Volunteer Spotlight

There’s a key component in every scientific discovery, and you won’t find it in a beaker, a graduated cylinder or even in the lab. It’s interpersonal communication, the key element for SCI volunteer Dana Kirkegaard.

For the 17-year-old aspiring chemistry major, interactions with participants and scientific concepts complete the SCI volunteer experience.

“Interacting with people is a good skill to have. If you make a discovery but can’t communicate it, what does that really mean?” Kirkegaard said.

The variety of interpersonal opportunities at SCI motivates Kirkegaard to maintain a busy volunteer schedule. From regular weekend hours to special events including Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival Jr. and Des Moines Mini Maker Faire, she meets a wide array of participants with diverse interests.

“You can tell participants here are really involved and take things away from what they learn at the Science Center of Iowa,” she said.

Though SCI is a popular destination for children, Kirkegaard said her volunteer work provides valuable opportunities to interact with adults. Whether she’s answering young participants’ questions in her favorite experience platform, When Things Get Moving, or meeting staff, Kirkegaard said SCI’s volunteer opportunities give her a new outlook.

“As a high school student, I haven’t had a lot of opportunities to work with adults. It’s a great experience,” she said. “You get to work with different people. It gives you a different perspective.”

Whether they’re handing water to thirsty runners at the Jingle Bell Rock n’ Run or welcoming vendors to the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival Jr. at SCI, John, Lori and Larissa French build relationships with visitors and volunteers while strengthening their own family bond.

Larissa and her parents are longtime SCI Members and started volunteering as a family in December 2014. Immediately, they noticed a distinct camaraderie among SCI volunteers, led by Volunteer Manager Chris Juhl.

“The main person we’ve interacted with is Chris Juhl, and I think he’s so enthusiastic and he’s so happy to have us here, as well as to be a part of the events, and I think that’s really infectious,” Larissa said. “Even though this is only our second time, he instantly recognized us when we came in and was glad to see us. There’s a real community among the volunteers here.”

The Frenches enjoy regular visits beyond their volunteer hours. John said he stops by after work, sometimes to see other visitors experience SCI and sometimes to try the activities himself.

“I’ll come down after work and walk around the other events you have,” John said. “Those are fun, and I like to see people enjoying them. I like to play with the water at the Power Up station in the Toying with Science exhibit.”

From volunteer hours to spontaneous visits, the Frenches enjoy seeing participants engaged in science learning at SCI.

“It’s fun to watch the kids learning and exploring and discovering,” Lori said.