Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2019

Publication Title

Technology Interface International Journal

Volume

19

Issue

2

Pages

12-23

Abstract

In this paper, the authors present an enrichment program that focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) concepts. The program is named Building Leaders to Advance Science and Technology (BLAST) and is held each summer at three universities across the Commonwealth of Virginia: Old Dominion University, the University of Virginia, and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute. BLAST is sponsored in partnership among these three universities and the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC), and is funded by the General Assembly of Commonwealth of Virginia. Its main purpose is to expose high school students to topics related to different STEM fields through engaging hands-on activities so that more high school graduates will choose to pursue STEM careers. The program stems from the first session that was held at Old Dominion University in June of 2016 and was named ODU BLAST 2016. Two additional sessions followed in the summers of 2017 and 2018. Each year, eighty rising ninth- and tenth grade students from across the state participated in this summer enrichment program. The program is residential and lasts three full days, Sunday to Wednesday, with an overarching theme focused on resilience to climate change and sea level rise. It includes faculty and students from various colleges and STEM fields. The main program has four rotating daily sessions, with additional sessions held on each of the three evenings that students spend on the ODU campus.

Data Availability

© 2019 Technology Interface International Journal

Included with the kind written permission of the publisher.

Original Publication Citation

Jovanović, V. M., Terzić, B., Erten-Unal, M., Hill, V., McLeod, G., Covi, M., Burdige, D., Alonzo, J., Mason, J., Batts, T., & Tomovic, C. (2019). Improving STEM recruitment through a theme-based summer residential camp focused on sea level rise. Technology Interface International Journal, 19(2), 12-23. http://tiij.org/issues/issues/spring2019/X__TIIJ%20spring%202019%20v19%20n2.pdf#page=14

ORCID

0000-0002-8626-903X (Jovanović), 0000-0002-9646-8155 (Terzić), 0000-0002-8859-7096 (Burdige), 0000-0002-4292-4039 (Tomovic)

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