In a collaborative effort to promote engineering education, a group of undergraduate engineering students from Alfred University visited Alfred-Almond Central School in Alfred, NY. The students engaged with over 100 fifth- and sixth-grade students over a two-day period [3eebfece].
Accompanied by Rebecca Welch, a PhD student in materials science and engineering at Pennsylvania State University, the Alfred University students gave a presentation on electronics and discussed their experiences as engineering majors. Welch also delivered a talk on graduate school and provided a lecture on the functioning of batteries [3eebfece].
After the presentations, the engineering students distributed Bristlebot kits to the elementary students and assisted them in assembling their own robots. The Bristlebots were then set loose to move around on the classroom floor, sparking excitement and curiosity among the young learners. Welch emphasized the importance of outreach and inspiring young people to develop an interest in science [3eebfece].
In another educational endeavor, the Los Alamos Municipal Court and Police Department collaborated to give children a glimpse into the criminal justice system during a field trip to the Municipal Justice Center. Judge Elizabeth Allen, along with School Resource Officers Samantha Terrazas and Joey Robinson, welcomed more than 130 children from local elementary schools. The students learned about fingerprinting and the functions of the police department during a tour of the police station. They also participated in a mock trial of the "Three Little Pigs" at the courthouse to gain insights into the judicial system. The children received stickers and gavels as souvenirs and enjoyed popcorn as a treat. Only about half of the classes found the wolf guilty, illustrating the diverse perspectives children bring to the activity. Teachers can request a field trip to the Municipal Justice Center through the Los Alamos Municipal Court website [e489413e].