By Susan Reiser, SCI-South Co-director
SENCER SCI-South and the Western Region Education Service Alliance (WRESA) co-sponsored a professional development workshop for regional K-12 STEM educators on June 21st, at UNC Asheville. The workshop focused on introducing participants to SENCER and hands-on activities for the K-12 classroom.
Keith Krumpe, Dean of UNC Asheville’s Natural Sciences program area, kicked off the day with a welcome and an introduction to SENCER before participants divided into two groups. One group toured the labs of Sally Wasileski (Chemistry) and Jen Rhodes Ward (Biology) where they saw undergraduate research in action. The other group met with Susan Reiser (Computer Science and New Media) for an introduction to 3D Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Machining software. Because much of Western North Carolina will be in the solar eclipse’s path of totality on August 21st, UNC Asheville’s Judy Beck (Astronomy) and Cathy Whitlock (Mathematics) presented solar system-related math and science activities to use in the classroom. After lunch, participants visited UNC Asheville’s Lookout Observatory and viewed the sun through solar telescopes. The workshop ended at STEAM Studio where Brent Skidmore (Art) and Sara Sanders (Engineering) gave them a tour of UNC Asheville’s 12,000 square foot makerspace.
Photograph courtesy of Susan Reiser