Inspiring future engineers Many young students with an aptitude for math and science may not realize that engineering exists, much less the breadth of career opportunities available. Through a variety of on-campus activities, after-school programs, summer camps and collaborations with faculty and engineering student organizations, Fulton Engineering engages Arizona’s K-12 students in creative, hands-on activities in an effort to inspire them to become technically savvy, prepare for studies in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)-related fields and pursue careers in engineering. Many are particularly geared toward young women and minorities— groups typically underrepresented in engineering—by providing appropriate role models and rich educational experiences that help them envision, create and fulfill career aspirations. From managing the Arizona FIRST LEGO League program, which attracted more than 300 middle school teams from around the state in 2012, to student-led activities like the Society of Women Engineers’ GEAR Day which hosted 120 Girl Scouts, our efforts have reached thousands of young students in Arizona. We continue to expand programs, both on campus and in our community, in an effort to share the excitement of engineering.
Engineering Open House helps spark interest in engineering The Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering hosted nearly 2,000 visitors at the first-ever Engineering Open House held in March 2012. The student-led event was aimed at highlighting student and faculty work, and sharing the excitement of engineering. Visitors saw displays of solar energy, robotics, and the technological advances behind all the ever-more-versatile mobile communications devices and highperformance computers. They toured laboratories where engineers are at work developing better biomedical devices, expanding the applications of nanotechnology, and boosting the capabilities of automobiles, airplanes, rockets and satellites. More than 200 volunteers—faculty, staff, students and industry representatives— helped organize activities. The first day, activities were geared toward field trips for elementary and middle school student groups. For teachers, the event helped bolster lessons K-12 teachers are providing on science and engineering. “This helped them relate the technology projects we’re doing in the classroom to real science and engineering. It’s wonderful,” said Myrna Galaz, a fourthgrade teacher at Zito Elementary School in Phoenix.
The second day was open to families and the community. Among those who attended were Zeke, 11, and his sister Ava, 8, from Goodyear, who worked intensely trying to improve their designs and construction of miniature carts for test-runs on an up-and-down track. “They would have kept at it for hours. I had to drag them away to see other things,” said their father, Shawn Vandernaalt, an ASU graduate who is now a counselor at La Joya Community High School in Avondale. “I’m trying to feed their curiosity about all of this stuff. Any chance to expose them to [engineering and science] is good,” Vandernaalt said. “It’s not too early to get them thinking about higher education. We’ll be back here again next year.”
SHPE and the Legacy Initiative host STEM outreach event The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) at ASU teamed up with nonprofit, the Legacy Initiative, to host the STEMS Success Youth Conference at ASU. Over 200 middle and high school students participated in activities designed to get female and minority students interested and excited about STEM related fields of study. Students also had the opportunity to see demonstrations from local robotics teams and speak with engineers from the Palo Verde Nuclear Station, Medtronics, Boeing, U.S. Navy and the Tuskegee Airmen.
Nearly 300 students attend MESA Regional Event at ASU Thirteen schools and 296 students registered for the MESA Regional event at ASU’s Tempe campus. AZ MESA is a free after-school educational program coordinated by the Fulton Schools of Engineering. The program is designed to encourage underserved ethnic minorities, girls, low income, and first-generation, collegebound students to pursue coursework, advanced study and possible careers in math, engineering and science. With the help of a volunteer advisor, the MESA Program promotes a strong academic foundation in math and science as the key to college admission and success. MESA competitions, curriculum and workshops are sponsored by ASU and AZ MESA. Individual teams pay only a minimal registration fee. Competitions are held twice a year at ASU and the University of Arizona. They include physics-related challenges including bottle rockets, egg launches, solar ovens and catapults. All are designed to capture student imagination and encourage interest in STEM-related concepts.
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