Haunted Lab offers hands-on activities to community youth
Waynesburg hosted a haunted lab in Stewart Science Hall where students and community members participated in Halloween-themed labs Thursday, Oct. 27.
The event was organized by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and Forensic Science clubs on campus, and was led by Evonne Baldauff, chairperson for the chemistry and forensic science department and associate professor of chemistry.
“Our volunteers ranged from forensic science, biology and chemistry, and they demonstrated fun little demos,” Baldauff said.
Stewart’s fifth floor was transformed into the haunted lab with spider webs and string lights hanging from the ceiling. Each of the five lab rooms had different demonstrations, which each incorporated the Halloween theme, such as the screaming gummy bear, the shrinking ghost and pop rockets.
Some labs have been used every year due to their popularity, and others are swapped out due to interest or for another lab.
“Screaming gummy bear is always really popular. We put a gummy bear into an intense chemical and there is a lot of heat. The reaction is so intense there is a lot of noise, so we call it the screaming gummy bear,” Balduff said.
One of their demonstrations included “the melting ghost” where participants drew their ghost on a Styrofoam cup, which they then placed on a plate filled with ammonia. They then watched as the Styrofoam slowly disintegrated into the plate. Another experiment consisted of a volunteer adding dry ice to a beaker filled with a colorful substance, causing the liquid to smoke and bubble.
Many of the participants who attended the event were younger children, so all of the labs were kid-friendly. To interest the kids, they try to aim all of the labs to their understanding and skill level.
“Many students return every year to participate and is a lot of work to prepare, but the students get into it and it is a lot of fun,” Baldauff said.
About 75 students and community members came to the Haunted Lab, and there is a lot of time and effort that goes into the planning and setting up of the event.
“It takes a lot of work to put on the event; I think students underestimate how much work really goes in to it,” Baldauff said.
The event, for which planning began in early September, consisted of many different labs and experiments, so it required the help of many student and faculty members.
“My favorite part was the kids’ reactions to the experiments. It was really cool to see them getting excited over science,” said sophomore forensic science major Jenna Gearhart.
Gearhart helped run a demonstration where participants could create blood splatters, and was one of the many returning volunteers.
The Haunted Lab was advertised around campus and to the community for people to come and enjoy, while still learning about science.
“A big thank you to the students that came out to participate,” Baldauff said. “We had students come out and they just love it.”