Singne Slayton, an administrative assistant in the biology department, feigns death on the floor of her office as Zander Myers, foreground, a freshman at Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy, and Kelly Reid, a sophomore at Northland Preparatory Academy, investigate clues from the crime scene to solve her "murder" during the first day of NAU's Girls in Science Summer Day Camp.

'CSI camp' draws girls
into science

A number of grisly crime scenes unfolded on NAU's north campus this week, sending nearly a dozen budding young scientists scurrying to perform a series of intriguing experiments using medical and crime forensic techniques.

But the "crimes" were actually played out by actors in scenes staged by NAU's Discovery Research Laboratories for Women's Health. And the crime-solvers were in fact high school age girls attending NAU's second annual Girls in Science Summer Day Camp, designed to engage them in science through biology and chemistry research.

"Master's and Ph.D. programs typically have more male students," said Robert Audet, one of the camp's coordinators and manager of the Discovery Research Laboratories in NAU's biology department. "It's a cultural issue, and we want to change that. The earlier we get these girls interested in science, the more likely their high school careers will reflect that."

Through this modern day game of Clue, participants in the weeklong camp are doing much more than moving pieces on a game board to figure out who killed Col. Mustard. Working in small groups alongside peer mentors, the teams are investigating one of five sometimes-gruesome crime scenes using the proper techniques to collect evidence, analyze fingerprints, interview witnesses, conduct blood and fiber analyses, and even do a facial reconstruction of one of the "victims."

Their research activities ultimately will lead them to discover the circumstances behind the deaths of an administrative assistant, a track star, a graduate researcher, a middle-aged woman and the discovery of human bones on campus.

"It's important to get women involved in science at an early age," said Carrie Vargas, a graduate student in biology who is volunteering as a mentor to the campers. "They can have fun and see that science is pretty cool."

In addition to peer mentors like Vargas who help guide the campers in their analysis and lab techniques, the young protégés are also hearing from some of the university's women scientists about their research activities and have an opportunity to work alongside them in experiments that will help them solve their "crimes."

Vargas believes that by exposing the campers to so many women scientists as role models, the program will indeed be a factor in the campers' future decisions to pursue scientific careers.

Audet said the camp is the perfect venue for the young women to explore their scientific abilities.

"It's a safe, creative, fun and scientifically accurate research experience for these girls," he said. "It is our sincere hope that by providing these girls with an opportunity to experience the world of scientific research, we will increase the number of young women entering colleges or universities with a major in the sciences."

Judging by the looks on their faces as they work to solve these mock crimes, the campers are indeed experiencing just how much fun scientific discovery can be.

Information about the Girls in Science Summer Day Camp is online.