VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — At six of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) seven laboratories, 18 academics are returning to their school rooms with a renewed passion for science and technology after spending 4 weeks working alongside engineers and scientists within the lab.
Since 2004, the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) has offered accessible STEM alternatives by means of real-world experiences, competitions and paid internships. As a companion from the start, ERDC has led the Army within the variety of educators enrolled in AEOP’s Research Experiences for STEM Educators and Teachers (RESET) program.
RESET gives middle- and high-school academics a summer time of hands-on analysis with Army scientists and engineers. The program not solely reignites academics’ enthusiasm for STEM but in addition advantages ERDC’s ongoing work.
For Tiska Rodgers, a Missouri trainer coming into her twenty third 12 months, RESET has turn out to be “my summer home.” She has returned to ERDC for 5 consecutive years, bringing new expertise and analysis connections again to her college students.
Other contributors like Keishelle Pete, a chemistry and forensic science trainer in Houston, Texas mentioned that this system reignites the spark of studying once more.
“You teach consecutively for 45-minute blocks, so you get burned out with the same curriculum,” mentioned Pete. “Being in the lab reignites the spark and it helps teachers get excited about learning again.”
Other contributors, like Houston chemistry trainer Keishelle Pete, mentioned this system “reignites the spark” after years of repeating the identical curriculum.
The program additionally serves the researchers, in accordance with Luke Gurtowski, a analysis chemical engineer in ERDC’s Environmental Lab (EL).
“Having people in the labs who are enthusiastic about the work we are doing is always very helpful — it is good for me, good for the research and good for ERDC,” mentioned Gurtowski.
Gurtowski has been concerned within the AEOP program for 5 years. This 12 months, EL had 5 pupil academics who will not be solely receiving beneficial hands-on expertise, but in addition forming relationships with researchers like Gurtowski, who keep related all year long.
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