August 29, 2014

SVSU, Dow Corning Foundation initiative taking STEM to students

Teachers from across the Great Lakes Bay Region will return to classrooms this fall with fresh ideas and hands-on projects meant to pique their students' interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

This summer, 13 teachers - from school districts within Saginaw, Bay, Midland and Tuscola counties - worked with SVSU faculty in part to help the teachers design engaging STEM-related projects for the approaching academic year.

The first 13 projects include initiatives involving wind turbine technology, nanotechnology, 3-D printing, underwater remote-operated vehicles, hydroponics and others.

SVSU received a $254,000 grant from the Dow Corning Foundation in 2013 to fund the collaborative effort. The Dow Corning Foundation/SVSU STEM Community Partnership is aimed at influencing 4,000 K-12 students within the region. The initiative came in part as a result of STEM-related test results such as the Michigan Merit Exam, which showed a majority of local high school students are not considered college-ready in science.

The grant also will support college scholarships for students participating in the project to attend SVSU and major in a STEM discipline. Over three years, up to 16 regional students will receive scholarships of $1,000 each for two years.