{"671238":{"#nid":"671238","#data":{"type":"news","title":"STEM@GTRI Celebrates 25 Years of Promoting Science, Technology Education","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERecently, GTRI leadership and research faculty were joined by State of Georgia leaders, corporate representatives, and educators to celebrate a notable milestone for an important GTRI program.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtri.gatech.edu\/stem\/high-school-summer-internship\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESTEM@GTRI\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E celebrated its 25th anniversary recently. STEM @GTRI is the Georgia Tech Research Institute\u0027s K-12 outreach program. STEM @GTRI strives to inspire, engage, and impact Georgia\u0027s students and educators through hands-on experiences, outreach, and professional learning.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESTEM@GTRI customizes professional development experiences for educators, connects students and classrooms to Georgia Tech labs and researchers, and brings hands-on, fun, and relevant programming to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) educational outreach events across Georgia. STEM@GTRI leverages State of Georgia funding through grants and partnerships to bring additional STEM programming to K-12 students in Georgia. The program first received State of Georgia funding in 1998.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETo commemorate this auspicious occasion, STEM@GTRI hosted a luncheon celebrating 25 years of K-12 STEM outreach at GTRI. During the program, an array of speakers reflected on the STEM @GTRI program over the past 25 years and its impact in Georgia and on the future of students.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESTEM @GTRI\u2019s First Champion: Claudia Huff\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EClaudia Huff, the retired GTRI Principal Research Associate who was the first Director of STEM @GTRI, spoke on its inspirational and aspirational early days. She noted that, in 1998, the U.S. was experiencing a rapid permeation of emphasis on STEM education, fueled by legislation such as the Telecommunications Act of 1996. However, while there was a desire to increase technology education, the actual means lagged.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cComputers were coming to the schools, but they weren\u0027t ready. There were computer-using educators that are scattered across the state of the country, but they were really organized together, and they hadn\u0027t seen some of the things that we could see coming down the road,\u201d she said. That was, in large part, the impetus for the program, which was then called Foundations for the Future (F3).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EShe embraced and pioneered the partnership-seeking approach that is now a hallmark of the renamed STEM@GTRI.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHuff started with a small amount of seed funding from GTRI. However, her dogged determination led her to secure $2 million in funding from AT\u0026amp;T to really get the ball rolling. The AT\u0026amp;T funds were leveraged into that all-important funding from the State of Georgia, which continues to the present.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cI think the biggest impact was getting everybody aware, or getting people who needed the resources aware that we have resources, letting them know,\u201d Claudia said.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe principles and practices that she put into place out of necessity became the foundation for what STEM@GTRI is 25 years later.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETo honor and thank Claudia Huff, she was presented with STEM @GTRI\u2019s inaugural STEM Champion Award.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEducating Future Technology Leaders\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGTRI Director Jim Hudgens said that when he first arrived at GTRI four years ago, STEM @GTRI was one of the first programs he heard about: \u201cI was just blown away by the program,\u201d he said during his opening remarks.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cEducating future technology leaders is one of our core mission areas,\u201d said Hudgens. \u201cA big part of what we do in educating technology leaders is that we take it very seriously. Our people are extremely passionate about this--about their many volunteer hours going out to science fairs, going to high schools across the state, teaching classes in high schools--doing as much as they can.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cIt\u0027s an amazing community at GTRI that makes this happen.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThat passion and spirit of commitment was noted often during the 25th Anniversary luncheon.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe anniversary event was hosted by Leigh McCook, Director of STEM @GTRI, which she calls \u201ca fun role.\u201d Her passion and commitment to STEM@GTRI was noted by speakers throughout the luncheon program.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cOne of the greatest impacts I get to experience is working with our K-12 future STEM workforce. When I see a Georgia Tech\/GTRI researcher explain and demonstrate their work to a classroom of elementary, middle, or high school students or experience students of all ages interact with our researchers through questions and discovery \u2014 I am thrilled to witness students have that \u2018ah ha!