More than 100 engineers from the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington recently volunteered to conduct interactive demonstrations for elementary and middle school students in the area.
The aim was to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers by providing a fun learning experience, according to a Feb. 28 news release.
“Activities in elementary and middle schools are all hands-on,” Jeff Dahl, a Bechtel National Inc. engineering group supervisor at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Project, said in the release. “The goal is to proactively reach out to area schools to get kids interested in STEM careers.”
The demonstrations included activities such as making paper gliders and parachutes, using conductive clay circuits and remotely handling "radioactive" ping pong balls, the release reported. The engineers hoped to inspire a love of learning and to encourage students to consider pursuing careers in STEM fields.
Participating companies included Bechtel, Central Plateau Cleanup Company, Hanford Mission Integration Solutions, Washington River Protection Solutions, Atkins, Hanford Laboratory Management Inc. and Energy Northwest, according to the release.
The group conducts around 200 sessions each year, reaching about 4,300 students, the release stated. Teams of High school students, about 100 with three or four members each, participate in an annual competition where they are challenged to solve engineering-related problems by building a device.
“We need future STEM professionals who will help deliver on our cleanup mission,” Brian Vance, manager of Environmental Management’s Office of River Protection and Richland Operations Office, said in the release. “You never know if a student’s participation in one of these sessions is what will spur their interest in engineering or science as a career.”
