Imagine being a child discovering a love for science for the first time by looking through a microscope in a state-of-the-art lab at school. But it isn’t inside a classroom. It’s actually HPU’s Mobile Lab, an innovative science lab on wheels that makes chemistry and biology accessible to all students. Faculty and students travel to schools throughout the city of High Point and the Piedmont Triad to foster a love for science in local youth.
The university funded the creation of HPU’s Mobile Lab, and the project was spearheaded by Dr. Neil Coffield and Dr. Veronica Segarra, assistant professors of biology, and Dr. Heather Miller, assistant professor of chemistry.
Students unveiled the Mobile Lab to the community during a special event at High Point Central High School.
“I feel good knowing that he’s going to have the advantage to use this lab,” said Kellie Jackson, a high school parent, about her son, Branden, after they toured the bus. “It’s amazing what can be seen under these microscopes.”
Branden Jackson said the lab is one of the reasons he wants to attend HPU in the future.
“This is more interesting than regular labs,” he said. “In middle school, I wanted to get more into science. Now I see this, and it makes me want to study science at HPU.”
The HPU Mobile Lab is integrated into HPU’s undergraduate education science curriculum and allows students to create experimental modules on HPU’s campus with the purpose of increasing the accessibility to sciences in the community.
“With the Mobile Lab, we can reach out to high school students and show what HPU offers,” said Kristen Brokaw, an HPU biochemistry major from Jackson, New Jersey. “It’s an example of the opportunities HPU students have to connect with the community.”