Engineering design projects by Brentwood High School students will be highlighted Jan. 26, 2022, during a NASA-University of Virgin Islands Educator Outreach Event.
The weeklong collaboration between UVI and NASA to provide engaging STEM educational programming includes participation by Engineering for US All (e4usa), a national initiative designed to introduce engineering design principles to students in grades 9 through 12.
Wednesday, Jan. 26, is dedicated to e4usa national pre-engineering outreach programming. Sessions that day will highlight three e4usa schools. Two of the schools are in the Virgin Islands. Brentwood High School, a public school near Nashville and located in Brentwood, Tennessee, will present during the 11 a.m. CT slot.
“We’ll show a show a 5-minute video made by the BHS class about their e4usa design projects and then NASA personnel with interact live with our students,” said Stacy Klein-Gardner, e4usa co-director and co-PI. Klein-Gardner is an adjunct professor of biomedical engineering at Vanderbilt University.
“e4usa seeks to democratize and demystify engineering. I am delighted to be doing this not only nationally, but also in Vanderbilt’s backyard at three Metro Nashville public schools and Williamson County’s Brentwood High School, where I serve as their university liaison and attend class weekly,” Klein-Gardner said.
During each session, e4usa students will share pre-recorded presentations of their recent engineering design work with a panel from NASA. “The NASA scientists and engineers will interact live with the student teams, giving feedback and suggestions and perhaps even asking questions,” Klein-Gardner said. The remainder of each 75 min session will be devoted to presentations from NASA about their pioneering programs, such as the Artemis Mission to return astronauts to the moon and future missions to Mars.
Two evening events are open to e4usa students and teachers. On Tuesday, Jan. 25, e4usa teachers and students in grades 11 and 12 also may participate in a Sip ‘n STEM, a session that will focus on summer opportunities available at NASA. On Wednesday, Jan. 26, all e4usa teachers are invited to participate in a session with NASA that focuses on opportunities available through NASA for teachers and their students.
E4usa is supported by the National Science Foundation under NSF award numbers 184930 and 2120746.
Contact: Brenda Ellis, 615 343-6314
brenda.ellis@vanderbilt.edu