12-3-04
PLASTIVANT Visits Penn State Behrend
The National Plastics Center and Museum's PlastivanT visited the School of Engineering and Engineering Technology at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, on Tuesday, November 30, to present workshops for Erie area students. Groups from Strong Vincent High School, Central High School, Wilson Middle School, and the Erie County Technical School were on hand to participate. The van's visit was co-sponsored by Progressive Components of Wauconda, Illinois, and the Society of the Plastics Industry, Molders Division.
"I was pleased to see that the workshops were full and that students really enjoyed and benefited from the experience," said Lucy Lenhardt, research assistant in the Fasenmyer Plastics Lab at Penn State Behrend. "I'm also grateful to our sponsors for providing the van's visit."
The PlastivanT Hands-On program is an internationally acclaimed educational opportunity geared for students in grades three through twelve. Participants learn about polymers, crosslinking, thermosets versus thermoplastics, and exo- and endothermic reactions. A unique laboratory experience, the PlastivanT teaches students, educators, and the public about the chemistry, history, processing, and environmental issues involved with plastics. Three vans sponsored by the National Plastics Center are currently traveling throughout the United States.
Five hands-on workshops were offered to students between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. About twenty students participated in each workshop, and following the workshops, Penn State Behrend plastics engineering technology students provided tours of the Fasenmyer Plastics Lab.
More information about the PlastivanT and examples of scientific
experiments that can be done at home are available at
www.plasticsmuseum.com.
-30-