Dr. Bernard Harris, the first African American astronaut to walk in space, visited  with 48 budding scientists and engineers Wednesday at the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp being conducted this week and next at UALR’s Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology (EIT).  The NASA astronaut hung out with the students Tuesday afternoon in an informal session. On Wednesday, he presided over an engineering exercise.

At Wednesday’s event, the fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students selected for the camp for their outstanding science and math aptitude built model rafts  out of two pieces of aluminum foil and four plastic straws and tried to calculate how many pennies their rafts can support.

The exercise was an example of the science, math, and engineering learning experiences the Arkansas students are receiving during the two-week camp. UALR is the only university in Arkansas selected to conduct the elite program organized by the astronaut’s Harris Foundation and funded by ExxonMobil. Only 30 American universities were selected to host the camp.

The ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp is a free, academic program of The Harris Foundation, which takes an active role in shaping education in students entering middle school grades in the fall of 2009.

The UALR campers – 24 girls and 24 boys – are living on campus, participating in activities and working with renowned scientists and researchers at EIT. The campers submitted applications and were selected based on their grades, standardized test scores, and teacher recommendations.

Harris is founder and president of the Harris Foundation and is on the board of directors for the National Math and Science Initiative dedicated to improving science and math performance among American students.