POLYMER AMBASSADORS: A Novel Program to Promote Pre-college Learning about Polymeric Materials

The POLYMER AMBASSADORS are a group of science teachers from across the United States who volunteer to provide fellow teachers with information on polymeric materials and strategies for including them in their curriculum. Because of their intriguing physical properties and their familiarity to students, polymeric materials are particularly suitable as a focus of science learning. The first section will focus on the Polymer Ambassador program, including its mission, execution, training, funding, and influence. In the second section, two Polymer Ambassadors, one from middle level and one from high school, narrate how they adapt their polymer teaching to the specific needs of their students. The final section describes many of the workshops that Polymer Ambassadors present.