\u2019 moment and think \u2018This is cool stuff! I want to study to learn to be a (fill in the STEM field here),\u2019 or even \u2018Oh, now I know why I\u2019m having to learn this topic in my class \u2014 someone really does use this stuff in the real world!\u2019\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWhen we get to bring diversity to Georgia\u2019s classrooms across the state through our outreach, we open worlds of awareness of possibilities and opportunities for our K-12 students.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBringing \u2018What If\u2019 to the Real World Through Partnerships\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cReal-world\u201d impact, and opening students\u2019 (and teachers\u2019) eyes and minds to possibilities were common themes reiterated by the luncheon speakers.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDistrict 25 State Rep. Todd Jones spoke of several of his \u201cdreams\u201d for the State of Georgia: advancements in daily life, from improved transportation to medical advances\u2014all \u201cdreams\u201d that are dependent on significant advances in technology, which Jones said he believes is incumbent on advancing technology education throughout Georgia, including in rural areas without extensive technology resources or even a large quantity of technology educators. That, he said, is where STEM @GTRI\u2019s outreach is invaluable.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJones said that his office\u2019s ongoing partnership with GTRI is key to improving the \u201caccess and rigor\u201d of STEM education in Georgia.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cI\u0027m going to give all the credit to GTRI. There might have been passion coming out of my office and willingness to find a partner to make this happen, but between Bert (Reeves, Vice President, Institute Relations) and the GTRI team, that is what kind of made this a success.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWe did know that GTRI had the resources to be able to make this work. What they had to deal with for a couple of decades around STEM, around the work, shows a passion and an application. That was what we were looking for.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMcCook noted that Jones\u2019 initiative to improve access and rigor of computer science education across Georgia,\u0026nbsp;as part of the newly funded Rural Computer Science Education Program,\u0026nbsp;shows how committed STEM @GTRI is about fostering and furthering partners. She noted that,\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;in partnership with Georgia Tech\u2019s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC),\u0026nbsp;the project is \u201cin 16 (Georgia school) districts right now\u201d and includes contributions from\u0026nbsp;the Institute for People and Technology (IPaT), the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (IRIM), and others.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cYou can\u0027t dream it if you\u0027ve never been exposed to it,\u201d Jones said enthusiastically \u201cDreams come from \u2018what if,\u2019 but \u2018what if\u2019 can\u0027t be had unless you know what\u0027s possible and maybe what could be next.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESuch a commitment to fostering a sense of making \u201cwhat if\u201d possible was reiterated by Karen Faircloth, Director of School Improvement \u0026amp; Professional Learning for the Northwest Georgia Regional Education Service Agency (RESA), which encompasses school districts in smaller communities such as Cartersville, Dallas, Rome, and Tallapoosa.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESTEM@GTRI High School Internship Program\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESTEM@GTRI thrives today largely because of the indefatigable efforts of High School Summer Internship Program co-directors Therese Boston, a Senior Research Associate in ICL, and ATAS Principal Research Engineer Erick Maxwell. STEM@GTRI\u2019s \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtri.gatech.edu\/stem\/high-school-summer-internship\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHigh School Internship Program\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E is one of its premier initiatives. In the internship program, Georgia high school students who are at least 16 years old may apply for five-week paid summer internships hosted in GTRI labs. Interns work on projects in GTRI laboratories and the GTRI Warner Robins field office with the goal of providing students with real-world experiences in science and engineering research. GTRI researchers mentor students by working with them on projects to engage them in first-hand STEM experiences.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAs an example of the first-hand nature of the internship, Maxwell cited a project done by an intern team in conjunction with the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/home.army.mil\/stewart\/units\/3ID\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E3rd Infantry Division (3ID)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The high schoolers developed a means to streamline the arduous task of counting ammunition rounds via the use of \u201csmart\u201d gloves. To further emphasize the tangible benefits of the students\u2019 experience, Maxwell noted that the students are included on the project\u2019s application for a full patent on the gloves.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe High School Internship Program and other programs of STEM@GTRI make use of partnerships with GTRI\u2019s laboratories, Georgia Tech, the U.S. military, and businesses in technology-related industries.