Earlier this month, INSTAAR researchers organized the annual INSTAAR Middle School Showcase, where more than 200 students from Angevine Middle School visited the Sustainability, Energy and Environment Community campus.

PhD student Kevin Rozmiarek showed students how to operate a research-grade drone equipped with a thermal camera. Rozmiarek has led research efforts to measure atmospheric gasses in Alaska and Greenland using similar aircraft. He explained that the same drones used for research also support the University of Colorado’s Police Department and Emergency Management team during events.

The showcase featured 12 different activities, including “candy chromatography” experiments, tours of the Skywatch Observatory, and visits to the Stable Isotope Lab’s ice core freezer, giving students hands-on experience with Earth science research.