On Saturday, December 6th, the Yale Physics Department hosted a GSI session on the World of Circuits.
Eunice Beato, the graduate student coordinator, orchestrated the event with support from co-directors Rona Ramos and Caitlin Hansen. There were 26 volunteers in total, hosted by the Yale Physics Dept with the Pathways to Science team. ~100 students attended the event.
The theme was World of Circuits, and students from New Haven, Orange, and Milford rotated through several hands-on activities. They built steady-hand games using wires and buzzers, challenging themselves to guide a metal loop along a bent wire without touching. If they accidentally made contact, the circuit completed, triggering a buzzer. Students also made holiday cards with copper-foil tape circuits, designing light-up cards using batteries, LEDs, and switches. These activities encouraged creativity while helping students understand the basics of electrical connections.
The students also enjoyed a demo show, presented by Emily Pottebaum, Caitlin Hansen, and Paul Noel, which highlighted female scientists throughout history. Each demonstration was inspired by the work of scientists such as Lynn Conway, Laura Bassi, and Isabelle Stone, among others. The show included demonstrations of superconductivity, electrically glowing pickles, and a Tesla coil, highlighting both the scientific concepts and the contributions of these pioneering women.
The Yale Physics GSI sessions began in 2007. Its mission is to motivate, empower, and interest middle school students in developing the skills they need to pursue careers in science. University students and professors act as mentors and provide a context for exploring and understanding the various disciplines of science through hands-on activities in a laboratory environment.