By George Coin, BuzzStaff Writer
SAU chemistry professor Andy Axup does not enter a room wearing just any lab coat. His rainbow tie-dye lab coat is a far cry from the sterile white typically associated with chemistry professors, but this is no ordinary lesson. His students are local elementary schoolers, and his lab is at the Putnam Museum.
He jokes with kids before they can get nervous and turns a table full of lab supplies into the kind of scene that makes children lean forward instead of back away. Meet “Doctor Andy” – part scientist, part entertainer, part teacher, all in the same afternoon.
Every month, Axup volunteers his time to lead hands-on chemistry activities for children. He says he is there to make science feel exciting, approachable, and fun. “I just like working with kids because they’re not afraid to be excited, and that makes all the difference.”
One child, William, gives perhaps the simplest review of Axup himself: “I think he’s cool. Pretty cool guy.” That may not make it into a scientific journal, but considering that William has been attending these events for over a year, it says a lot about the atmosphere Axup creates. The kids are not acting like they are trapped in a boring lecture. They are engaged, comfortable, and inquisitive.
“The biggest difference between the kids at the Putnam versus some of my organic chemistry students is that the kids almost want to be here, and afterwards usually find they had a good time in the process!” he jokes.
He says his college students often take chemistry because their majors require it, not because they are thrilled about it. He adds that even by high school, many students are already “too cool to get excited.” The kids at the museum have clearly not picked up that habit yet. They react authentically and with curiosity, and Axup clearly loves that.
“Chemistry’s got a bad reputation,” he says. “That’s probably the biggest thing we got — a reputation problem.” For many people, the subject feels intimidating. Axup pushes back on that by reminding people how ordinary and important chemistry really is. “Chemistry matters in everyday life because over ninety percent of everyday life is chemistry; you just don’t appreciate it.”
For the kids, he does not try to fix chemistry’s reputation with a lecture. He does it with hands-on experiments, humor, and a personality too big to ignore. Quad Cities resident Cynthia Chelstrom, whose grandson William has attended the program more than once, says Axup’s style and friendly demeanor are a huge part of why kids respond so well to him.
“I think because he’s very animated, and you know, he uses a fun voice. And of course, you can’t get past the rainbow lab coat.” She says the colorful look makes him more approachable. “It’s not as scary as a doctor’s lab coat.”
Chelstrom also says the hands-on format makes a difference. “Oh, absolutely. Absolutely! It’s like muscle memory. Like if your hands are doing something, it helps your brain remember.” In her view, the experiments do more than entertain. They stick.
Another parent, Shannon Hamit, says she sees that same effect. For the activity, the kids crush up various types of cereal to test their iron content. Her daughter especially likes the moment when “we actually pulled the magnet out, and you could visually see the black on the magnet.” Hamit says she hopes kids leave with a love for science. “It’s fun, it’s hands-on, and even if you think you know everything, you can always learn more.”
Axup says he hopes kids leave with one simple feeling: “I had fun” or “That was neat.” He knows from experience that moments like these can plant a long-lasting seed. He recalls one girl who attended his chemistry programs as a child, who later ended up in his general chemistry class at St. Ambrose and went on to major in chemistry. She now works in forensics for the Iowa State Police. For Axup, that memory proves that small moments can matter more than anyone realizes. “Kids are always watching,” he says. “You never know what’s going to make the difference.”
In an era when chemistry often gets treated like the villain of the science building, Axup shows up in a tie-dye lab coat and makes it feel like an invitation instead. That is a pretty good trick. Then again, Doctor Andy seems to know a thing or two about reactions.