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAmong the industry representatives in attendance was Patrick Govan, Higher Education Account Manager at Cisco. He explained how his company, a leader in digital communications technologies, works in outreach along with STEM@GTRI. \u201cWe are starting to work with the STEM outreach program, bringing some of the students and internships into our office--we just built a new office in the Coda building (at Tech Square). So, we\u0027re show showcasing how technology is used in everyday life and in office space to inspire the younger kids. [We show them] a day in the life of what a career would look like in the tech space.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cLeigh (McCook) and I are trying to get the [STEM@GTRI] summer internship program incorporated into office visits and things like that.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELooking ahead to future goals and activities was very much a part of the 25th-anniversary celebration. Here\u2019s to the next 25 years of STEM@GTRI!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Christopher Weems\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhotos:\u003C\/strong\u003E Christopher J. Moore\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003EGTRI Communications\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).\u202fFounded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 2,900 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $940\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Emillion of problem-solving research annually for government and industry.\u202fGTRI\u0027s renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGTRI leadership and research faculty were joined by State of Georgia leaders, corporate representatives, and educators to celebrate 25 years of K-12 STEM outreach at GTRI. During the program, an array of speakers reflected on the STEM @GTRI program over the past 25 years and its impact in Georgia and on the future of students.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"GTRI leadership and research faculty were joined by State of Georgia leaders, corporate representatives, and educators to celebrate the Georgia Tech Research Institute\u0027s K-12 outreach program."}],"uid":"35832","created_gmt":"2023-11-27 17:18:03","changed_gmt":"2023-11-27 17:23:00","author":"Michelle Gowdy","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-11-27T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-11-27T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672449":{"id":"672449","type":"image","title":"Claudia Huff, Receipent of the Inaugural STEM@GTRI Champion Award","body":"\u003Cp\u003EClaudia Huff (left) receives the inaugural STEM Champion Award from STEM@GTRI Director Leigh F. McCook. (photo credit: Christopher J. Moore)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1701105158","gmt_created":"2023-11-27 17:12:38","changed":"1701105263","gmt_changed":"2023-11-27 17:14:23","alt":"Claudia Huff, Receipent of the Inaugural STEM@GTRI Champion Award","file":{"fid":"255684","name":"2023_1106_PHOTO_ICL_25th Anniversary STEM GTRI_121.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/27\/2023_1106_PHOTO_ICL_25th%20Anniversary%20STEM%20GTRI_121.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/27\/2023_1106_PHOTO_ICL_25th%20Anniversary%20STEM%20GTRI_121.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2694175,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/11\/27\/2023_1106_PHOTO_ICL_25th%20Anniversary%20STEM%20GTRI_121.JPG?itok=0Gl1nQ_u"}},"672450":{"id":"672450","type":"image","title":"GTRI\u0027s  High School Internship Program Co-Directors","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHigh School Internship Program Co-Directors Erick Maxwell (far left) and Therese Boston (far right) pose with Georgia education partners Leon Grant III, founder and Director, The Engineering Pipeline at Marietta City Schools, and John Pierson, President of the Georgia Section of ASCE. (photo credit: Christopher J. Moore)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1701105289","gmt_created":"2023-11-27 17:14:49","changed":"1701105384","gmt_changed":"2023-11-27 17:16:24","alt":"GTRI\u0027s  High School Internship Program Co-Directors","file":{"fid":"255685","name":"2023_1106_PHOTO_ICL_25th Anniversary STEM GTRI_135.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/27\/2023_1106_PHOTO_ICL_25th%20Anniversary%20STEM%20GTRI_135.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/27\/2023_1106_PHOTO_ICL_25th%20Anniversary%20STEM%20GTRI_135.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3272059,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/11\/27\/2023_1106_PHOTO_ICL_25th%20Anniversary%20STEM%20GTRI_135.JPG?itok=qxQv8FK7"}}},"media_ids":["672449","672450"],"groups":[{"id":"1276","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"416","name":"GTRI"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"166902","name":"science and technology"},{"id":"341","name":"innovation"},{"id":"167258","name":"STEM"},{"id":"193305","name":"innovating the future"},{"id":"1432","name":"education"},{"id":"110861","name":"25th anniversary"},{"id":"183048","name":"K-12 outreach"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E(Interim) Director of Communications\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMichelle Gowdy\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMichelle.Gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E404-407-8060\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["michelle.gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}