Hello fellow Whyvillians! I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Dr. Rabiah (DrRabiah on Whyville), about Whyville's newest addition, Virtual Science Chicago! As the Science Director, Dr. Rabiah had much to share about this exciting program . . . so without further adieu, let's hear all about it.
Amae: What is Science Chicago?
DrRabiah: Science Chicago is a year-long, public awareness campaign to engage and excite citizens in the Chicago region about science, technology and engineering. This initiative covers Chicago and Cook County, and the 5 surrounding counties.
Amae: What is the purpose or goal of the program?
DrRabiah: The purpose of Science Chicago is to awaken Chicagoans to the wonders of this region's scientific resources and the importance of science to our future. Science Chicago will accomplish this by creating an extensive network of leaders, educators, scientists and organizations to come together and:
- Engage young people in the fun, excitement and awe of science and inspire them to consider careers in science and technology fields.
- Raise awareness of the importance of science in everyday life in the minds of students, their parents and teachers - and thereby, the public at large.
- Enlighten Chicagoans to the region's vast science and technology assets.
Amae: What kinds of programs and activities will be a part of the program?
DrRabiah: Science Chicago programs will include myriad programs and activities, such as hands-on workshops, demonstrations, science discussions, competitions, films, art and museum exhibits, seminars, behind-the-scenes science tours, science festivals, career fairs and many more. The complete list of programs can be found on the Science Chicago website.
Amae: How did you become interested in your field of study?
DrRabiah: I was always interested in biology, specifically studying how the body works at the cell and molecule levels. The research I did in graduate school was really exciting and focused on an important molecular process that happens in our cells all the time, making sure that our genetic information (DNA) is properly made into the right proteins to do work in our cells.
Amae: What is your background? How did you get to where you are now?
DrRabiah: I grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland, and went to college in-state to study biochemistry and French. I wasn't sure if wanted to practice medicine or do research full-time, so when I graduated from college, I decided to begin graduate school here in Chicago. I had a wonderful research mentor who trained me in his laboratory for 6 years; he taught me about how to perform careful experiments and how to think critically about scientific problems. Everyday was a journey in problem-solving and discovery, which to me is what science is all about! While I loved working in the lab, I found myself more passionate about working with young people during visits to high schools and mentoring programs on the weekend. When I completed graduate school and began looking for a job, I searched for a position that would combine my love of science and learning with the ability to help young people get involved and engaged in scientific thinking and discovery. I was fortunate to have found a job opening at Science Chicago, and now, 5 months later, I am so proud to be a part of the world's largest science celebration.
Amae: What is your role in Science Chicago?
DrRabiah: As Science Director, I work with other scientists on the Science Council to evaluate the programs that are submitted to and developed by Science Chicago. I also help to represent Science Chicago to the public as well as working to learn about what kind of topics and activities Chicagoans are interested in. I have a blog on our website through which I hope to share my own interests as well as hear back from young people who post their ideas and questions.
Amae: What is "At Home With Science"?
DrRabiah: At Home With Science was initially designed to be a series of science activities that students could do at home, with very little equipment, during the summer while school was out. Each activity encourages students to think critically, make hypotheses, and do an experiment to address a particular problem or question. During the upcoming year, we'll add more activities and links to great websites with fun ways to do science at home. The goal is to get young people to see that that science is everywhere you look, and that Life's a Lab.
Amae: What is your blog about and how can students access it or ask you questions?
DrRabiah: My blog is a place where I write about all kinds of things related to science - interesting fun facts, the science behind everyday things or items in the news; in general, topics that I am interested or excited about myself. The blog is also a place where I can post questions or ideas from kids who write in to me by email (DrRabiah@sciencechicago.com) or submit a comment to one of the posts; I'll review it and post for people to see. You can find my blog in The Lab section of http://sciencechicago.com/.
Amae: What's your favorite thing about Science Chicago?
DrRabiah: My favorite part about Science Chicago is how many great people who are making this initiative possible! Science Chicago exists because of the vision and hard work of numerous scientists/engineers, educators, public officials, funders and volunteers. There are over 100 organizations coming together to provide exciting science experiences throughout the Chicago region, and I feel the strength of Science Chicago is in these strong partnerships and collaborations.
