THE IMPACT OF VAUGHN’S GRANT-SUPPORTED STEM ACTIVITIES

Submitted by Hossein Rahemi, Ph.D.

Founded in 1932, Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in New York City is a Hispanic-Serving Institution that continues to develop much-needed pathways to increase accessibility for Hispanic students to enroll in the College’s engineering degree programs and engage students in STEM activities.

In 2016, Vaughn received $5.9M in funding from the U.S. Department of Education HSI-STEM Title III-Part F grant. A portion of the grant provided funding to support expansion of student involvement in STEM-related scholarly, practical hands-on, and community outreach activities including student engagement in paper and poster session competitions at technical conferences— American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions (LACEEI), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHEP)—and involvement in robotics, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), formula SAE, and Rover club activities and competitions. These hands-on and scholarly activities improved student performance and retention and graduation rates in Vaughn STEM programs. These experiences empower our students with a competitive edge and provide them with valuable experiences for the workplace. Below are the results of some current initiatives the College has implemented to attain the goals and objectives of this STEM plan.

Scholarly Activities: As a result of grant-supported activities, Vaughn’s engineering students participated and presented their research papers in the 2019 LACCEI International Conference in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and they received all three top awards (First, Second, and Third place) in the student paper session competition. Also, Vaughn’s engineering students participated and presented in the 2019 International Mechatronics Conference and in the 35th Southern Biomedical Engineering Conference. Vaughn’s Students received the Best Presenters Awards of both of these conferences. Technical Competitions: With the support of HSI-STEM grant funding, Vaughn’s UAV club participated as a finalist in the 2019 Vertical Flight Society (VFS) Micro Air Vehicle competition and finished second in both the autonomous and the remote control categories in this challenging competition. Vaughn’s robotics team advanced to the playoff round of the 2019 World Robotics Championship and retained its standing as one of the top competitors of this challenging competition, by winning the 2019 World Create Award. Also, Vaughn’s SHPE student chapter participated in the 2019 SHPE Conference and the team competed in the Extreme Engineering Challenge, winning third place.

STEM Workshops and Outreach Activities: For the academic year 2019-2020, students in Vaughn’s technical clubs (robotics, UAV, and SAE) and Vaughn’s student chapter of professional societies (SWE, EWB, NSBE and SHPE) organized and hosted several STEM-related workshops for middle, high school, and community college students during Vaughn’s Annual Manufacturing Day, Vaughn’s International Drone Day, and Vaughn’s Annual STEM Day. They also provided assistance to many high schools in hosting their regional robotics and drone competitions. Vaughn’s UAV team continues to assist the Cradle of Aviation Museum in developing and hosting drone games and competitions for high school students. Project director, Dr. Hossein Rahemi, along with faculty, attended some of these events to interact with participants and to increase awareness of Vaughn’s engineering programs.

Given the rapid pace of technological advancement, the HSI-STEM grant activities assist Vaughn engineering students in developing an appreciation for lifelong learning which sustains them in meeting their future professional challenges. The ultimate goal is to engage and prepare students for their future in engineering research and innovation and to enhance their critical thinking, problem solving, communication, teamwork and leadership skills. The Vaughn community motivates, engages and provides our students with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in their career path, and together we can all become responsible individuals within the society we serve.