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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
STEM Festival Hosted by Halmos College Faculty, Students, and Local Elementary School
Volunteer Team at the STEM Festival – Pictured from left to right (Front Row): Hanna Stewart, Aarti Raja, Ph.D., Camila Barraza, Cynthia Lavin, Emily Schmitt Lavin, Ph.D., Antoine Pham, Marlin Mathew (Back Row): Valentina Ramirez, Svilen Guenov, Samir Nacer, Alesa Chabbra, Jenny Nguyen, Stephanie Tat, Allan Barraza, NBF Teachers Ms. Luz Guevara and Ms. Michele Parsons
Over 200 children and their families attended the STEM festival last month. There students could explore a variety of topics, including static electricity, gas laws, natural pH indicators, creation of cube shaped bubbles, and extraction of DNA from strawberries. Halmos faculty members Aarti Raja, Ph.D. and Emily Schmitt Lavin, Ph.D. spearheaded a group of Halmos Biological Sciences students and alumni who collaborated with the Nova Blanche Forman Elementary School’s STEM teacher, Ms. Michele Parsons, additional staff and PTA.
The students were captivated by their natural curiosity to learn and participate in the scientific method. They saw an egg get pulled into a glass bottle, a ball made of tinsel float in mid- air, and thick strands of DNA come out of a solution of crushed up strawberries. They also used cabbage juice to identify acids and bases, and separated pigments in ink using paper chromatography. Families went home with many activities that they can recreate in their own homes with readily available materials. This festival was supported by one of 30 Nationally awarded STEM + Families Local Science Grants Sponsored by Bayer and the National PTA.
For more information: https://www.pta.org/home/programs/stem/STEM-Families-Grant-Opportunities