Amae: What is Virtual Science Chicago in Whyville all about?
DrRabiah: Virtual Science Chicago in Whyville is designed to offer students a different way to engage in Science Chicago. They can communicate with each other about events they've attended, make and share cards from the Science Chicago card game, and communicate with each other in the monthly halls and outside by the fountain. It's also a great way to get involved if you are not in the Chicago region or otherwise can't make it to an event. We know that Whyville is all about creating a fun place for kids to socialize and learn in the virtual world, so we're excited to have a virtual home in Whyville during this upcoming year.
Amae: What will be in the 12 halls of the Virtual Science Chicago building?
DrRabiah: Each hall in Science Chicago represents one month of the Science Chicago year (September 2008-August 2009). Within each hall there will be animatable objects that offer the opportunity to learn about some of the activities happening in the Science Chicago real-world.
Amae: What activities and games are part of Virtual Science Chicago?
DrRabiah: Virtual Science Chicago will feature a brand-new game on Whyville - the Science Chicago card game. This is a game that allows Whyvillians to make or earn collector cards based on real-life Science Chicago activities. Those cards can be collected, traded, or turned in for clams, and are a way for Whyville citizens to be creative and share what they've learned at Science Chicago events with their friends in the virtual world.
Amae: How can Whyville citizens who are not Chicago residents become involved in Science Chicago?
DrRabiah: They can hang out right here in Whyville and explore virtual Science Chicago, and they can visit http://sciencechicago.com/.
Amae: Where should Whyville citizens look for a similar program in their area?
DrRabiah: Science Chicago is a unique, first-of-its kind initiative, but what Whyvillians will soon discover is that this initiative is a huge collaboration among hundreds of libraries, schools, universities, community groups, industries, museums, businesses and other organizations all coming together for a year to celebrate science. So if a Whyville citizen is interested in science, technology or engineering, he or she should look find out what's going on at the local library or museum. Or, ask a teacher or other adult about where to find programs and activities that meet your interests. And finally, a Whyville citizen can come up with an activity of his or her own, tapping into their inner scientist and discovering something interesting about our world.
Amae: What are you most looking forward to during the next year of Science Chicago?
DrRabiah: I'm most looking forward to working directly with young people and connecting them with resources and activities that help inspire their own inner curiosity.
And now, a few questions to get to know Dr. Rabiah.
Amae: What is your favorite ice cream?
DrRabiah: Mint Chocolate Chip!
Amae: Do you have any pets?
DrRabiah: No . . . I'm allergic to a lot of things, so I really should get a turtle or something, but I prefer cuddly animals. I used to have guinea pigs but they made my asthma worse :(.
Amae: What is your favorite TV show?
DrRabiah: These days, it's "Deadliest Catch"; I think it's on the Discovery Channel. Super-scary true stories of Alaskan fishing!
Amae: If you could have any superhero power, what would you choose and why?
DrRabiah: I'd choose to travel back in time and fix some of the mistakes I've made, and see my grandparents.
Amae: Who would you like to play you in a movie about your life?
DrRabiah: My twin sister, Jhilya. She looks like me and know me better than anyone!
Amae: What is the most interesting science experiment you have performed?
DrRabiah: When I was in high school, I spent a summer testing for swamp bacteria that could biodegrade plant parts. This was part of a NASA-funded program at Tuskegee University focused on research for life on the space station. The bacteria we were testing were planned to be sent into space to breakdown the inedible parts of plants naturally, to reduce the amount of garbage produced on the space station. The bacteria were yucky and smelled gross, but the project was really fun!
Here's a picture of Dr. Rabiah with some science interns from the Museum.
Please join me in thanking Dr. Rabiah for this very interesting interview! I know I am, as well as the rest of the City Workers, are extremely excited about this new program. It once again brings the real world into our virtual world and creates a fun and intriguing way to learn about science.
Also, as you can see, there is a new section in the Times dedicated solely to Science Chicago. This section is for you and for members of Science Chicago to write articles about the program. You can write an article about an "At Home with Science" experiment you performed, or interview a scientist you may know. The possibilities are endless!
Be sure to visit Virtual Science Chicago as soon as you can.
Yours in Whyville,
AMae
