Backing Science: Local Students Receive Special Delivery from UT Dallas

05.03.2021

Juliana Kikumoto Dias (left) and Katayoun Morakabi, chemistry doctoral students at UT Dallas, fill backpacks with science-related materials to give away to students in Allen ISD.

Dr. Sheena D’Arcy, assistant professor of chemistry at The University of Texas at Dallas, recently facilitated a donation of about 800 science backpacks to fifth and sixth graders in the Allen Independent School District.

Thermo Fisher Scientific, a global company that provides laboratory equipment and services to researchers, donated the packs and contents, which were distributed to students who had recently participated in science fairs at their respective schools. Backpack contents included a rubber lab apron, a medical mask and a lab notebook.

“When we first started thinking about this outreach activity, we were hoping to have an in-person event where UT Dallas chemistry and biochemistry students would take the backpacks to the schools and talk to students about what it is like to be a scientist, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, that didn’t happen,” D’Arcy said.

Instead, doctoral students in D’Arcy’s lab, including Juliana Kikumoto Dias and Katayoun Morakabi, assembled the backpacks and delivered them to Allen ISD in March.

“We are thankful for the partnership with UTD and Thermo Fisher, and for the generous donation of these STEM backpacks for our students,” said Erin McCann, director of marketing for Allen ISD. “UTD continuously supports our STEAM [science, technology, engineering, arts and math] initiatives and our belief that STEAM learning is for all students.”

–Amanda Siegfried