Pathways 7th Grade Workshop Listings

Pathways 2025 Workshop Listings

7th Grade Workshops

BRIDGING THE GAP                                                                                   
Learn about the fundamentals of engineering with a focus on bridge building in this workshop where you will design, build and test your own virtual bridge using West Point’s Bridge Design software. The workshop allows you to get a real life idea of what factors should be taken into consideration when building a bridge including cost, materials, obstacles, length, etc. Let’s see who can build the most stable and cost efficient bridge!

Alex Baldowski, B.S.
Civil Engineer
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District

COSMETIC CHEMISTRY                                                                             

Cosmetics and beauty products are a trillion dollar a year industry.  And it is the work of chemists to develop these products including the newest improvements in anti-wrinkle or anti-acne products, the formulation of foundations that better match your skin tones, and longer wearing lipsticks and nail polishes.  What does each ingredient do?  How do the ingredients all work together? What pigmentations produce the best colors?  These are some of the many questions that chemists work through to formulate cosmetics.  Come practice your formulation skills and make your own unique color of nail polish.

Mary Ritchey, M.S.
Instructor of Chemistry
Kinsley School of Engineering, Sciences, and Technology
York College of Pennsylvania 

CRACK THE CODE: THE MATH & SCIENCE OF PICTURE-PERFECT PHOTOGRAPHY

Learn how to snap Instagram-worthy photos and uncover the math and science behind making them shine! In this workshop, Petro shares how creative techniques and practical math power her photography business—from composition and lighting to pricing and profit. Ready to capture wow-worthy shots and business smarts? Let’s go!

Petronella Lugemwa, B.S., M.A.
Owner and Principal Photographer
Petronella Photography

DIGITAL SYSTEMS AND M1K

The term digital systems encompasses various elements, including hardware, software, and networks, and their utilization. A system can comprise numerous components; for instance, a computer typically consists of a central processing unit, a hard disk, keyboard, mouse, screen, and more. In this engaging hands-on workshop, we will explore fundamental digital gates, and additionally, we will utilize the M1K device to conduct the experiment.

Neda Bazyar Shourabi, Ph.D,
Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering
Penn State York

DNA DETECTIVES

Did you know that the complexity of human chromosomes (the stuff from which we are made) reduces to four very simple repeating units? Amazingly, these same four repeating units define the diversity of all life, both plant and animal, on earth. Participants will gain insight into the nature of these DNA building blocks and at the same time learn how scientists and mathematicians isolate, study, and formulate mathematical models to relate the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from different organisms to each other. This workshop will be conducted in the Penn State York biology laboratory, and will be set up as a forensics-style investigation in which students must use DNA statistical information to identify a criminal.

Robert Farrell, Ph.D.
Director of Academic Affairs and Professor of Biology
Penn State York

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN FOR METEOROLOGISTS

Did you know you can use your artistic talents to learn about weather? Discover the many different clouds that float above us by using your creative skills. Plus, learn how something as ordinary as an egg can help explain a key weather concept!

Renee Duff, B.S.  
Senior Meteorologist and Hiring Supervisor, Forecasting Operations 
AccuWeather, Inc.

Stephen K. Lentz, Ph.D.
Instructor of Meteorolgy
Penn State York

GETTING “PHYSICAL” WITH MATH AND SCIENCE        
Which math and science courses should I take in high school to prepare for a career as a physical therapist or as an occupational therapist? How will psychology, geometry, anatomy, and physics apply when treating an adult with a total knee replacement or a stroke, a child with spina bifida or difficulties with writing? We’ll answer these questions and help you test your strength, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, balance, and ability to maneuver a manual wheelchair.

Shannon Kern, B.S., M.S.
Physical Therapist
Lincoln Intermediate Unit No.12

Karen Connolly OTR/L
School based therapist
Lincoln Intermediate Unit No. 12

JILL AND THE MAGIC BEANSTALK          

Agronomy is the study of crops and soils, and agronomists help farmers grow more food while protecting our natural resources. Put on your agronomist hat in this session with a hands-on case study, where you’ll help a farmer identify problems, find solutions, and make decisions for their soybean crop.

Ashley Isaacson                                
Extension Educator, Agronomy
Penn State Extension/York County

LEARNING IN VIRTUAL REALITY  

Experience the future of education while exploring the wonders of virtual reality.  In this hands-on workshop, you will use state-of-the art immersive headsets to explore the capabilities of the technology while learning about a subject in technology.

Bill Cantor, B.S., M.S.
Assistant Teaching Professor of Project and Supply Chain Management and Information Technology
SAP Faculty Coordinator 
Penn State York

MARINE SCIENCE EXPLORATION: HOW IS A SQUID ABLE TO SURVIVE IN THE OCEAN?
Obtain information about an unusual mollusk, the squid, through discussion and dissection. This hands-on lab emphasizes how the form and function of the squid’s basic anatomy helps this efficient predator survive in the ocean.

Lauren Fauth, M.S., M.Ed.                            
School Programs Coordinator
National Aquarium

PATHWAYS STEAM BUILDING CHALLENGE

Calling all creative thinkers who like their science served with a helping of art and a dash of innovation. Come play with us and learn what it’s like to work in a STEAM career. 

Lori McCracken
Creative-in-Residence
Keystone Kidspace 

ROBOT REPTILES: ENTER THE LIZARDVERSE!

Welcome to the Lizardverse — where science meets sci-fi! Your mission: bring robotic lizards to life and guide them through an epic maze challenge. Using real microprocessors (the same kind of tech found in smart cars and prosthetic limbs), you’ll program your creature to move, react, and race to the finish. Think of it as part coding, part creature creation, and all-out competition. Can your team dominate the maze and become Lizardverse Legends?

