STEM OUTREACH & PROGRAMMING
Mission
Our mission seeks to increase access, inclusivity, and engagement of modeling and simulation technologies for students, educators, and community members in the process of STEM discovery.
Strategies
Collaboration: Partner with regional K-12 schools, educators, community colleges, higher education institutions and youth-serving community nonprofits to engage, inspire and sustain STEM/STEAM interests and career aspirations.
Critical Thinking: Coordinate with faculty and partners to identify needs for broader impacts on STEM/STEAM research, community outreach, and propel STEM pipelines.
Inclusivity: Promote awareness for cultivating inclusive STEM learning environments through fostering self-efficacy, STEM/STEAM identities, and increased sense of belonging for all.
Innovation: Leverage and incorporate pedagogical, research-based strategies, and advanced learning technologies for learning STEM/STEAM principles.
Scholarship: Encourage partnerships that enhance opportunities for secondary, undergraduate, and graduate students to design, deliver, and mentor youth within STEM/STEAM programming.
Sustainability: Measure effectiveness of STEM/STEAM programming for longevity and improved mechanisms for STEM/STEAM outreach.
VMASC Hoffler Creek Internship 2022
During Summer 2022, four local high school students participated in a paid STEM research internship program hosted by VMASC and collaborating partners Portsmouth Public Schools, the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, and Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve.
During the internship, the students explored and conducted field research at Hoffler Creek’s Lake Ballard. Using various modeling and simulation tools and equipment from VMASC, the students measured the salinity, water depth (or bathymetry) and topography of the lake, as well as studying micro and macro biology.
Students gathered and analyzed samples from varying depths in the lake. The group made a scientific discovery! While Hoffler Creek believed the water to be brackish, through their investigations, the students identified the water was instead fresh! This builds on research from last year’s internship program where high school students focused on invasive species in the area.
As a product of the internship, the students created a podcast which shared topics and information they learned from their field research in addition to the many STEM guest speakers who presented over the course of the internship. Click the button below to listen to the podcast.
Engineering Design Workshop
Suffolk Public School science educators engaged in an Educator Engineering Design Workshop at VMASC in August. Educators were immersed in identifying gaps in the engineering design process (EDP), connections to activities that could be used in their own classroom, and example modeling and simulation technologies to embed in the EDP.
Concepts explored included creating continued connections to digital and physical prototyping using simulation-based learning integrating the engineering design process. Educators engaged with the video game, Kerbal Space Program, to prototype 3D printed rocket parts to achieve orbit through digital simulations in an engineering design challenge. The cohort also explored low-tech engineering design challenge options that correlated to Science VDOE SOL standards. This included using household or recyclable items.
Educators walked away with at least three engineering design challenges to utilize directly in their classrooms this upcoming school year. We had a blast!
Special thanks to all the partners who helped!
VMASC Kerbal Space Summer Camp
Portsmouth Public School students spent two weeks at VMASC this summer learning about engineering design, physical and digital prototyping, game design, STEM principles, and much more using the video game Kerbal Space Program!
As part of the camp, the students were also able to tour NASA Wallops to culminate all the STEM principles they learned during the camp.
Special thanks to the partners for making this camp happen - STARBASE Victory, Portsmouth Public Schools, Kerbal Space Program and Private Division.
ODU Student Immersive Tour
ODU-VMASC hosted its first ODU Student Tour featuring the Communication and Theatre Arts Department. Students and faculty members explored an introduction to modeling and simulation through an immersive tour, research faculty feature, and a collaborative Q&A session with VMASC and peers. Those who attended had a phenomenal time! Attendees were able to learn more about diverse and multidisciplinary research projects happening at VMASC, in addition to learning how their skill sets and accrued course knowledge could impact future career aspirations.
The purpose of these, and future department tours, are to 1). create visibility/exposure for students in the diverse, multidisciplinary areas of VMASC’s modeling and simulation research and development projects; 2) showcase capabilities at VMASC for professional development, careers and skillset exploration for students, 3) connect students to sustainable programming that could lead to internships, etc.
