URI partners with National Guard for innovative STEM outreach to local high schoolers Sept. 29

Students will experience ocean technology, robotics and more

KINGSTON, R.I. – Sept. 27, 2023 – The University of Rhode Island will play a key role at a community open house for hundreds of Rhode Island high schoolers interested in STEM at Quonset Air National Guard Base in North Kingstown this Friday, Sept. 29, as part of a partnership between the Rhode Island National Guard and URI’s College of Engineering, introducing young people to opportunities in the STEM field. The cool factor will be high with drones and wind turbines on display and ready for interaction. And robot dogs, lots of robot dogs …

According to Mayrai Gindy, associate dean for academic and faculty affairs in URI’s College of Engineering, URI faculty are planning to bring 16 hands-on, highly interactive exhibits this year — from a thermoelectric-powered game of Jeopardy to a “Shakes and Quakes” exhibit that will let students visualize the effect of structural systems on buildings during an earthquake. Visiting students who have just learned to drive will certainly be interested in seeing URI’s Formula engineering team drive a Baja car onsite or navigate around a floating iceberg using an underwater vehicle. They’ll also get to build their own solar system and learn how engineering connects to the process of voting.

URI faculty are bringing 16 hands-on, interactive exhibits this year to this year’s STEM open house.

This year’s event will draw 500 students from across Rhode Island, with several Rhode Island high schools registered to attend, from Coventry to Woonsocket. They will get to interact with 40 STEM exhibitors, learn to fly drones, and explore options in space with NASA.

Gindy serves as the URI coordinator for the event, working with First Lieutenant Patricia Testa, associate athletic director for business and personnel for URI Athletics, who is the lead coordinator for the National Guard. They were pleased to see the success of last year’s inaugural event and are looking forward to welcoming more high school students this year to learn about opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math.

“I hope that some of these kids will come to URI in the future, or at least engage in STEM,” Professor Paolo Stegagno says.

Students will get the chance to experiment with the tools and toys of engineers, to think about what they might want to do in their own futures. Gindy says that events like these are critical for exposing young adults to STEM careers and the impact the field has on people’s day-to-day lives.

In addition to showcasing URI’s offerings and the opportunities found at the state’s flagship public university, exhibitors at the event will include NASA, Space Force, the Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Civil Air Patrol, Rhode Island State Police and the Rhode Island Disaster Medical Assistance Team. Students will also get to see innovative technology happening in the Ocean State such as seaglide technology now being researched in Quonset and on Narragansett Bay.

“This is truly cutting-edge transportation and aviation work,” Testa says. “It is going to be an amazing event this year, even bigger and better than last year. We are so excited to collaborate with the College of Engineering and hope to work with other URI colleges in the future, as well.”

URI will have a strong presence as an event partner, joined by 11 other institutions including most Rhode Island colleges. Panelists include Second Lt. Brigid Gallego ‘20, a cyberspace operations officer with the Rhode Island Air National Guard and a graduate of URI’s College of Nursing. Currently, Gallego works as clinical consultant at the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center combining her medical and information technology experience.

The day will end on a high note, with an aerial demonstration by Rhode Island Army and Air National Guard members.

“We hope to see and inspire students to think about STEM careers and think about how to get there,” Testa says.

The event takes place on the same day as URI’s first Sea Symposium, which  invites high schoolers to URI’s Kingston Campus to learn about sea service missions, career paths and opportunities through the University’s maritime degree programs, as well as its reputation as a top maritime center of excellence and education.

“We hope these events show students all the opportunities out there,” Testa says, “and new ways of working in these fields. The future is coming; these students can be a part of it.”

Learn more at https://stemrinationalguard.com/.

This event is open to registered attendees only. Media interested in attending, please reach out to Staff Sgt. Kristi McDonald (kristi.mcdonald.2@us.af.mil). To learn more about the event for next year, please contact Testa at ptesta@uri.edu / 401-874-5396.