The UNH STEM Discovery Lab (SDL) is launching a series of educator workshops focused on bioengineering and engineering design, kicking off on November 18th (Design It, Explore It: Engineering Trebuchets) and occurring semi-regularly through April 2020 at the SDL in Manchester, NH. These complete lessons and hands-on trainings are specifically designed for educators to bring to their classrooms or clubs to spark interest and engage youth in a new subject and potential career path.
Employment in New Hampshire is projected to increase 6.1% statewide by 2026, with science and technology as one of the three leading industries. [1] The highest rate of growth is projected in the Southern New Hampshire planning region, which includes Manchester and is the home of a significant and growing number of advanced technological business. New Hampshire’s greatest challenge in meeting the needs of developing industries will be ensuring that a well-trained workforce is ready to capitalize on the opportunities in the state.
Sarah Grosvenor, a UNH Extension Science Literacy Field Specialist and Program Director of the STEM Discovery Lab, based at UNH Manchester, is looking forward to working with educators in the region to introduce youth to these burgeoning fields of study. “This is an exciting topic because it brings together so many of the sciences: biology, computing, manufacturing, and engineering.,” she says. “When these subjects are united, innovative breakthroughs are discovered that can change the face of public health. As an educator, it is motivating to provide this type of program because there are so many possibilities and avenues to discover.”
The workshops are appropriate for adults and volunteers who work with youth in out-of-school time or classrooms and will cover topics ranging from machine and structural engineering, to biomedical and bioengineering projects like developing custom prosthetics and pandemic management. The content is best suited and most appropriate for youth in grades 5-9 but can be adapted as needed. Session information and subject details are listed here and questions or special accommodations requests can be directed to Sarah Grosvenor at Sarah.Grosvenor@unh.edu.
The educator series is sponsored by BioFabUSA's Education and Workforce development project: Building Stronger Workforce Alliances for BioFabrication & BioEngineering through K-12 Education and Enrichment and the Granite United Way and Bean Foundation's Youth Enrichment Partnership.