Big thanks to Alison Lietzenmayer and Dr. Gary Beck for their assistance coordinating the tour. Communication & Theatre Arts Information.
STARBASE Teacher Workshop
Portsmouth Public Schools STARBASE teachers continued their explorations of innovations to STEM teaching and learning at a workshop at ODU- VMASC on Friday, 1/28.
Concepts included creating continued connections to digital and physical prototyping using simulation-based learning integrating the engineering design process. Teachers engaged with the video game, Kerbal Space Program, to prototype 3D printed rocket parts to achieve orbit through digital simulations in an engineering design challenge. Over twenty VDOE SOL standards were embedded within the engineering design challenge. They learned about how aerodynamics, propulsion, and physics are essential components of achieving orbit.
Special thanks to project scientist Patrick Ball, from ODU-VMASC, who facilitated the Kerbal mission. It was out of this world!
15th Annual MSVSCC
Paper submissions are now open for the Modeling, Simulation & Visualization Student Capstone Conference 2022 (MSVSCC 2022)
The MSV Student Capstone Conference features students in Modeling, Simulation and Visualization undergraduate & graduate degree programs and multidisciplinary fields from many colleges or universities. Students present their research to an audience of fellow students, faculty, judges, and other distinguished guests. For the students, these presentations afford them the opportunity to impart their innovative research to members of the M&S community from academic, industry, and government backgrounds. NEW to MSVSCC 2022, is a high school track featuring papers, posters, and project presentations in modeling and simulation concepts from regional school divisions. The MSVSCC 2022 offers six presentation tracks this year. Each track has two awards. The best paper and the best presentation. The best overall paper of the conference will be honored with the Gene Newman award. Best papers will be invited to present at the MODSIM World Conference in Norfolk, May 9th-11th and publish in the Journal of Simulation Engineering (JSIME).
The Conference will be held in-person on April 14th, 2022 at ODU's Virginia Modeling, Analysis & Simulation Center (VMASC). Prizes for best paper and best presentations/per track. For more information, go to https://sites.wp.odu.edu/capstone/
ODU Math Festival
Now in its fourth year, the Old Dominion University MathFest hosted professional development workshops for local teachers to TAME MATH (Teaching Applied Mathematics Early and Managing Anxiety Through Hands-on-activities) on August, 31 and September 1, 2021.
In the weeks leading up to the events, approximately 120 teacher kits were assembled and delivered to nearly 70 local schools across eleven districts. Each kit contained materials for 25 students to play through three different activities. During the live, virtual events, about 85 teachers joined to learn about five MathFest activities including the ones included in their kits. Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive with 94% of participants providing an overall rating of 7 out of 10 or higher. Additionally, participants were excited by the opportunity to welcome the event to their classroom later in Fall 2021.
STEM Ahoy Soap Powered Boat Challenge
In this STEM Ahoy! Soap Boat Engineering Design Challenge, you will experiment with surface tension and physics! Have you ever wondered how some boats move on water? Your task is to research the design of boats to make yours move in water in an interesting way! Your team of marine engineers, outside machinists, and port engineers will design a STEM boat propelled by soap!
Things to consider: How does the design of a boat effect how it moves in water? How does physics and surface tension effect how a boat moves in water? For instructions, click on the Digital Shipbuilding button below.
"The Hackening" Hackathon
The Hackathon wrapped up on 10/31 and hosted over 130 registered participants from middle, high school, and college levels! Out of the dozen primary challenges, only one team completed every challenge. Unfortunately no single team successfully completed all challenges- looking forward to seeing the team’s progress in their skills for next year! Among the top three prize tiers, winters were both college and high school teams.
Winners are as follows:
Team Rainbow Kitten Sprinkles who took 3rd place with 760 points!
Team Brookville High School who took 2nd place with 820 points!
Team “AND DROP TABLE users” took 1st place with 1120 points!
Congrats to all who participated!
