Twenty-one high school science teachers from across Alabama and Georgia are headed to The University of Alabama’s ASM Materials Camp from June 3-7 in Shelby Hall. The weeklong camp is co-hosted by Martin Bakker and Greg Thompson and facilitated by three master teachers from Ohio.

Ben Miller, a high school science teacher at Marion Academy, said the experience is a learning opportunity for teachers.

“I have come several times to this program and the master teachers are knowledgeable and help you learn and be able to show your students,” Miller said. “The week is a hodgepodge of different ideas, lectures and experiments that are fantastic.”

The program is a first-come, first-served application process until the quota is met. The U.S. Air Force funds the program and allows teachers to bring back starter kits to use in their classrooms.

As the University funds more programs and buildings in science and engineering, one-on-one recruitment becomes the most important aspect to a successful science program. The ASM Materials Camp empowers a handful of teachers to go spread the word about the facilities, professors and classes that the University has to offer.

Greg Thompson, a professor in the department of metallurgical and materials engineering, said he thinks the most distinctive aspect of the program is the practicality of the experiments.

“The exciting part is the ability to show how to engineer materials and think how they affect everyday life,” Thompson said. “These items range from an iPhone to the bridge you drive on.”

The camp also works to bridge science and art. The teachers will be able to participate in making Raku pottery.