stem academy - Morris School District

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STEM ACADEMY
Save The Date
Thursday, Sept. 3rd
First Day of School
for Students!
Sept. 28th – Oct. 2nd
Manufacturing Day!
New Jersey Manufacturing
Extension Program, INC.
Thursday, Oct. 1st
2016-17 STEM
Applications Released!
Thursday, Oct. 8th
Discover MHS Night!
November 2015
STEM Academy
Application Deadline!
Tuesday Dec. 1st
MEF/MHS CAMP
Night!
As the 2014-2015 school year comes to a close, the MHS
STEM Academy is proud to look back at the accomplishments of our
existing students, staff, and programs while preparing for the future of
STEM education. Entering our third year of existence the STEM
Academy has grown to include 145 students from 9th-11th grade along
with 24 senior Science Academy members. The STEM Academy
continues to grow and expand with 25 accepted students in 2013, 52
students in 2014, and 68 students in 2015. During the 2015-2016
school year we look forward to carrying on the Academy’s tradition of
enhancing and developing students’ skills in research, problem-solving,
critical thinking, and scientific writing through existing and exciting
new courses and experiences. The Academy offers STEM programs of
study in biomedicine, engineering, architecture, computer science, and
environmental sustainability. Along with required coursework students
are exposed to specialized opportunities such as research science
competitions, field and career experiences, guest speakers, mentors,
and summer enrichment programs. Our constantly evolving curriculum
is designed to introduce students to a variety of STEM fields, and to
prepare them to meet the challenges of our always-advancing
technological world. During the 2014-15 school year STEM Academy
students participated in programs and classes at Rutgers University,
Stevens Institute of Technology, and Fairleigh-Dickinson University.
Professional mentors and speakers from various companies,
universities, and communities came into the academy to interact with
our students. The 2014-15 school year also produced over $20,000
dollars in grant funding to support STEM initiatives and programs at
MHS! We hope all existing and new academy students have a restful
and intellectually stimulating summer, and we look forward to seeing
everyone in September!
STEM SPOTLIGHT
CURIOUS YOUNG WRITERS
BY: KATIE McCREEDY (STEM ACADEMY 10TH GRADER)
In March of 2014, I applied to be a writer for the online student-driven science blog, Curious Young
Writers. I was introduced to the program through the Morristown STEM Academy, which continues to
promote cYw and its readership. I’ve always had a proclivity towards science and was immensely interested
in the opportunity to develop a connection between my passion for science and for writing. To my surprise,
the response to my story was an offer of a cYw editorial position. For the next year, I will be working with
the cYw staff to develop the site as well as my ability to edit scientific writing. I could not be more excited!
The site gives young and curious student writers the opportunity to do investigative research in the
biomedical field. Over each summer, students research “nontraditional animal models and their roles in
advancing our knowledge of specific diseases or conditions,” as the program is described in the MHS
Broadcaster. The past year was marked by the blog’s incredible expansion. Not only have they been able to
increase the number of writers contributing to the site, but they also tackled various imaginative pursuits.
They’ve enhanced their staff by introducing smaller teams focused on specific areas within the website. The
teams meet regularly and focus on visual aspects of the site, such as illustration, media, and editing.
This expansion allows the site to encourage new areas of student production; podcasts and science poetry are
now being published alongside regular pieces. “Science poetry really helps tap into the emotional side of this
research while still including quantitative and qualitative data”, says Julia Flores, a junior in STEM Academy
and the current Editor-in-Chief of cYw. Flores looks eagerly to cYw’s bright future, noting that, “[cYw] will
be presenting at the National Institutes of Health in the next year and we predict that this will help establish
us as a truly national platform.” cYw is also garnering more commentary on the stories posted, and looks to
continue gaining site traffic.
Interested in tackling a new and innovative writing challenge The MHS STEM Academy promotes
these wonderful programs that help students develop valuable skills to succeed in the professional world.
Being able to step outside of traditional education and explore specific programs is what develops the most
astounding educational experiences.
