The Bartlem Lab
Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University
FoPD event with high school students: 24th May 2012

As part of Fascination of Plants Day, the Faculty of Agriculture hosted a visit by students from Nemuro Keiun Junior High School (7hrs bus ride away!). They spent the morning here doing some plant tissue culture experiments, seeing what a university lab is like and even trying the cafeteria food! The students had to come up with a hypothesis related to the roles of hormones in onion growth, then prepare samples that they take back and observe for 4 weeks. Based on these observations they will determine whether their hypotheses were correct or not and let us know. It was a great day and lots of fun and smiles all around!

The students also sent in drawings and comments before and after visiting us about their impressions of scientists (based on idea of Fermilab). Very rewarding experience, here are two examples:

Student A: “My image of scientists has changed completely 180 degrees, I used to think they were strict and boring, but now I know they are really cool and friendly people!”

Student B: “Scientists are not hard-headed but really friendly and interesting people! There are lots of cool female scientists too!”