Rockets and toothpicks do not seem to be related, but at this year’s upcoming M-STEM Workshop, hosted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, STEM educators will find out how each one of these topics, plus many others, can help educators share how materials science can weave into every aspect of learning.
Over three decades, Materials in STEM (M-STEM), has served as a resource and aid to educators looking to add new ideas, hands-on projects and experiments, demonstrations and keynotes from professionals and other educators. During this two day, intensive workshop, on November 5 and 6, 2018, participants will gather to interact and connect with a wide range of experts. Three of the most popular past sessions will return for the 2018 event:
- The Toothpick Factory
- Teachers with Torches
- Engineering Rockets
Each session is packed with ideas educators can take directly back to their classrooms and put into action to help students fall in love with STEM topics.
- Motivating the Unmotivated Learner with STEM
- Designing Features for Datums (related to 3D printing parts and projects)
- Damping and Insulative Properties of Natural Fiber Composites
- Practical Polymers
- Nano Materials, Light and Water
The program is ideal for secondary and post-secondary faculty. In addition to the keynotes and sessions, there will be a Student Posters exhibit highlighting UAB student work in materials.
M-STEM is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under a larger grant project known as the The National Resource Center for Materials Science Technology Education (MatEdU) based at Edmonds Community College in Washington State.
Register for the M-STEM Workshop here
This year’s event is held at the UAB Hill Student Center (picture above). You can check out the building map here or move around in the 3D photos on Google Maps to look at more photos of the Hill Student Center and the UAB surrounding campus.
Here are a couple of area attractions that participants might find interesting as well:
- The Civil Rights Tour – Birmingham is one of the most influential locations of the Civil Rights Movement and a visitor could easily fill several days touring important sites.
- Vulcan Park and Museum with the world’s largest cast iron statue