STEMSPOTLIGHTNovember 2014 EDITION

Our on-campus event for this fall semester, School of Roc, took place on November 21st. Students from School 29 were invited to the River Campus to tour the University,

interact with students and faculty, and explore STEM fields. We had a total of 25 students and chaperones from School 29, and the tour

was led by our STEM Initiative volunteers and Meridians, Yuting Yang (‘16) and Palak Patel (‘17).

After walking through the Gleason library and exploring Rush Rhees, we sat in on Dr. Hafensteiner’s CHM 131 General Chemistry I

course and visited the new organic chemistry laboratory, as well. We visited the Goergen Biomedical Engineering building before making our way to the chemical

engineering laboratories in Gavett Hall. The Baja Vehicle team opened up their shop for us to learn more about how they build and race cars. In the Rettner building, our students got the opportunity to learn about audio engineering with the Fabrication Studio team. We learned about the laptop orchestra, and the latest technology in creating music with facial and body recognition sensors.

The event itself received extremely positive feedback, and it was a great way to introduce University education to young students. Working with young students is rewarding every single week, and the friendship we build with each student is special and important. We believe that introducing students to University education early plays a significant role in shaping their academic future. We hope to continue to create events like School of Roc to incorporate higher-level thinking and curiosity into our students.

STEM Initiative hosts their first ever School of Roc with

Adlai E. Stevenson School

Pictured: Edo Frenkel, an Eastman graduate student is working with a student from School 29 for an Audio Engineering workshop at Rettner Hall this past week during STEM Initiative’s first School of Roc.

Article by Jenny Yoon

I have always loved science. I have loved learning it, studying it, and teaching it. So joining the STEM Initiative was a simple decision. Getting my Delta Upsilon brothers to understand my passion for the club, however, was a different sort of challenge. I knew that words couldn’t translate the experiences that I had; so I persuaded my brothers to lead a workshop for the students of School 29 on the Friday before Thanksgiving. Leading a workshop at School 29 was everything that I didn’t expect. It was neither exact nor well coordinated as I envisioned in my head, and there was a lot of loud voices and endless exchanges of sassy comments. Formality was tossed out of the window from the start and a friendly bond was created instead. While the University students who led the workshop have been out of middle school for years, it seemed that they had become kids again; excited by the prospects of science and dazzled by hovercrafts that they built with balloons, bottle caps, and CD.

Leading a STEM workshop should be part of 101 things to do before graduation. Despite my extensive involvement in the club as the business manager for the past two semesters, this was a recent discovery. I’ve always thought that teaching should be left to the experienced and the talented that can charismatically deliver profound knowledge to students. While leading this workshop I realized that what these students needed wasn’t another hour of lecture but role models to look up to. During the preparation for the lesson plan, I was nervous on how I was going to deliver the concept of friction to these students. With college students like us, friction comes as naturally as the force itself; but trying to

describe it in terms that 5th to 8th graders can understand is a task drastically more difficult than understanding it on our own. But while engaging these students, I discovered that it’s not the facts from Wikipedia or physics textbook that they crave; instead, they want to know about the intrinsic knowledge that we figured out growing up. They connected more to the analogies of rolling basketballs on turf versus smooth floor or sliding down a waterslide during the summer than to the scientific facts that we salvaged. Even the kids that were softly dozing during our powerpoint slide excitingly shouted, “Whoa, its looks like a air hockey puck” as they saw a balloon-filled hovercraft float on air. Although none of these analogies came nowhere close to satisfying scientific definition of friction, they were enchanted by the magic that science brings to draw their first connection to this fundamental force.