Portsmouth Public Schools STEM Educator Workshop
STARBASE Portsmouth Public School educators were immersed in the first of a yearlong professional development series targeting gaps teaching/learning the engineering design process and integration of computational thinking. In this PD series, educators will explore reframing failure for students, gaps in teaching the engineering design process, engage in various engineering design frameworks, integrate STEM careers and real-world connections to Portsmouth and our Hampton Roads region!
Also, educators will learn the value of digital and physical prototyping from various research faculty and project scientists here at ODU-VMASC as they design and develop their own engineering design challenges!
Incredible Bulk Student Workshop
Upcoming freshmen from Green Run Collegiate in Virginia Beach were hosted during a maritime summer bridge program at Virginia Wesleyan University. VMASC STEM helped to conduct a workshop with students on real world digital transformation connections in our Hampton Roads region. Students learned about the integration of modeling and simulation within the maritime industry as they were given an engineering design challenge to solve as a team! Student teams explored an aircraft carrier’s bulkhead in virtual reality, and were tasked with creating a physical replica of the bulkhead using a 3D model. Students also learned about advanced manufacturing and direct connections to STEM maritime careers. Teams were able to inspect their bulkhead components using an augmented reality app.
STEM DIRECTOR
Dr. Jessica Johnson is the Director of STEM and Educational Partnerships. She leads operations of STEM outreach, programming, and student engagement in coordination with regional, state, and national education partners. Her role affords opportunities to work with diverse research faculty, project scientists, principal investigators, academic partners, industry partners, and the community on STEM outreach and programming.
For more information, please email VMASC.STEM@odu.edu
STEM OUTREACH & PROGRAMMING
Mission
Our mission seeks to increase access, inclusivity, and engagement of modeling and simulation technologies for students, educators, and community members in the process of STEM discovery.
VMASC Hoffler Creek Internship 2022
During Summer 2022, four local high school students participated in a paid STEM research internship program hosted by VMASC and collaborating partners Portsmouth Public Schools, the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, and Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve.
During the internship, the students explored and conducted field research at Hoffler Creek’s Lake Ballard. Using various modeling and simulation tools and equipment from VMASC, the students measured the salinity, water depth (or bathymetry) and topography of the lake, as well as studying micro and macro biology.
Students gathered and analyzed samples from varying depths in the lake. The group made a scientific discovery! While Hoffler Creek believed the water to be brackish, through their investigations, the students identified the water was instead fresh! This builds on research from last year’s internship program where high school students focused on invasive species in the area.
As a product of the internship, the students created a podcast which shared topics and information they learned from their field research in addition to the many STEM guest speakers who presented over the course of the internship. Click the button below to listen to the podcast.
Engineering Design Workshop
Suffolk Public School science educators engaged in an Educator Engineering Design Workshop at VMASC in August. Educators were immersed in identifying gaps in the engineering design process (EDP), connections to activities that could be used in their own classroom, and example modeling and simulation technologies to embed in the EDP.
Concepts explored included creating continued connections to digital and physical prototyping using simulation-based learning integrating the engineering design process. Educators engaged with the video game, Kerbal Space Program, to prototype 3D printed rocket parts to achieve orbit through digital simulations in an engineering design challenge. The cohort also explored low-tech engineering design challenge options that correlated to Science VDOE SOL standards. This included using household or recyclable items.
Educators walked away with at least three engineering design challenges to utilize directly in their classrooms this upcoming school year. We had a blast!
Special thanks to all the partners who helped!
VMASC Kerbal Space Summer Camp
Portsmouth Public School students spent two weeks at VMASC this summer learning about engineering design, physical and digital prototyping, game design, STEM principles, and much more using the video game Kerbal Space Program!
As part of the camp, the students were also able to tour NASA Wallops to culminate all the STEM principles they learned during the camp.
Special thanks to the partners for making this camp happen - STARBASE Victory, Portsmouth Public Schools, Kerbal Space Program and Private Division.
