FAQs
Got questions? We have answers! If you still have questions, please reach out to scope@colorado.edu.
S.C.O.P.E. is a science outreach program that serves to increase science identity and access to middle students with an emphasis for those who are historically underrepresented.
The purpose of this program is to provide the opportunity to expand science education for historically underrepresented students while simultaneously supplying teaching opportunities for staff, post-doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students across STEM departments at the University of Colorado at Boulder. S.C.O.P.E. will strive to promote interactions with scientists and encourage students to engage in hands-on scientific experimentation. “Meet a Scientist, Be a Scientist.†acts as the organization’s motto and primary mission for all interactions with students. If you would like more details regarding the structure of the program, please browse our
View our meeting minutes
All CU Boulder undergraduates, graduate students, post-docs, staff, and faculty are welcome to volunteer!
Though it is encouraged, you do not need a science background to volunteer. Training will be provided to volunteers in order to present scientific concepts and ideas that can be understood by a general audience and for children/students in 6th and 7th grade. We emphasize the idea that anyone can be a scientist if they approach the world with a sense of curiosity and wonder!
S.C.O.P.E. has three different types of volunteers:
- General Volunteer: A General Volunteer leads a small group of ~4 students through the science experiement of the day. They work with their groups to keep students engaged and excited about the science! We encourage anyone new to the program to start off as a general volunteer.
- Lead Volunteer: A Lead Volunteer "runs the classroom" and essentially keeps everything flowing smoothly. The Lead Volunteer will give an introduction in the beginning of the class, help volunteers and students through activities, and provide a summary at the end of class. We encourage Lead Volunteers to serve as a General Volunteer prior.
- Site Coordinator: A Site Coordinator is someone who help our program run smoothly the day of the event. They are responsible for the 'behind the scenes magic'. Their responsiblites enclude tasks such as restock materials, ensure volunteers sign-in and sign-out of the school, and answer questions that may arise throughout the day. They serve as the go-to person also fill in if there is a general or lead volunteer that can't make it last minute. We encourage Site Coordinators to have previous volunteer experience.
All volunteers are REQUIRED to go through their own training. See the events page for more details.
These duties will be assigned and decided by the S.C.O.P.E. board at the beginning of each semester, unless otherwise specified. Individuals may fulfill more than one role as deemed necessary by the S.C.O.P.E. board.  Program Support positions are open to all CU-affiliated personnel. Each position is one semester long broken into 3 parts of the year (summer, spring, fall). If you are interested, sign up here.
- Curriculum Team
- Lead by the Curriculum Coordinator.
- Responsible for developing new curriculum and modifying existing curriculum.
- Inventory Team
- ​â¶Ä‹Lead by the Curriculum Coordinator.
- Responsible for gathering and preparing materials for each event.
- This includes transportation of materials to each event and communication with the Treasurer if materials need to be purchased.
- Publicity Team ​â¶Ä‹
- Lead by the Public Relations Coordinator.
- Responsible for maintaining a social media presence.
- Summer Grant Writing Team
- ​â¶Ä‹Lead by the Treasurer.
- Responsible for writing S.C.O.P.E. grants during the summer as well as searching for new grants to apply for.
We are offering a multiple outreach events in the Fall semester and multiple outreach events in the Spring semester. See our events page for more details.
We encourage you to check out our curriculum page here, for more detailed information regarding each of the experiments the program offers. Days 1, 2, and 3 were all modified and adapted from the publically available experiments on ScienceBuddies. Day 4 was developed entirely by our curriculum team.
We have a training session for each type of volunteer.
General Volunteer Training: This training is mandatory for all new volunteers (general, lead, and site coordinator). New and returning volunteers will first tie-dye their very own S.C.O.P.E. shirt and enjoy some food and drinks. Afterwards, returning volunteers are dismissed and new volunteers will stay and learn general teaching tips, the lesson plan, and logistics for the program.
Lead Volunteer Training: This training is mandatory for all new and returning lead volunteers. This training will give the lead volunteer the resources to "run the classroom" and keep everything flowing smoothly. Food and drinks will be provided!
Site Coordinator Training: This training is mandatory for all new and returning site coordinators. This training will give the site coordinotrs the resources to support the lead volunteer, general volunteer, students, and teachers. Food and drinks will be provided!
*If you are unable to attend a required training, we will work to set up an alternative option.*
Fill out our volunteer form through the link .
We take as many volunteers as we can! It is first come first serve.
We arrange car-pooling for our volunteers to ensure that anyone with or without a car can participate!
Volunteers are chosen on a "first-come, first-serve" basis. We have ~100 volunteer slots available for each Fall/Spring semester. If you were unable to secure a spot for a semester, stay in the loop for when we post sign-ups and be sure to apply early!
Please email scope@colorado.edu as soon as you know you are unable to attend. We will work to provide you with the training you’ll need. If you are unable to attend the t-shirt dying day, let us know here and we will make a t-shirt for you.
This program is targeted at 6th-7th grade students in the Boulder County School District and the St. Vrain Valley School District. We wish we could volunteer at all schools! However, because of our limited avaliblity and suppiles we preferntially volunteer at underserved schools and not at private schools.
Please check out our Teacher Sign-up page found here! We would love to hear from you so that we can work you into our schedule. If you have any specific questions not outlined here, please feel free to contact us at scope@coloardo.edu.
Graduate students, post-doctoral students, from any department at the University of Colorado Boulder are eligible to apply. We encourage volunteer work before application, but is not required. Any individual interested in the President position and duties outlined in the S.C.O.P.E. Bylaws' Article V must serve one year on the board before becoming eligible to run for this position.
Applications for open positions will be available in the beginning of May of each year on the S.C.O.P.E. website and announced via email listservs for STEM departments at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Applications will be submitted on the S.C.O.P.E. website by the end of May. Initiated applicants will spend the summer (June/July) before the beginning of their term gaining insight from the current board member of their upcoming position. Board member term positions begin the summer semester of every academic year.
Board member appointments will submit a formal application for a board position on the website. Admittance to the board will be determined by a board vote (1 vote per board member) and volunteer vote (1 vote per majority of volunteer body) . In the case of a tie vote, the Faculty Advisor will decide the student’s application result. Student members of S.C.O.P.E. shall have a one-year term starting from the date of their election defined in Article IV section C subsection e. If you would like more information regarding board membership, please refer to Article IV in the bylaws.
S.C.O.P.E. has received three funding sources: