Santa Monica College is pleased to announce that it is partnering this year with the Will Rogers Learning Community Science Expo, which will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 in the Will Rogers Cafeteria, 2401 14th St., Santa Monica.

The science expo will provide an opportunity to view Will Rogers' student projects in which students could construct a collection, create a portfolio, or explore through an investigation their science topic of interest. In addition, students and families can actively participate in hands-on science investigations designed in collaboration with Will Rogers' teachers and SMC students.

Two SMC students have been interning at Will Rogers under the guidance of chemistry professor Muriel Walker-Waugh and Maria Leon-Vazquez, manager of the Copernicus Project, which is an intensive, two-week summer program at the University of California at Riverside aimed at recruiting more students into teaching careers in math and science.

The SMC students worked with Will Rogers' science educator Pam Dresher and developed investigation stations that the community will be able to engage in at the science expo. For example, one station will demonstrate how different elements determine which colors are visible on the color spectrum using gas diffusion tubes. Another will feature a laser nebula to further engage students into the sciences.

This expo, as well as the work our students have been doing with Will Rogers students, is a win-win for both SMC and the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, Leon-Vazquez said.

In honor of Earth Day, SMC will showcase its electric car at the expo. In addition, the Santa Monica Police Department will have on display its "smart car," a police vehicle full of technological innovation.

This event and collaboration have been made possible by the Will Rogers PTA and grant monies secured through The Copernicus/Aurora Projects, an SMC/UC Riverside collaboration.

For information, call (310) 434-3306.