You may have heard the CBC Day Break North interview this morning with Teacher Elaine McEachern speaking about a group of SD60 Students that have been working on a research program with the Canadian Light Source called Students on the Beamline. This group of Grade 7-12 students chose their own research project that looked at fracking materials. Specifically they looked for Barium Sulphate in samples around a fracking site. Teachers Elaine McEachern and Joe Umanetz facilitated the group; however, it was student led as a required part of the program.
The CLS is a Synchrotron that produces a variety of high intensity wavelengths of light to study matter at the atomic level.
This is a great example of SD60s not only studying materials, but actually building new knowledge that can be used by the public and industry! We are sure it was a very Enlightening experience!
For a local media story on this please see the article linked in the tweet below from the Alaska Highway News.
CBC has provided an MP3 of the interview which we have included.