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24-Year-Old Biochemist Wins Miss Virginia Title After Doing A Science Experiment As Her Talent
24-year-old biochemist Camille Schrier was crowned the new Miss Virginia recently, after showcasing her talents onstage in the form of a science experiment.
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Virginia beauty pageant contestant Camille Schrier showed a rather unusual talent for these kinds of shows
Image credits: John Herzog / Miss Virginia
While the usual ‘talents’ in these pageants often amount to singing a song or pulling a rabbit out of a hat, Ms. Schrier stepped out in lab coat and goggles to wow the judges with a demonstration of the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.
After carefully mixing a solution of chemicals into beakers, Schrier’s experiment concluded with an explosion of blue and orange foam, which is known as the “Elephant Toothpaste” reaction.
Image credits: Rick Myers / Miss Virginia
Ms. Schrier said that it was the recent overhaul to the competition, which now places greater value on true talents and social impact over appearance, that encouraged her to enter the pageant circuit again.
“The evolution of the Miss America competition, which reflects greater inclusiveness, and an opportunity to make a difference and win scholarships inspired me to step forward this year and compete,” she told IFLScience.
“I am more than Miss Virginia. I am Miss Biochemist, Miss Systems Biologist, Miss Future PharmD looking toward a pharmaceutical industry career.”
Image credits: Rick Myers / Miss Virginia
Check out the video of Ms. Schrier’s experiment in action below
Watch #VCUPharmacy student Camille Schrier wow the judges for Miss Virginia with her talent performance — the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide!
PS: she won. Next pageant: #MissAmerica#FuturePharmacistpic.twitter.com/MzqgZBUygl
— VCU School of Pharmacy (@VCUPharmacy) June 26, 2019
She won not only the crowd but also the crown
Image credits: Camille Schrier
Rather than the patronizing swimsuit competition, competitors in Miss America 2.0 will now spend more time highlighting their achievements and goals. Dress codes have moved on from the traditional evening gowns, with candidates allowed to choose clothing that expresses who they really are.
According to its website, Miss America now aims to be more inclusive to women rather than fitting into predefined stereotypes.
Image credits: John Herzog / Miss Virginia
“We are no longer a pageant. Miss America will represent a new generation of female leaders focused on scholarship, social impact, talent, and empowerment” said Gretchen Carlson, Chair of the Board of Trustees.
“We’re experiencing a cultural revolution in our country with women finding the courage to stand up and have their voices heard on many issues. Miss America is proud to evolve as an organization and join this empowerment movement.”
Image credits: Camille Schrier
Ms. Schrier, who will now represent Virginia in the nationwide competition, will be a strong candidate for the first ‘Miss America 2.0.’ She has dual Bachelor of Science degrees from Virginia Tech in Biochemistry and Systems Biology, and is currently studying a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree at Virginia Commonwealth University.
She chose to do the science experiment as her talent because she wants to get others excited about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields.
Image credits: Camille Schrier
“I’m trying to be like Bill Nye,” she said in a university blog. “That’s what I’m going for. I want to get kids excited, but I don’t want it to be boring.”
Image credits: Camille Schrier
This kind of awareness and encouragement for girls to get into science and engineering is important because the field is still dominated by men. Currently, 81% of the degrees earned in engineering in the U.S. go to males, despite girls and boys having no significant difference in their abilities in mathematics and science.
So it seems that Ms. Schrier’s victory was also a victory for science. Let’s hope it inspires many young girls to follow in her footsteps and be inspired to challenge themselves at the highest levels of scientific research!
Here’s what people had to say about Camille Schrier’s win
What do you think ?
Parmeisan 6 years ago
It's not my thing, but I don't see why it shouldn't exist. These are adults, making choices for themselves. If they enjoy making themselves look good and competing with others, let them do it.
Load More Replies...
