"Can we come back tomorrow?" many area school children ask at the physics department's annual open house. Physics Professor Catherine Olmer, who has chaired the event for many years, has worked to ensure that children have a chance to explore science year-round.

With the support of IU and the local community, Professor Olmer has spearheaded the development of WonderLab, a museum in Bloomington where people of all ages can have fun doing hands-on science. She is executive director of the new 15,000-square-foot facility that includes exhibits such as "Cosmic Dance" about cosmic rays and programs such as "Glow in the Dark Science."

At IU Olmer teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in physics, but her favorite is the sophomore-level Physics for Elementary Education Majors. "I love seeing future teachers become interested in science," she says. "By helping these education majors learn to love science, I'm influencing not only my students, but all the generations of students they will have in their classrooms."

"Children are born scientists, they are naturally curious and observant," Olmer says. "We need to give Hoosier children the opportunity grow up enjoying science. It's important because many of the best jobs in the future will be in science and technology."

Professor Olmer has been honored with a number of campus teaching awards, and she has also been a leader in IU's Women in Science Program, which promotes the participation of women in science and mathematics fields. In the spring of 2002, Olmer was named Bloomington Woman of the Year for her many accomplishments.