STEMbassadors look to inspire

DOVER — Visiting theme parks and enjoying the rides are favorite pastimes for many youngsters, but the fifth-grade math and science team at Dover Middle School was recently offered a different perspective. In conjunction with the UNH STEMbassadors, they learned to design an amusement park.

STEM is an acronym for Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics, and the UNH students are dedicated to providing inspiration and being role models with hands-on STEM activities for students.

In the 21st century, technology has become more important than ever. The U.S. Department of Commerce reports that STEM-related occupations are growing at a rate of 17 percent a year versus others at 9 percent.

Several hundred Dover Middle School students worked with more than 20 UNH students both during school time and at recent Saturday volunteer session. Some of the projects involved things like robotics, wind turbines, bridge building, oil spills and soil development. By acquainting students at an early age with STEM, the ambassadors hope to open up areas of interest for the future.

“We have met with more than 13,000 students in grades K-12 throughout New Hampshire,” said Brooks Payette, communications and outreach manager for the STEMbassadors. “This is a great way to get the kids excited."

Lisa Taipan has been teaching for more than a decade and finds the program a very positive one. “It gives the students a different perspective than the conventional method, and they obviously think it is neat to talk to the college kids.”

Reflecting on Taipan's thoughts, 10-year-old Lexie Sanders said, “This is getting kids to learn about engineering and it is nice to have the college students going it.”

Having female STEMbassador mentors is an advantage as well, said sophomore Sydney Chock, an electrical engineering major. “It is good for the girls to see other females in the professions.”

Eleven-year-old Max found the process to be one that “encourages creativity – it urges people to collaborate with other kids and gives them an opportunity to work with their hands,” said the young man who wishes to one day be an aerospace engineer.

In a contest of building the highest tower that would not fall over, a practice in building for a defense against earthquake toppling, the team of Prateeksha Paulraj and Gracie Yu were the winners. Each time their tower fell over, the members of “the girls” team learned from their mistakes. “We would start over with a new Idea,” said Prateeksha who sees a career in fighting global warming. “I really like working with the college kids,” said Gracie, “they really help us.”

Taipan, a math and science teacher, found having college students working with her students was a huge positive.

“While they were working with the college kids, it created an atmosphere for potential career collaboration," she said.