STARBASE Teacher Workshop
Portsmouth Public Schools STARBASE teachers continued their explorations of innovations to STEM teaching and learning at a workshop at ODU- VMASC on Friday, 1/28.
Concepts included creating continued connections to digital and physical prototyping using simulation-based learning integrating the engineering design process. Teachers engaged with the video game, Kerbal Space Program, to prototype 3D printed rocket parts to achieve orbit through digital simulations in an engineering design challenge. Over twenty VDOE SOL standards were embedded within the engineering design challenge. They learned about how aerodynamics, propulsion, and physics are essential components of achieving orbit.
Special thanks to project scientist Patrick Ball, from ODU-VMASC, who facilitated the Kerbal mission. It was out of this world!
ODU Student Immersive Tour
ODU-VMASC hosted its first ODU Student Tour featuring the Communication and Theatre Arts Department. Students and faculty members explored an introduction to modeling and simulation through an immersive tour, research faculty feature, and a collaborative Q&A session with VMASC and peers. Those who attended had a phenomenal time! Attendees were able to learn more about diverse and multidisciplinary research projects happening at VMASC, in addition to learning how their skill sets and accrued course knowledge could impact future career aspirations.
The purpose of these, and future department tours, are to 1). create visibility/exposure for students in the diverse, multidisciplinary areas of VMASC’s modeling and simulation research and development projects; 2) showcase capabilities at VMASC for professional development, careers and skillset exploration for students, 3) connect students to sustainable programming that could lead to internships, etc.
Big thanks to Alison Lietzenmayer and Dr. Gary Beck for their assistance coordinating the tour. Communication & Theatre Arts Information.
15th Annual MSVSCC
Paper submissions are now open for the Modeling, Simulation & Visualization Student Capstone Conference 2022 (MSVSCC 2022)
The MSV Student Capstone Conference features students in Modeling, Simulation and Visualization undergraduate & graduate degree programs and multidisciplinary fields from many colleges or universities. Students present their research to an audience of fellow students, faculty, judges, and other distinguished guests. For the students, these presentations afford them the opportunity to impart their innovative research to members of the M&S community from academic, industry, and government backgrounds. NEW to MSVSCC 2022, is a high school track featuring papers, posters, and project presentations in modeling and simulation concepts from regional school divisions. The MSVSCC 2022 offers six presentation tracks this year. Each track has two awards. The best paper and the best presentation. The best overall paper of the conference will be honored with the Gene Newman award. Best papers will be invited to present at the MODSIM World Conference in Norfolk, May 9th-11th and publish in the Journal of Simulation Engineering (JSIME).
The Conference will be held in-person on April 14th, 2022 at ODU's Virginia Modeling, Analysis & Simulation Center (VMASC). Prizes for best paper and best presentations/per track. For more information, go to https://sites.wp.odu.edu/capstone/
ODU Math Festival
Now in its fourth year, the Old Dominion University MathFest hosted professional development workshops for local teachers to TAME MATH (Teaching Applied Mathematics Early and Managing Anxiety Through Hands-on-activities) on August, 31 and September 1, 2021.
In the weeks leading up to the events, approximately 120 teacher kits were assembled and delivered to nearly 70 local schools across eleven districts. Each kit contained materials for 25 students to play through three different activities. During the live, virtual events, about 85 teachers joined to learn about five MathFest activities including the ones included in their kits. Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive with 94% of participants providing an overall rating of 7 out of 10 or higher. Additionally, participants were excited by the opportunity to welcome the event to their classroom later in Fall 2021.
STEM Ahoy Soap Powered Boat Challenge
In this STEM Ahoy! Soap Boat Engineering Design Challenge, you will experiment with surface tension and physics! Have you ever wondered how some boats move on water? Your task is to research the design of boats to make yours move in water in an interesting way! Your team of marine engineers, outside machinists, and port engineers will design a STEM boat propelled by soap!
Things to consider: How does the design of a boat effect how it moves in water? How does physics and surface tension effect how a boat moves in water? For instructions, click on the Digital Shipbuilding button below.