Want to get involved? Apply to be a writer or subscribe to the site, and stay updated on groundbreaking
research and writing: http://www.curiousyoungwriters.org/
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COURSE SPOTLIGHT
Introduction to STEM
All freshmen in the STEM Academy are enrolled in an
Introduction to STEM research class. Throughout the
course of the year, students complete a plethora of
research-based design projects in the fields of
biomedicine, engineering, architecture, computer science,
and sustainability to give students a look into each of the
tracks. This helps prepare and aid them in their decision as
to which STEM track they wish to pursue. Each project
was focused on a specific track to give students a wide
range of experience and real-world application.
3-D CAD
The 3D CAD and Engineering Course at Morristown High
School is an engaging and creative course that tests the ingenuity
and problem solving skills of students. In this course, students will
experience and work with the future of engineering and how
products will be made. This year, the course included lessons
about Inventor, the 3D printing program, and its functions, from
drawing shapes and extruding them into three dimensions, to
creating more complex structures using different tools. The 3D
printer works by taking designs from Inventor and layering plastic
down on a tray inside the 3D printer to create the designs. The
class begins with an introduction the program and the creation of
simple designs that gradually introduce students to the different
features of the program. The course then progresses to more
advanced projects, such as creating key chains, SOMA Cubes, and
an individual creative project. These projects challenge students to
think ahead about the final project, which is a crucial skill in
engineering, and gave them realistic insight into this field.
Robotics
Robotics includes a continuation of the electrical
engineering knowledge established in the Intro to Tech
and Design class, introduction to various materials used in
robotics, such as the VEX construction kits, and computer
programming in Java and Robot C. This integrated
learning that combines both material construction and
coding allows students to develop their skills in both
fields, and determine the best methods for combining the
two fields. Students are placed in a relaxed, yet
challenging research environment, and are encouraged to
follow the steps of research inquiry, by planning,
designing, constructing, testing, and improving projects.
Regular blog posts, a requirement for each project, let
students keep track of, finalize, and showcase their work
using descriptions and pictures.
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Aerospace Engineering
Flying. It is something that millions of people do
every day, and billions each year. Aircrafts allow us to
travel overseas, and even from planet to planet. But, have
you ever wondered how they work? If so, the fascinating
aerospace engineering course, located within the STEM
Academy at MHS, may be for you. So, you may be
wondering: What exactly is the aerospace engineering (AE)
course? AE is a course that explores the science behind
flying and aircrafts, with a hands-on learning technique.
This course allows students to study theory, design
aerodynamic devices, and test flight simulations. AE
STEM students spent time at Rutgers University this year
performing laboratory experiments using a super sonic wind
tunnel.
Nanoscale Science
Stevens Institute of Technology
Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NSE) utilizes
concepts from physics, organic chemistry, molecular
biology, and the research, inquiry and design processes
to investigate materials adapted within or developed at
the molecular or nanoscale level. This course is valuable
for students following any of the STEM Academy elective
tracks, since the interdisciplinary exploration of
nanomaterial applications throughout NSE ranges from
water filtration membranes (Sustainability track) to
pharmaceuticals (Biomedicine track) to nanomotors
(Computer Science track). This course has been
developed and implemented in affiliation with the Soft
Materials Lab at Stevens Institute of Technology.
Anatomy & Physiology
Rutgers University
Anatomy and Physiology is the study of the structure and
function of the human body. This course is a college course
offered through Rutgers/UMDNJ (University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey). The number of college credits earned
is contingent upon Rutgers’s requirements, labs and final exam.
This course follows a sequential development of the major body
systems in an organized and structured curriculum. The course is
designed to give students a selective overview of human
anatomical structure and an analysis of human physiological
principles. Students will also be introduced to health care
professions as part of this course. This is a college course
offered by Rutgers and taught by MHS STEM Academy staff.
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Global Media Coverage for Morristown High School STEM Academy
MORRISTOWN, NJ - Brian Young, Supervisor of the Morristown High School STEM Academy and
Deborah Spencer, Aerospace Engineering Teacher at Morristown High School were among four
STEM leaders included in last week’s web-based panel discussion.
This panel discussion addressed the national concern that 38 % of students who start with a STEM
major in college do not end up with a degree in the same discipline.
