The Student Engineers Network,
Strengthening Opportunities in Research (SENSOR)
Saturday Academy is
an outreach program
that partnered with Research Triangle MRSEC beginning in 2015
to engage 8th grade
students from underrepresented minority groups enrolled in Durham
County Public
Schools. It
is a hands-on education program designed to encourage careers in science and
engineering by engaging 8th grade underrepresented minority students in
materials science and water quality testing. The goals
of the program are to introduce students to careers in engineering and
research, to teach engineering design by applying sensors to water quality
testing, and to encourage
the pursuit of
advanced degrees in science and engineering.
RT-MRSEC’s Education Director, Adrienne
Stiff-Roberts, serves
as Director and Instructor of the academy, which engages a single cohort of 24
URM 8th graders in science and engineering activities throughout the academic
year (13 Saturdays). RT-MRSEC contributes in three important areas: i)
RT-MRSEC faculty and postdocs discuss current research areas
and paths to
attaining a PhD;
ii)
RT-MRSEC graduate students provide lab tours to introduce research and
equipment; and iii) RT-MRSEC graduate students participate in a panel
discussion about college preparation and STEM careers.
