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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) – A select group of high school students from Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) will get a boost in their science fair projects this year by working with research scientists and engineers at UC Riverside’s College of Engineering-Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT).

About 40 students will visit CE-CERT Thursday, Oct. 22, for the second of two sessions intended to stimulate the study of global climate change and other key environmental issues.

“The workshop is designed to create a greater understanding of issues related to global climate change among Riverside-area high school science teachers, students and their parents,” according to Matthew Barth, CE-CERT director.

Following the sessions, the students’ teachers will select a number of students to be mentored in their science project research by CE-CERT faculty at the center's laboratories.

"This is an opportunity for students and their teachers to observe the research methods that can be used in defining the issues and seeking solutions," Barth added.

The outreach effort is funded by the Bank of America, which also provided funding for science fair equipment, supplies and materials. The results will be part of the RUSD Science and Engineering Fair Feb. 16-18, 2010.

At Thursday's workshop, Barth will speak on "Transportation and Greenhouse Gas Emissions." Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering David Cocker will explain "Aerosol Formation in the Atmosphere," and Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Akua Asa-Awuku will discuss "Why is it Difficult to Predict Climate?"

The first workshop was held on Oct. 15 when Chemical and Environmental Engineering lecturer Kawai Tam presented an overview of sustainability. Biofuels researcher Mirvat Ebrick explained "Biological Conversion of Cellulosic Biomass to Ethanol," and Barth made a presentation on "Solar Energy Systems."

“These presentations cover some of the areas where the center has active and ongoing research programs, enabling high school researchers selected to work there would part of leading-edge science,” Barth explained.

The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment of about 18,000 is expected to grow to 21,000 students by 2020. The campus is planning a medical school and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Graduate Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion.

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