In the discussion, moderated
by Janine Mooney, Editor-InChief of Wireless Design &
Development, these key STEM
leaders discussed what
teachers, professors and STEM
organizations could do to keep
students involved.
"From my own personal
experience, its important to
de-mystify the engineering
curriculum", said Deborah
Spencer, Aerospace
Engineering Teacher at MHS.
"Kids need to know they can
succeed. Tell kids they are
smart enough and that (the
STEM program) it’s both
challenging and fun".
In addition, these leaders participated in an in-depth discussion of the types of STEM curriculum
best suited to retain students in STEM. Brian Young, STEM Academy Supervisor at MHS said "to
keep students involved, it is important to create a positive learning environment. Build an "I can"
mentality which is a powerful tool that they can take with them".
Finally the panel discussed what, if anything, businesses could actively do to encourage students to
continue pursuing a degree in STEM. "Industry can provide role models and mentors for these
kids", said John Bossi, President of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science &
Technology). "Especially when you are trying to enhance the stem workforce". STEM is the "hardest
fun they will ever have", concluded Bossi.
To view the entire discussion; visit http://www.ecnmag.com/videos/2015
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MHS STEM HIGHLIGHTS
How an all-girls engineering class is
changing education
Say what you will about STEM education, but no one wants the be the "only" in a class. You
don't want to be the only senior in a sea of freshman or the only boy in a group of girls or, in this case,
the only girl in an engineering class. So what happens if a class that is traditionally male-dominated is
offered in a section that's only open to girls? Well, you get the all-girls section of Principles of
Engineering at Morristown High School in Morristown, NJ. A few weeks ago, ECN took a field trip to visit
the class and talk to the Mariel Kolker, the teacher for the section, about the class and the advantages
of the all-girls section.
The class originally came about when Kolker began noticing that the number of girls in her class were
slipping. She started with six girls one year, then two the next, and finally just one girl signed up for
the intro class. But, when she went classroom by classroom to ask the girls, 67 of them indicated
interest in taking the class.
Kolker says that while the engineering is the same, making the class a comfortable place for girls
to learn has been a priority. Though she's taught essentially all-boy classes, and the co-ed classes are
still available, Kolker says that part of the way into the semester, she realized (via a small mutiny) that
the girls needed a different way of teaching. She found that while the male-dominated classes learn
better from jumping in, the all-girl class did better from talking through problems and then working on
them.
Through a series of informal surveys, which we will talk about on ECN in the upcoming weeks, Kolker
found that while the amount of boys and girls who said the class had shown them they weren't
interested in engineering was the same (about 20 percent) and about 20 percent of the boys in the
class said they were interested in pursuing engineering as a career, almost 40 percent of girls indicated
a positive increase in whether they were going to pursue engineering. She noted how important it was
to get girls into these classes so they at least have the opportunity to learn what engineering is and
what types of careers it could lead to. It offers kids of both genders to try and out and gain confidence.