Our workshop was a huge success in that it reminded us again on why we decided to pursue STEM field despite all of its terrorizing collegiate implications (i.e. midterms, homework sets, labs, etc.). Watching these young students understand the implications of science in a real world sense was so rewarding. During the workshop, I saw the elation in our volunteers’ expressions as they endeavored to demonstrate to the school 29 kids that learning does not stop when the bell rings. This is why the STEM Initiative is so important. It focuses on inspiring young students to think that science is contrary to the popular belief cool and exciting. Simultaneously it fosters interest for science in younger generation until perhaps they pursue it on their own. Leaving our classroom, I knew that my Delta Upsilon brothers finally understood what I wanted to tell them all along: learning science is cool, but teaching it to others is so much cooler.

Harry is a Junior studying Chemical Engineering

Delta Upsilon Fraternity Visit School 29 with their Original Hovercraft Lesson

Vito Martino (‘17) is helping the students put their hand crafted hovercrafts into use. Vito and Harry Lee (‘16, not pictured) came up with this lesson plan for making a hovercraft using a balloon, bottle cap, and CD disk to teach the students how friction works.

Article by Harry Lee

UPCOMING DATESEboard ElectionsWilson Commons 121December 6th 3:00PMEboard elections will take place on Saturday December 6th, in Wilson Commons 121 during our normal eboard meeting time. All members are encouraged to attend regardless of whether they are running for a position or not!

REMINDERS

Election PlatformsIf you are interested in running for an eboard position for the Spring 2015 and Fall 2015 semester, email ur.steminitiative@gmail.com by December 4th, 11:59PM with a two minute platform telling us why you would like to run for a position. Anyone can run for a position, with the exception of president, which can only be filled by a previous eboard member.

The following eight positions will be elected:

• President• Vice President• Business Manager• Secretary• Volunteer Coordinator• External Relations• Curriculum Chair• Fundraising Chair

If you have any questions on concerns in the mean time, you can email us or speak to one of our current eboard members.

Curriculum IdeasIf any member has an idea that they want to do for next semesters workshops, email us with your idea, so we can start planning ahead for next semester.

STEM Spotlight is a newsettler written for STEM Initiative, a student ran organization working to make STEM education accessible to students of all backgrounds.

For more information on us, please email ur.steminitiative@gmail.com

TYLER VASQUEZ-DORNBiomedical Engineering Major (2017)While I was in high school, students from the University of Oklahoma came to my school and performed projects with us. Some of these experiments are what influenced me to choose to study engineering, I am extremely grateful to have been able participate in this project with STEM initiative, so I can give back in the same way. I hope to be able to volunteer with STEM initiative again and go back to continue to influence that no matter how tough it may seem, a career in science is possible.

YUTING YANGMechanical Engineering Major (2016)Inspiring younger generations to get involved in STEM fields has become the constant drive that pushes me to achieve bigger things. STEM Initiative School of Roc was not only an eye-opening experience for the kids but also an incredibly rewarding experience for me. Giving tours to younger kids is very different from giving tours to prospective students and families because it requires us to have a profound understanding of the materials and be able to transform the technical terms into simple, fun analogies to help the kids

understand the concepts. By the end I know the efforts are worth it when I see their smiling faces or their inspired interest in STEM fields.

JOSHUA WOLFGANGFinancial Economics Major (2017)Volunteering with the STEM program and working with children from School 29 was a very powerful experience. I was excited by the students ambition to learn about physics and was touched by the students welcoming us into their school. I could see that within such a small amount of time, these workshops make an impact on the students knowledge and ambition to pursue further education.

MICHAEL PAGANNeuroscience Major (2017)I had such a fun experience working with the children at School 29! The kids were enthusiastic and interested in our lesson about friction and they could not wait to make hovercrafts with us. It was great to spend time with these children and be able to put a smile on their face as they watched their very own hovercraft glide across the floor. Not only were they learning, but also having a enjoyable time while doing so.

Yuting Yang (‘16 left) and Palak Patel (‘17, right) welcome the students at Gleason Library during the School of Roc

From left to right Vito Martino (‘17), Tyler Vasquez-Dorn (‘17), Michael Pagan (‘17), Andrew Arjana (‘17), and Suneet Waghmarae (‘17) prepare for DUs hovercraft lesson

Member Reflections