AloofFox 6 years ago
Oh look, the downvoting trolls really ARE out in full force today... yes we understand that it’s a simple experiment, but I believe in this instance it was about effect, not how complicated it was. It still doesn’t change the fact that she’s advocating for the sciences on a platform that many people, who might otherwise not have thought about doing a sciences degree watch.
Steve Cruz 6 years ago
This is "science" the way Mentos in a 2-liter bottle of cola is "science." The visual: she created a huge ejaculation spurting all over the stage.
Load More Replies...
Memyselfand I 6 years ago
This is great! By choosing to do "the Elephant's Toothpaste" experiment which has a highly visible reaction, and can be replicated by children in classrooms, she's doing exactly what she set out to do...Making science fun and interesting for girls & boys alike. We need to stop putting women down, and raise them up, every chance we can get. STEM-Rosie...0f-png.jpg 
Shireen 6 years ago
Science has always been interesting... it just depends on the teachers you have and inspiration you get.
Load More Replies...
Jeff Allen 6 years ago
What would make all you "this is an easy experiment" people happy? Should she have demonstrated how to detect gravitational waves onstage? sheesh
Stille20 6 years ago
Elephant toothpaste is the the equivalent of the old baking soda volcano. So a pretty woman did 2nd grade science in a beauty contest and wins for it? Honestly, I find this more disappointing than uplifting.
ThatOnePanda 6 years ago
It's a safe, fun and visible test to do and children can do their own in their classrooms
Load More Replies...
Niall Mac Iomera 6 years ago
Ok? Still just win cos you're hot though, so not sure what the point was.
Siennah Lea 6 years ago
So many salty, petty people here. Easy experiment sure, but I don't see any of you trite pillocks up there explaining why it happened. All I see is a bunch of ninnyhammers being jealous and not doing anything but being obnoxious keyboard warriors. STFU and sit TF down.
Eric Allen 6 years ago
It'd be cool and fun to see if someone did a Rube Goldberg machine as their talent.
AloofFox 6 years ago
Not sure why you’re being downvoted, but yes it 100% would be!!
Load More Replies... Shireen 6 years ago
Good for her for being differnt and showing who she really is but that experiment has been done so many times it's getting boring now to be honest...
CP 6 years ago
First time done a beauty pageant I presume. That there was an experiment not what the experiment was is the actual point.
Load More Replies...
Janelle Collard 6 years ago
That was awesome! Congrats on your win. Hope you have a great year!
Jace 6 years ago
That’s not an experiment. It’s a performance. Cool, but still not an experiment.
Lilli 6 years ago
yes, it has been confirmed, girls CAN have both beauty and brains!! so inspiring!
Edmund Martinez 6 years ago
I wonder if she also did it in or just under 3 minutes, like in science flash talk competitions.
Full Name 6 years ago
Accept her the way she is? It's a beauty pageant. It's not about equality. It's about literally the opposite.
Load More Replies...
Chung Mai Thanh 6 years ago
Beauty and talent should have been the strong accent in beauty pageants at the first place
Roman Hans 6 years ago (edited)
Her post says she’s a student at Liberty University, an anti-LGBT organization headed by Jerry Falwell Jr. This is one of the insidious problems of discrimination: she seems like a nice person despite her complicity in hate.
Cheryl Schrier 6 years ago
She is not a student at Liberty, she is a graduate student at VCU School of Pharmacy and holds two BS degrees from Virginia Tech in biochemistry and systems biology. The competition was held on the campus of Liberty. She does not attend school there.
Load More Replies...
Chicken Yao 6 years ago
as a side note no one i knew back in the elementary school or even middle school days got excited about science because of bill nye. most of us started considering scientific careers because of real life role models in said careers who we knew did realistic work and had more "real life" issues (global warming, the STEM gender gap, etc.) that they addressed through their work. those things hold real meaning to kids because they are more "real" than a scripted stranger making a baking soda volcano. bill nye did indeed reach a lot of kids, but not in the way this woman wants to (most of his impact was on our pop quiz grades and quite a few inside jokes). thank you for coming to my TED talk.