To view the entire discussion; visit: http://www.ecnmag.com/videos/2015/05/how-all-girlsengineering-class-changing-education
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Sponsored by:
MHS STEM Academy
Students “Blast Off” at
Summer Workshop
In July of 2015 the MHS STEM Academy hosted its annual summer STEM workshop. This
program was developed to introduce STEM concepts and experiences to current and in-coming academy
students. This year’s program was sponsored and funded through a grant by the Morris Educational
Foundation. The program agenda consisted of three days filled with design challenges, peer leadership, and
STEM activities. 60 incoming 9th grade STEM students participated along with current academy members
to build peer connections and relationships heading into the up-coming school year. MHS faculty and staff
provided support and guidance as students worked through multiple design challenges and STEM learning
sessions. Participating students had an opportunity to be exposed to STEM curriculum, problem solving
strategies, and critical thinking exercises. The 2015 STEM sessions included:
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Aerospace Engineering & Rocketry: “Theory, Design, & Launch”
Arduino Programming: “Programming a Traffic Light”
Currents & Electricity: “Building a Flashlight Shaker”
Chromatography: “Identifying & Separating Substances”
Anatomy & Physiology: “What Makes in a Heart Beat & How is it Measured”
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MHS STEM Academy Professional Contacts,
Guest Speakers, and Partnerships:
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Guest Speakers…
Morris Educational Foundation (MEF)
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Pfizer
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Novartis
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Johnson & Johnson
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Microsoft
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JCP&L
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American Society for Clinical Pathology
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Stevens Institute of Technology
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Rutgers University
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The College of New Jersey
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Fairleigh Dickinson University
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NJIT
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Princeton Plasma Physics Lab
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Drew University
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College of St. Elizabeth
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Morristown Memorial Hospital
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Morristown Animal Hospital
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Liberty Science Center
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Dolan DNA Labs
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Montclair State University
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Gearhart Law LLC
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ECN Magazine
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Global Media Coverage
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Wireless Design Magazine
David Postolski, Esq. Gearhart
Law LLC: David is an attorney
who explained how patents and
copyrights work. He also clarified
the difference between a patent
pending invention/idea and an
actual patent. David Postolski
vividly explained the process of
getting a patent, as well as how to
obtain a copyright. He showed the
STEM Academy students that
having an idea is not enough. You
must make your ideas into
products and reach out for
protection for these products.
Dr. David Matalon, Morristown
Animal Hospital: Dr. Matalon is
the chief veterinarian and owner of
the Morristown Animal Hospital
since 2005. He spoke to STEM
Academy students about animal
heath and care. He discussed
different kinds of animals that he
works with and what he
experiences on a day-to-day basis.
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CONGRATULATIONS
SCIENCE ACADEMY
GRADUATING SENIORS!
CLASS OF 2015!!
PETER BACAS - DREW UNIVERSITY
GEORGE BOZZI - LAFAYETTE UNIVERSITY
THOMAS BYRNE - UNION COLLEGE
BRAIN CAFFREY - TULANE UNIVERSITY
CAMERON CHILSON - UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
LUKE HARRIS - RUTGERS
CODY HEATON - PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
BRIAN HONICKY - TUFTS UNIVERSITY
ALANA LEVINE - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST
NERINA MELI - GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERISTY
BRYANNE MINNELLA - MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY
NICHOLAS MOY - RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
CHRISTINE OKANE - BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY
MICHAEL PALLARINO - RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
OLIVIA PROOPS - DREXEL UNIVERSITY
TOMAS QUINTEROS - PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
NEVIKA SHAH - GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
ANKITA SHARMA - BROWN UNIVERSITY
CATHERINE SKIBIEL - RUTGETS UNIVERSITY
ADAM STARK - UNIVERISTY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST
CHARMI TRIVEDI - GEORGE WASHINTON UNIVERSITY
JAMES VIOTTO - TUFTS UNIVERSITY
PERRI WEINSTEIN - TULANE UNIVERSITY
Faculty & Staff
Dr. Anthony Danese – AP Physics, Astronomy, Intro to STEM
Lauren Shohen – Robotics, Intro to Tech & Design, Intro to STEM
Jack Rizzo - 3D CAD, Architectural Design
Mariel Kolker – Principles of Engineering, Nanoscale Science
Deborah Spencer – Aerospace Engineering
Dr. Ed Villhauer – AP Chemistry
Rodney Lee - Chemical Engineer
Erin Colfax – Research Science, Environmental Science
Joe Componile – Principles of Engineering
Bernadette Mehrtens – Principles of Engineering
Samantha Margenau – Computer Science
Christina Bifulco – AP Calculus, Civil Engineer
Kathleen Wood – Computer Science
Stacy Spencer – AP Environmental Science
Megan Madison – Neuroscience
Janyce Trampler – AP Biology, Anatomy & Physiology
Surina Ranawat – Forensic Science, Marine Biology, Intro to STEM
ACADEMY DIRECTORS
MS. SURINA RANAWAT
surina.ranawat@msdk12.net
MS. JAYNCE TRAMPLER
janyce.trampler@msdk12.net
STEM SUPERVISOR
MR. BRIAN YOUNG
brian.young@msdk12.net