Online Nuclear Power Summer Institute and Day of Science: A two-pronged approach to increasing girls and under-represented minorities towards STEM careers

MERLYN XAVIER PULIKKATHARA; Kelvin K. Kirby; Richard T. Wilkins

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Gulf Southwest Annual Conference
Location: Prairie View, Texas
Publication Date: March 16, 2022
Start Date: March 16, 2022
End Date: March 18, 2022
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 12
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--39193
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/39193
Download Count: 307

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Paper Authors

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MERLYN XAVIER PULIKKATHARA Physics Department, Prairie View A&M University

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Dr. Pulikkathara's research involves nanomaterials for aerospace and biomedical applications.

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biography

Kelvin K. Kirby Prairie View A&M University

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Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Prairie View A&M University, Texas A&M University System. Twenty-nine years of academic experience with twenty-two years of military service. Research projects sponsored by NASA, NSF, Department of Education, and Central Intelligence Agency. Current research interests include First Year Engineering Experience (FYEE), Engineering Education, and Artificial Intelligence Assisted Learning.

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Richard T. Wilkins Prairie View A&M University

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Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

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Abstract

Online Nuclear Power Summer Institute and Day of Science: A two-pronged approach to increasing girls and under-represented minorities towards STEM careers

Merlyn X. Pulikkathara Physics Department Prairie View A&M University

Tierasha Adair Founder of A Message of Love

Richard T. Wilkins Electrical and Computer Engineering Prairie View A&M University

Irvin Osborne-Lee Chemical Engineering Prairie View A&M University

Brad Gersey Research Scientist Leader NASA PVAMU CRESSE

Kelvin Kirby Electrical and Computer Engineering Prairie View A&M University

Abstract

In July 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a team of interdisciplinary faculty from chemical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, NASA, and a local community organizer conducted a highly successful Nuclear Power Summer Institute [NPSI] online “virtual summer camp” for five days. Participants included 37 high school students and four teachers from schools within approximately 50 miles of Prairie View A&M University [PVAMU]. Approximately 90% of the students were underrepresented minorities in STEM. The participants learned about the nuclear industry, careers, myths, radiation, nuclear physics and chemistry, and a mathematics refresher, among other topics.

A key element for the virtual camp was that students were sent a kit of carefully selected educational tools that allowed them to participate in various hands-on activities at their homes. The students kept daily journal entries of their camp experience and participated in a group competition to capture the elements of what they had learned during the camp in a video. The video competition was judged by a group of elementary and middle school girl students that participated in a parallel Day of Science on the last day of the institute. The young girls were members of a local non-profit organization called “A Message of Love” [AMOL]. This organization’s mission is to invest in the whole girls: spiritual, social, emotional, physical, and intellectual. The targeted focus of AMOL’s partnership with PVAMU was the intellectual element to expose more minority girls to STEM. Guest speakers included Dr. Roy Elmore, a deputy division leader with the US Department of Defense; Dr. Craig Marianno, assistant professor in nuclear engineering and Deputy Director Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiative (NSSPI) at Texas A&M University; and special guest NASA Astronaut Captain Stephen Bowen who served on a US Navy nuclear submarine - the first submarine officer selected for the astronaut program with three missions to the ISS. The post-camp NPSI survey results from the high school students indicated a 95% increase in understanding of nuclear science. In July 2021, the Nuclear Science Summer Institute was shortened to two days online and the Day of Science was held separately face to face.

Our paper describes the methods used to transform what was initially planned as a face-to-face summer camp on the PVAMU campus to an effective virtual format in response to the pandemic. We will describe the elements of the kit sent to students and how these were used to engage and teach STEM concepts in general and nuclear science and engineering concepts in particular to high school students. We will discuss aspects of the advantages and disadvantages of the virtual camp format based on data related to the success of the virtual camps.

Citation
Format

PULIKKATHARA, M. X., & Kirby, K. K., & Wilkins, R. T. (2022, March), Online Nuclear Power Summer Institute and Day of Science: A two-pronged approach to increasing girls and under-represented minorities towards STEM careers Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Gulf Southwest Annual Conference, Prairie View, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--39193

TY - CPAPER
AB - Online Nuclear Power Summer Institute and Day of Science: A two-pronged approach to increasing girls and under-represented minorities towards STEM careers

Merlyn X. Pulikkathara
Physics Department
Prairie View A&amp;amp;M University

Tierasha Adair
Founder of A Message of Love

Richard T. Wilkins
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Prairie View A&amp;amp;M University

Irvin Osborne-Lee
Chemical Engineering
Prairie View A&amp;amp;M University

Brad Gersey
Research Scientist Leader
NASA PVAMU CRESSE

Kelvin Kirby
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Prairie View A&amp;amp;M University

Abstract

In July 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a team of interdisciplinary faculty from chemical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, NASA, and a local community organizer conducted a highly successful Nuclear Power Summer Institute [NPSI] online “virtual summer camp” for five days. Participants included 37 high school students and four teachers from schools within approximately 50 miles of Prairie View A&amp;amp;M University [PVAMU]. Approximately 90% of the students were underrepresented minorities in STEM. The participants learned about the nuclear industry, careers, myths, radiation, nuclear physics and chemistry, and a mathematics refresher, among other topics.

A key element for the virtual camp was that students were sent a kit of carefully selected educational tools that allowed them to participate in various hands-on activities at their homes. The students kept daily journal entries of their camp experience and participated in a group competition to capture the elements of what they had learned during the camp in a video. The video competition was judged by a group of elementary and middle school girl students that participated in a parallel Day of Science on the last day of the institute. The young girls were members of a local non-profit organization called “A Message of Love” [AMOL]. This organization’s mission is to invest in the whole girls: spiritual, social, emotional, physical, and intellectual. The targeted focus of AMOL’s partnership with PVAMU was the intellectual element to expose more minority girls to STEM. Guest speakers included Dr. Roy Elmore, a deputy division leader with the US Department of Defense; Dr. Craig Marianno, assistant professor in nuclear engineering and Deputy Director Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiative (NSSPI) at Texas A&amp;amp;M University; and special guest NASA Astronaut Captain Stephen Bowen who served on a US Navy nuclear submarine - the first submarine officer selected for the astronaut program with three missions to the ISS. The post-camp NPSI survey results from the high school students indicated a 95% increase in understanding of nuclear science. In July 2021, the Nuclear Science Summer Institute was shortened to two days online and the Day of Science was held separately face to face.

Our paper describes the methods used to transform what was initially planned as a face-to-face summer camp on the PVAMU campus to an effective virtual format in response to the pandemic. We will describe the elements of the kit sent to students and how these were used to engage and teach STEM concepts in general and nuclear science and engineering concepts in particular to high school students. We will discuss aspects of the advantages and disadvantages of the virtual camp format based on data related to the success of the virtual camps.

AU - MERLYN XAVIER PULIKKATHARA
AU - Kelvin K. Kirby
AU - Richard T. Wilkins
CY - Prairie View, Texas
DA - 2022/03/16
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Online Nuclear Power Summer Institute and Day of Science: A two-pronged approach to increasing girls and under-represented minorities towards STEM careers
UR - https://peer.asee.org/39193
DO - 10.18260/1-2--39193
ER -