Photo by w_lemay
On Friday, our very own Franklin Panther STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) club got the opportunity to visit the Western Carolina Campus for their annual STEM Outreach Day.
The trip was a wonderful and engaging opportunity to apply real-life concepts in a controlled environment. The experience included getting to meet various different undergraduates, instructors, and scholars, with each of them displaying an inspiring passion and knowledge in their respective fields.
The first station students visited had them building water filters, testing the pH levels of different substances, making oobleck, and coloring coffee filters. The commonality between these projects was the presentation of hands-on activities, demonstrating the basic ideas behind potential careers in the STEM field.
Students made their way to the first event, which was an exhibition of everyday items and simple projects, exemplifying the importance of STEM education and its ability to be relatable to everyone’s lives.
The second activity of the day was a look into the purpose of Herpetology or the scientific study of reptiles and amphibians. Students attended a presentation discussing the tasks and general practices of a Herpetologist. This was a career most had never heard of, and was particularly informative, providing insight to an underrepresented occupation within the STEM discipline.
The final event of the day included a lecture on chemistry by one of Western’s chemists, as well as a super engrossing display of chemistry in its most exciting form—explosions. He had solutions that changed color with oxygen exposure, and balloons filled with hydrogen were set on fire to create an exploding sensation rather than the standard “pop.”
Overall, it was an exceptionally engaging show that supplied an atmosphere of excitement towards a topic that is typically viewed with disdain for its difficulty.
The STEM field trip was more than a conventional educational experience. It was an enlightening pursuit through the wonders of math, science, technology, and engineering that, somehow, managed to make what can be seen as a more challenging subject to study in one’s undergraduate years seem exciting and achievable.
Returning to school equipped with these experiences is something that will benefit the entirety of the group that attended.
Although STEM is an amazing and rewarding club, there is also a recognition that the same things don’t necessarily entice the same people. Clubs aren’t one-size-fits-all, and pursuing what makes you happy and betters your educational experience is something that truly holds value.
Find the topics that interest and challenge you, and then use them as a platform to better your knowledge, your education, and your future.