Load More Replies...
Samhhain Cat 6 years ago
Very cool! I hope she inspires more chemists of all sexes and genders :D
Lauri Lappalainen 6 years ago
Why the hell does these things (beauty pageants) exists anymore?
Steve Cruz 6 years ago
BEAUTY pageant contestant creates gigantic ejaculation on stage. "Bend and snap!"
Steve Cruz 6 years ago
Maybe she'll make it into an upper-level pageant, so the presiDUNCE can wander through the dressing room and ogle her "talents."
KT Trondsen 6 years ago
These contests should not exist. Enough problems in the world, don't need young girls comparing themselves thinking it's all a competition
Lizard Queen 6 years ago
Miss America Pageant: allowing grown women to do childhood science experiments, just like in the 1950s.
Siennah Lea 6 years ago
Awwwww aren't you a sad, jealous little girl. Did daddy not love you enough? Have a seat, cruella.
Load More Replies...
Laura Roberts 6 years ago
I upvoted because I understand where you’re coming from. Many women roll their eyes at the swimsuit competition. I know that bodies are something that a person can work hard to achieve where they want to be, but I do think “who you are” as they now want to showcase in 2.0 means so much more. I truly hope this inspires more girls, women, etc. to cultivate who they are, try different things, learn about what you’re passionate about or even things that help you find out what you’re passionate about. Yea, some competitions are “silly,” but maybe this is a step in the right direction for exposure of different aspects we strive for. Sure, this experiment wasn’t exactly an “adult” science experiment, but there had to be some wow factor that was visible on stage. Simple doesn’t mean not exciting, it may still get a kid fired up about science, problem solving, seeing results.. etc all the things we learn in science. (So much more than just chemical reactions. 🙃) Female science geek here.
Load More Replies...
Parmeisan 6 years ago
It's not my thing, but I don't see why it shouldn't exist. These are adults, making choices for themselves. If they enjoy making themselves look good and competing with others, let them do it.
Load More Replies... AloofFox 6 years ago
Oh look, the downvoting trolls really ARE out in full force today... yes we understand that it’s a simple experiment, but I believe in this instance it was about effect, not how complicated it was. It still doesn’t change the fact that she’s advocating for the sciences on a platform that many people, who might otherwise not have thought about doing a sciences degree watch.
Steve Cruz 6 years ago
This is "science" the way Mentos in a 2-liter bottle of cola is "science." The visual: she created a huge ejaculation spurting all over the stage.
Load More Replies... Memyselfand I 6 years ago
This is great! By choosing to do "the Elephant's Toothpaste" experiment which has a highly visible reaction, and can be replicated by children in classrooms, she's doing exactly what she set out to do...Making science fun and interesting for girls & boys alike. We need to stop putting women down, and raise them up, every chance we can get. STEM-Rosie...0f-png.jpg
Shireen 6 years ago
Science has always been interesting... it just depends on the teachers you have and inspiration you get.
Load More Replies... Jeff Allen 6 years ago
What would make all you "this is an easy experiment" people happy? Should she have demonstrated how to detect gravitational waves onstage? sheesh
Stille20 6 years ago
Elephant toothpaste is the the equivalent of the old baking soda volcano. So a pretty woman did 2nd grade science in a beauty contest and wins for it? Honestly, I find this more disappointing than uplifting.
ThatOnePanda 6 years ago
It's a safe, fun and visible test to do and children can do their own in their classrooms
Load More Replies... Niall Mac Iomera 6 years ago
Ok? Still just win cos you're hot though, so not sure what the point was.
Siennah Lea 6 years ago
So many salty, petty people here. Easy experiment sure, but I don't see any of you trite pillocks up there explaining why it happened. All I see is a bunch of ninnyhammers being jealous and not doing anything but being obnoxious keyboard warriors. STFU and sit TF down.
