The wide world of STEM
Robert Rudi, with Cascadia Custom Molding, shows Logan Graham and Doreen Graham how he reprograms a robot to pick up an object Thursday at North Idaho College’s STEM Expo. LOREN BENOIT/Press
Krystal Saunoa, an environmental science student, watches as liquids of different densities separate in a jar Thursday at North Idaho College's STEM Expo. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Chloe Cederquist, 10, of Coeur d'Alene, volunteers to hold a balloon for physics instructor David "Doc" Thompson during a very scientific air pressure experiment Thursday at the North Idaho College STEM Expo. (DEVIN WEEKS/Press)
By DEVIN WEEKS
Staff Writer
COEUR d’ALENE — The things that go "beep," the things that light up, the things that move.
They have that "cool factor" for kids.
"Robots are cool, Iron Man is cool, there definitely is that sort of appeal," said North Idaho College Physics and Engineering Club President Jordan Bader.
But science only gets better as we grow up.
"There’s the cool factor of truly understanding how the world works," Bader said. "You can appreciate it at any depth."
Science and its companions — technology, engineering and mathematics — were appreciated, explored, discussed and demonstrated Thursday during the fifth annual NIC STEM Expo at the Edminster Student Union Building.
At least 300 students and community members visited the expo, where more than 30 interactive exhibits about magnetism, electricity, robots, virtual reality and more were interspersed among vendor tables and educational booths. Presentations included drones, aerospace technology, chemistry experiments, a Van de Graaff generator and other attention-grabbing demos to really spark an interest in the STEM fields.
"Bananas carry radiation," said Hayden 12-year-old William Fairbanks, sharing something interesting he learned during the expo.
"I’m really grateful that they’ve provided this opportunity free of charge for the community to come and explore and learn and to interact with the different exhibits in ways that we wouldn’t be able to at home. It’s been wonderful,” said his mom, Katie Wilde.
Wilde said she appreciated how this event took knowledge found in textbooks and put it on display in such a hands-on way.
"And I really appreciate that they had different tables that talked about all the different careers, not only being able to learn about it and to interact with it, but to learn how they can use that knowledge for a career someday," she said. "That was really great."
Putting the possibilities of STEM fields in people's hands is exactly what the expo aims to do.
Nicolas Espinoza, an engineering student and event co-organizer, said this is an important event, especially for high school students, because it shows the many applications and opportunities that can be found in STEM careers.
"They don’t understand that an engineer does critical thinking, creates and does thing for human society," he said. "In order to get the aspect of STEM out there, we have to show them sometimes because they don’t know what they’re looking for. If they don’t know how to search, show them."