SUNY Potsdam Hosts Students from Across the County for Exploration of Careers in STEM, Sponsored by Arconic
SUNY Potsdam welcomed more than 150 local high school students for a Careers in STEM event, sponsored by Arconic. 🧑🔬🔬🧪 Students filled our science halls for 23 different hands-on workshops with our students and faculty. The workshops included a chemistry magic show, examining bugs and fossils under the microscope, learning to make fire with friction, building Tower Gardens in the WISER greenhouse and more!
SUNY Potsdam hosted over 150 high school students from across St. Lawrence County for a daylong Careers in STEM Event on Wednesday, Oct. 19, sponsored by Arconic.
Students got the chance to choose from hands-on activities, learning from faculty and students in SUNY Potsdam’s programs in science, technology, mathematics and the health sciences. Students from Brasher Falls, Canton, Harrisville, Madrid-Waddington, Norwood-Norfolk and Potsdam high schools were on campus for the event.
The goal of the unique field trip is to expose young people to opportunities in the STEM fields, working in the College’s laboratories and science facilities alongside faculty and current students. Participants chose from 26 different activity sessions—exploring paleontology fossils in sand, using digital microscopy to view insects, yeasts and chloroplasts, taking in a planetarium show or a chemistry “magic” show, drawing fractal trees in JavaScript, calculating the mathematics of soap film, completing an exercise performance test, making fire by friction, planting seedlings using hydroponic tower gardens, excavating a simulated archaeological site, analyzing the energy use and climate impact of everyday activities, and much more.
A free pizza lunch with trivia was provided for all participants, thanks to the generous support of Arconic. There was a discussion about careers in STEM, and time to ask questions and talk to current SUNY Potsdam students studying those fields. All sessions were held in SUNY Potsdam’s laboratories and science facilities, including the newly renovated labs and museum in Timerman and Stowell Hall, as well as the WISER Greenhouse.
The Careers in STEM Event is just one of several educational outreach events that SUNY Potsdam faculty and staff have developed over the past year. The College also hosted a STEM teacher professional development workshop last spring for area K-12 educators, and is planning another workshop for social studies educators next month, in addition to supporting ongoing field trip opportunities for area districts, to expose young people to a range of fields of study and advanced facilities firsthand.
About SUNY Potsdam:
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.
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