In a year of AP© Chemistry, students learn multiple chemistry concepts, including studying matter, force, reactions, and engaging in hands-on lab work. One specific investigative technique covered in the AP curriculum is mass spectroscopy. Mass spectroscopy is an analytical method to measure the mass of one or more compounds in a sample. To see this in action, Upper School Science Teacher Dr. Meg Yoshioka-Tarver took students on a field trip to meet the scientists at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. Dr. Russell Willson led students on a tour of his lab and shared how the mass spectrometer is used in a real research lab environment.
Mass spectrometry allows scientists to study the proteins, metabolites, and elements of genetic material. For example, a scientist trying to develop an improved crop will be able to know, by using mass spectrometry, if and how those elements have increased the crop’s nutrients or fitness. Dr. Wilson demonstrated detailed knowledge of his team’s various methods to study different samples. His team also shared their background and the career paths that led to their current positions.
Later, the Education Project manager, Ms. Ash Kass, gave a tour of Danforth and explained the different types of research conducted at the center. She showed the greenhouse, the phenotyping facility, and the climate-controlled chambers that scientists use daily to conduct their research.
Students reflected on the visit:
“I thought the field trip was fun. It was informational, and though I am not interested in pursuing a career in the sciences, I love that Dr. Meg showed us how what we’ve learned is applicable to the real world.” – Ava Casillas ’26
“I enjoyed seeing the labs and all of the plants growing in the growth chambers and the greenhouse.” – Jackie Giljum ’26
“I thought it was really informational, and I liked being able to see the whole lab scene. I also liked the Q&A at the end (probably the most), because I was able to get some important information on interning and getting work at a lab! Overall, I really enjoyed the experience, and it was interesting to me.” – Arjav Jain ’26
“I really enjoyed it, the speakers were interesting, the lab was really cool, and now I have another option for an internship for Winter Term. Overall, I loved the trip; it was a fun break from school, but still educational and introduced me to a lot of new concepts and fields of science I wasn’t fully aware of.” – Ash Falk ’26
“I had never really seen a true professional laboratory before, so it was really cool to see that, and everything they said about mass spectrometry was very interesting to hear.” – Luke McGinness ’26
“I enjoyed the opportunity to talk with professionals in STEM and see the lab facilities. The thing I liked to learn most about was mass spectroscopy because it cleared up some confusion I had.” – Cade Miller ’26
“I thought that the trip was interesting and very insightful into how scientific processes and procedures translate into real-world work experiences.” – Gabe Sedighi ’26
“I felt, after looking at some of the publicly available events on the bookmarks, that maybe we could coordinate more hands-on experiences like the public events being hosted there.” – Nick Zhao ’26
Many thanks to the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center team for an immersive experience offering students a valuable glimpse into the world of scientific research.