Burlington--Interested in building a rocket or learning to code? Perhaps exploring forest ecology or the workings of the human brain fuels your passion.

There's something for everyone through University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H's "Summer of Science," which offers 15 free workshops and opportunities for middle and high school students. Spaces are limited, and advanced registration is required.

For information or to register, go to at www.uvm.edu/extension/youth/announcements. If a program is full, please contact Lauren Traister at lauren.traister@uvm.edu or (802) 656-7565 to be placed on a waiting list. Requests for language interpretation, translation assistance and/or a disability-related accommodation to participate must be made by June 1.

Before registering, please review workshop descriptions for details including registration deadline, date, time and location as well as what grade levels are eligible to participate.

Opportunities include:

  • June 23: Learn About Lake Champlain on a Floating Classroom. Participants will explore Vermont's largest lake aboard the R/V Marcelle Melosira, UVM's research vessel, for hands-on learning about aquatic food webs and water quality testing.
  • June 27: Flow Cytometry. Students will learn about flow cytometry and how a flow cytometer works and work with a scientist to process samples in a university research laboratory.
  • June 28: Plant and Fungi Ecology and Evolution. This workshop entails a woodland walk, UVM greenhouse tour and lab work to better understand the evolution and diversity of plants and how they interact with fungi, animals and other organisms.
  • July 6 and 27: Build a Rocket. At Benchmark Space Systems in Burlington, students will explore the workings of hybrid rocket engines and rocket design. They will create their own rocket designs to be 3-D printed and fired and discuss the test results and observations with rocket scientists and designers.
  • July 10: Biomimicry. After exploring the outdoors, participants will brainstorm ideas for how functions in nature can be used to make changes for the better in human lives, a practice known as biomimicry.
  • July 12: Learn About Forest Ecology. Students will learn how to identify common tree species and how foresters and forest scientists measure trees and study soil to assess the history of a site to determine which tree species will grow there.
  • July 14-16: Natural Resources Management Academy. This overnight camp will combine field exploration of watershed science, fish health, food waste to fuel conversion and ecological restoration with opportunities for outdoor recreation.
  • July 17: Youth Day at the Stem Cells, Cell Therapy and Bioengineering in Lung Biology and Disease Conference. Participants will tour a UVM research laboratory and learn about the biomechanical regulation of lung function and translational science career paths.
  • July 18: Learn About Brain Connections with Neuronify. This session will focus on how scientists use Neuronify, an open-source app, to study the various ways brain cells send and receive information.
  • July 21: Microbe Detectives. Students will learn what goes on behind the scenes at a doctor's office, including how to draw and analyze a patient's blood and test bacterial growth to identify the microbe causing an infection. They also will tour the UVM Medical Center's clinical laboratory and discover what it takes to become a phlebotomist, pathologist, medical laboratory scientist or histotechnologist.
  • July 24-28: Science Exploration Camp. This week-long day camp will look at a number of science disciplines through hands-on experiments.
  • July 31-August 4: Morning Cup of Code. The five-day virtual workshop will teach foundational coding concepts for building a customizable quiz game using the Scratch coding platform.
  • August 4: Brain Lab. This laboratory experience involves the use of real human brains to delve into neuroanatomy and the mysterious workings of the brain.
  • August 6: Nature Awareness and Ecological Restoration. Participants will learn how to use field guides, identify and record wild species, work with a map and compass and employ basic skills to restore an ecosystem under the direction of the UVM Mycolab team.