curiosity and inspiration.

The program’s success hinges on the support of its dedicated volunteers, many of whom are professionals working in government agencies, companies like 3M and Medtronic, or academia. Others are chemistry undergraduate or graduate students from local colleges and the University of Minnesota. The diverse backgrounds of Chemists-in-the-Library volunteers make outreach events excellent networking opportunities in addition to the educational value they provide. The program is always looking for new volunteers. Would you like to learn more about getting involved? Contact Phil Buhlmann (buhlmann@umn.edu). All events take place on Saturdays and last 2 hours; no advance preparation or specialized experience is required.