Mount Union Hosts STEM Event
March 24, 2014
ALLIANCE, Ohio – In an effort to develop interest among area middle schoolers in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines, the University of Mount Union recently hosted 33 students and two teachers from Alliance Middle School for a day of STEM-related activities.
While on campus, students participated in a project with the Department of Engineering, computer programming with the Department of Computer Science and activities with the Department of Mathematics.
According to event coordinator Anne Triplett, professor of mathematics, the purpose of the visit was to pique students’ interest in math and science-related fields.
“Kids seem to like math and science at an earlier age, but something happens in middle school and they don’t seem to like it so much later on,” Triplett said. “That’s why we bring them here.”
Triplett said middle school students often can’t see the big picture of what can be done using science and math. While on campus, students had the opportunity to see the big picture as they were shown a wind tunnel and water purification process.
“We try to show them how you can use math in a cool way and have some cool applications,” Triplett said. “It’s not just learning your times tables like they do in middle school. Kids have to see that math and science abilities will get them somewhere.”