Day of Discovery Introduces Students to STEM Majors

NSM Tours and Activities Engage Middle and High School Students

What is it like to be a STEM (science, technology, engineering or math) major? What are the courses you take? What are the careers?

Students from Cypress Homeschool Association attend the “Amazing Properties of Water” session and learn to build simple molecules. Area middle and high school students are learning the answers to these questions through a new College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics outreach program – Day of Discovery.

The program introduces students to STEM majors with a day that includes exploring student life, touring campus, participating in interactive science demonstrations, and learning about STEM career opportunities. During lunch, students meet with NSM student ambassadors who tell them what it takes to get into the University of Houston and NSM, what college is like, and what research opportunities and student organizations are available for undergraduates.


Chemistry professor Simon Bott gives a demonstration on chemical reactions with students from George Ranch High School portraying hydrogen and oxygen atoms. In Spring 2016, student groups from Cypress Homeschool Association, George Ranch High School and Milby High School spent 3-to-5 hours at NSM learning more about the variety of opportunities open to science and math majors.

Day of Discovery trips are structured to the grade level of the student group and can accommodate up to 50 participants. Lab tours and science demonstrations led by NSM faculty provide students with hands-on introductions to chemistry, biology, geology, mathematics, computer science and physics.

Do you know a school group that would like to participate? For more information, contact Hillary Norwood, NSM Events Coordinator, 713-743-2611 or henorwoo@central.uh.edu.

Kathy Major, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics