{"690163":{"#nid":"690163","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Middle School Students Explore STEM Futures at Georgia Tech-Europe Event","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhat does it feel like to walk through the halls of a world-class research institution? On April 2, 2026, students from Lionel Terray Middle School in Aumetz found out. As part of the Moselle Department\u2019s annual \u201cDestination Grandes \u00c9coles\u201d day, the junior high class, accompanied by their English and physics-chemistry teachers, spent the day at Georgia Tech-Europe\u2019s instructional site at the Metz Technopole. There, students gained a firsthand look at the possibilities that await them in higher education and in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech-Europe is the European home of the Georgia Institute of Technology, one of the world\u2019s leading research institutions headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. From electrical, mechanical, and aerospace engineering to computer science, the Metz site offers undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare students to address global challenges. It also advances cutting-edge research through an international laboratory developed in partnership with the CNRS and the Lafayette Institute.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor many students, a visit like this one is a turning point. Seeing real labs, meeting real researchers, and imagining themselves in that world can transform an abstract future into a concrete goal. Early exposure to university life helps young learners connect their current studies to what lies ahead, strengthening motivation and opening conversations about the paths available to them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe day was packed with hands-on discoveries. Students tackled robotics workshops, toured active research facilities, and spoke with professors, researchers, and current students who shared their own journeys into STEM. A stop at the Makerspace introduced them to the world of design and prototyping, where ideas become physical realities. The program wrapped up with a cultural and sports session, a reminder that college life is about more than academics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor the students at Lionel Terray Middle School, April 2 may have been just another school trip, or it may have been the day that sparked curiosity about a future career in STEM. That is the power of programs like \u201cDestination Grandes \u00c9coles\u201d: they plant a seed of curiosity that can grow into a career, a discovery, or an innovation that changes the world.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents from Lionel Terray Middle School visited Georgia Tech-Europe in Metz, France, on April 2, 2026, as part of the Moselle Department\u2019s \u201cDestination Grandes \u00c9coles\u201d day. The program introduced junior high students to higher education and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics through hands-on activities, including robotics workshops, lab tours and discussions with researchers and students. The visit highlighted the importance of early exposure to university environments in shaping academic motivation and career aspirations. Organizers emphasized that such experiences can help students envision their futures in STEM fields while also showcasing the broader aspects of college life.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Middle school students visited Georgia Tech-Europe in Metz, France to explore STEM careers through hands-on activities and interactions with researchers, gaining early insight into higher education opportunities."}],"uid":"36779","created_gmt":"2026-05-05 20:45:41","changed_gmt":"2026-05-05 20:50:43","author":"tcran3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680185":{"id":"680185","type":"image","title":"Students in makerspace","body":null,"created":"1778013958","gmt_created":"2026-05-05 20:45:58","changed":"1778013958","gmt_changed":"2026-05-05 20:45:58","alt":"Students engaging in hands-on learning at GTE","file":{"fid":"264427","name":"Picture2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/05\/Picture2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/05\/Picture2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":112828,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/05\/Picture2.jpg?itok=RQDEMF1C"}},"680186":{"id":"680186","type":"image","title":"Picture3.jpg","body":null,"created":"1778013958","gmt_created":"2026-05-05 20:45:58","changed":"1778013958","gmt_changed":"2026-05-05 20:45:58","alt":"Students engaging in hands-on learning facilitated by GTE staff member","file":{"fid":"264428","name":"Picture3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/05\/Picture3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/05\/Picture3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":82579,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/05\/Picture3.jpg?itok=D8EwtRaD"}},"680184":{"id":"680184","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech-Europe hosts middle school students at GTE","body":null,"created":"1778013958","gmt_created":"2026-05-05 20:45:58","changed":"1778013958","gmt_changed":"2026-05-05 20:45:58","alt":"Students with GTE leadership outside the GTE building","file":{"fid":"264426","name":"Group-photo-in-front-of-building.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/05\/Group-photo-in-front-of-building.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/05\/Group-photo-in-front-of-building.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":231039,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/05\/Group-photo-in-front-of-building.jpg?itok=iLlI2PyQ"}}},"media_ids":["680185","680186","680184"],"groups":[{"id":"54809","name":"Georgia Tech-Europe (GTE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"}],"keywords":[{"id":"191566","name":"Georgia Tech-Europe"},{"id":"191566","name":"Georgia Tech-Europe"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["trdsc@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}