Carbon capture summer camp offers a glimpse of Mississippi’s future
In early June, we had the distinct pleasure of joining a group of inspiring young minds at a STEM summer camp, hosted by Jackson State University and Rice University’s Tapia Center, and sponsored by ExxonMobil. What the students experienced went beyond theoretical discussions by incorporating guided experiments, hands-on activities, and instruction from industry experts in carbon capture and storage (CCS), an industry that promises to benefit our state’s workforce and economy for decades to come.
The camp convened 60 remarkable students from across Mississippi on the Jackson State campus, at no cost to their families, for a week-long immersion in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The attendees learned how to simulate an underground reservoir model that stores carbon dioxide using household items like beans, Play-Doh, pasta, and vegetable oil. Through this exercise they learned first-hand how we can use modern technology and our state’s geology to reduce airborne pollutants. They also gave presentations summarizing everything they learned during the camp.