**APS’ PhUn Week Program Highlighted at International Science + Society Conference**

In December 2006, the APS K-12 outreach program, Physiology Understanding Week (PhUn Week), was selected as one of 14 innovative science education programs to be highlighted at the Science + Society: Closing the Gap conference (http://www.scienceandsocietyconference.com/).

The Conference, held in Boston, is the first science-related event among scientists, educators, media professionals, policymakers and the public to discuss effective and practical ways to improve science communication and enhance science literacy. Participants included former Vice President Al Gore, executives from PBS’ NewsHour, NBC’s Law & Order, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Wellcome Trust and others.

The APS program PhUn Week was selected by conference organizers from among scores of entries received from throughout the United States. On January 20, Marsha Lakes Matyas, APS’ Director of Education Programs, presented the strategies behind the program aimed at engaging school age children about physiology.

According to Matyas, PhUn Week is a distinctive program of science communication that brings teams of “citizen scientists” — comprised of a senior researcher and his or her undergraduate, graduate and/or postdoctoral students — to the classroom and uses a collaborative approach in working with classroom teachers. During PhUn Week classroom visits in November, researchers wear PhUn Week t-shirts and engage students in interactive, hands-on physiology activities. Through this real-life, face-to-face encounter with practicing scientists, students learn how scientific discoveries are made. “Initiatives like this impact children’s lives and career choices, which can shape the discoveries of tomorrow,” says Matyas.

In 2005, the APS initiated a small-scale pilot test of four events in four states that reached more than 500 students. In 2006, Council supported a moderately expanded pilot test to 14 presentation events in nine states that reached more than 1,000 students. In 2007, PhUn Week launches nationally during the week of November 5^th,with an open invitation to all APS members to participate. For more information, be sure to attend the PhUn Week training session on Sunday, April 29^th at EB 2007.

PhUn Week is a project of the APS Education Committee, which conceptualized this initiative in 2005, and received support from the APS Council. In two short years, the program has created resources that allow APS members to implement it virtually anywhere. Members are encouraged to become a part of this innovative program. For more information, contact the APS Education Office at education@the-aps.org or (301) 634-7132.

For more information about how you can get involved in PhUn Week, please visit: www.PhUnWeek.org and contact Mel Limson in the Education Office at MLimson@The-APS.org.