Lisa Hicks
Online Marketer
EcoYork, LLC

Mark Lane, A.S., B.S.
President and Owner
Eco York, LLC

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY: UNDERSTANDING HOW WE PERCEIVE THE SOCIAL WORLD

Do you believe the world you see with your eyes is the same as the world your peers see? Many of us would say yes, although social psychologists would argue that each of us sees the world around us through a different lens, which can change depending on who we are, what we’ve been through, and where we are in the world. In this workshop, students will gain a deeper understanding of automatic social processing, as well as how these automatic processes might play a role in our social interactions with our peers and family members. Starting with a brief activity on perception, we will introduce students to attribution errors and, finally, we will investigate the influence of the implied presence of others on behavior. This workshop intends to demonstrate that our world is partially created (e.g., constructivism) through the lens of our own experiences, the beliefs we have about ourselves and others, and the consideration we have for our place in groups which are important to us.

Stephen Foster, Ph.D
Associate Professor of Social Psychology
Penn State York 

SOLVE A MEDICAL MYSTERY                                                       

We need your help! We have a medical mystery to solve that centers around the investigation of a puzzling illness. You will work as a medical detective (laboratory scientist) to piece together clues and uncover the true diagnosis.  You will learn how symptoms from a patient can be explained and mysteries solved through testing performed in the clinical lab. This workshop includes information about clinical chemistry, immunology, microbiology, immunohematology, and hematology. Become a medical laboratory scientist for the day and see how much fun it can be!  

Melody Botterbusch MLS, SC (ASCP)
Clinical Instructor
York Hospital Medical Laboratory Science Program 

SPARKLING WITH CHEMISTRY                                         

The science of chemistry governs the breathtaking fireworks display that we see on the fourth of July. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn about the chemical composition of sparklers, by examining the compounds that can be used to produce a variety of colorful sparks. They will then apply this knowledge to make and ignite sparklers of their own.

F. Andrew Landis, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Penn State York

THE POWER OF PERSPECTIVE — NEW 2026

Who knew that camera angles could hold so much power in movies? In this workshop, students will discover the meanings and importance of different camera angles commonly used in films. Students will have the opportunity to experiment in groups with a variety of different angles and will be tasked with filming other students and being filmed using these angles. They will learn the basic operations of a camera, how to create short scenes using multiple camera angles, and explore how other films use the same angles.  

Darien Reimold
Film Production student
Penn State York

THE SKYS THE LIMIT!

Have you ever looked up to the sky and wondered where is that plane going or perhaps how high is it flying and how fast does it travel? Here’s your opportunity to get those answers while learning the basics of flight. So, fasten your seat belts and prepare for takeoff because we will also simulate the different principles of flying.

Kevin Higgins, B.A., USAF Flight Training
Captain Boeing 787
American Airlines

Ryan Higgins, A.S., ATP Flight Training
First Officer Embraer 145
Piedmont Airlines

Irina Ivango, IFS Flight Training
Flight Attendant and CADET Program
PSA Airlines

WHAT'S THE BUZZ?

Bees play a critical role here in Pennsylvania, both agriculturally and ecologically: hundreds of different species contribute to the pollination of our crops and wild plants. In this hands-on workshop, we will explore the importance of honey bees and native bees and learn about ways to care for and protect them.

Kelsey Conlon, B.S.
Laboratory Technician
Penn State York

WHEN YOU CAN’T BREATHE NOTHING ELSE MATTERS                     

Respiratory therapists make a lifetime of difference to those who need help breathing.

Join us for a glimpse into a career as a respiratory care practitioner. Learn about the situations that respiratory care practitioners assist with, skills learned in training, career mobility, credentialing, specialty options, and anticipated salary ranges. You’ll also gain a little hands-on experience with respiratory therapy equipment like an Ambu bag, inhaler, spacer, endotracheal tube, trach, nebulizer, oxygen mask, peak flometer, and Incentive spirometer. The importance of keeping your lungs healthy will be included by providing education about tobacco products such as e-cigarettes and vaping and how these devices contain nicotine and other chemicals that can cause harm to healthy lungs and young people.

Pam Miller,  RRT/CTTS/NCTTP
Tobacco Cessation Educator/Program Coordinator
Corporate & Community Wellness/CARES Program
UPMC Memorial 

WHO EATS WHOM? USING PARASITES TO IDENTIFY FOOD WEB CONNECTIONS IN AN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM                                                                             
Did you know that parasites can be helpful? While most people think of parasites as simply disease-causing creatures, their presence/absence in certain environments is utilized by ecologists to better understand the community. In fact, over the past decade, parasites have been employed to better understand nutrient cycling and food webs in both terrestrial and aquatic environments! In this workshop, students will learn about the diversity of parasitic life, including an introduction to parasite life cycles and transmission biology. Through an exploration of four parasite species present in two different aquatic environments, students will then attempt to determine what waterways our target host species (shorebirds) fed from during their long migration. This will involve the detection of parasites in mock fecal samples and identification of the parasite life stages (in the forms of candy) from each host. Using this information, our amateur ecologists will then determine the food web dynamics for each of the two shorebirds under study. This hands-on workshop will illustrate the importance of parasites beyond simply causing disease, but as ecologically important species that can help researchers understand food web dynamics (who eats whom) and what species are key to energy cycling within an ecosystem.

Anne M. Vardo-Zalik, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biology
Penn State York
Penn State Teaching Fellow