Eric Allen 6 years ago
It'd be cool and fun to see if someone did a Rube Goldberg machine as their talent.
AloofFox 6 years ago
Not sure why you’re being downvoted, but yes it 100% would be!!
Load More Replies... Shireen 6 years ago
Good for her for being differnt and showing who she really is but that experiment has been done so many times it's getting boring now to be honest...
CP 6 years ago
First time done a beauty pageant I presume. That there was an experiment not what the experiment was is the actual point.
Load More Replies... Janelle Collard 6 years ago
That was awesome! Congrats on your win. Hope you have a great year!
Jace 6 years ago
That’s not an experiment. It’s a performance. Cool, but still not an experiment.
Lilli 6 years ago
yes, it has been confirmed, girls CAN have both beauty and brains!! so inspiring!
Edmund Martinez 6 years ago
I wonder if she also did it in or just under 3 minutes, like in science flash talk competitions.
Full Name 6 years ago
Accept her the way she is? It's a beauty pageant. It's not about equality. It's about literally the opposite.
Load More Replies... Chung Mai Thanh 6 years ago
Beauty and talent should have been the strong accent in beauty pageants at the first place
Roman Hans 6 years ago (edited)
Her post says she’s a student at Liberty University, an anti-LGBT organization headed by Jerry Falwell Jr. This is one of the insidious problems of discrimination: she seems like a nice person despite her complicity in hate.
Cheryl Schrier 6 years ago
She is not a student at Liberty, she is a graduate student at VCU School of Pharmacy and holds two BS degrees from Virginia Tech in biochemistry and systems biology. The competition was held on the campus of Liberty. She does not attend school there.
Load More Replies... Chicken Yao 6 years ago
as a side note no one i knew back in the elementary school or even middle school days got excited about science because of bill nye. most of us started considering scientific careers because of real life role models in said careers who we knew did realistic work and had more "real life" issues (global warming, the STEM gender gap, etc.) that they addressed through their work. those things hold real meaning to kids because they are more "real" than a scripted stranger making a baking soda volcano. bill nye did indeed reach a lot of kids, but not in the way this woman wants to (most of his impact was on our pop quiz grades and quite a few inside jokes). thank you for coming to my TED talk.
Load More Replies... Samhhain Cat 6 years ago
Very cool! I hope she inspires more chemists of all sexes and genders :D
Lauri Lappalainen 6 years ago
Why the hell does these things (beauty pageants) exists anymore?
Steve Cruz 6 years ago
BEAUTY pageant contestant creates gigantic ejaculation on stage. "Bend and snap!"
Steve Cruz 6 years ago
Maybe she'll make it into an upper-level pageant, so the presiDUNCE can wander through the dressing room and ogle her "talents."
KT Trondsen 6 years ago
These contests should not exist. Enough problems in the world, don't need young girls comparing themselves thinking it's all a competition
Lizard Queen 6 years ago
Miss America Pageant: allowing grown women to do childhood science experiments, just like in the 1950s.
Siennah Lea 6 years ago
Awwwww aren't you a sad, jealous little girl. Did daddy not love you enough? Have a seat, cruella.
Load More Replies... Laura Roberts 6 years ago
I upvoted because I understand where you’re coming from. Many women roll their eyes at the swimsuit competition. I know that bodies are something that a person can work hard to achieve where they want to be, but I do think “who you are” as they now want to showcase in 2.0 means so much more. I truly hope this inspires more girls, women, etc. to cultivate who they are, try different things, learn about what you’re passionate about or even things that help you find out what you’re passionate about. Yea, some competitions are “silly,” but maybe this is a step in the right direction for exposure of different aspects we strive for. Sure, this experiment wasn’t exactly an “adult” science experiment, but there had to be some wow factor that was visible on stage. Simple doesn’t mean not exciting, it may still get a kid fired up about science, problem solving, seeing results.. etc all the things we learn in science. (So much more than just chemical reactions. 🙃) Female science geek here.
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