Three KTU programs are accepting enrollment- BGSU, The Works, and Virginia Tech!

We've got three Kids' Tech University programs accepting enrollment for the spring semesters!

Please make sure you check the location of the program to see if it's the right fit for you and your child!

Ohio-- Bowling Green State University enrollment page- http://kidstechuniversity-bgsu.vbi.vt.edu/county-registration

Ohio-- The Works enrollment page- http://kidstechuniversity-ohio.vbi.vt.edu/county-registration

Virginia-- Virginia Tech enrollment page- http://kidstechuniversity.vbi.vt.edu/

Virginia Tech Kids' Tech University program opens Tuesday, Nov. 12th!

Registration opens for the Virginia Tech Kids' Tech University program at 6 pm on Tuesday, Nov. 12th!

2014 KTU Program of Events:

January 25, 2014  How can mathematics help us understand certain diseases of the eye?   An interactive session led by Dr. Erika CamachoMLK Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).Summer co-director of the Mathematical & Theoretical Biology Institute (MTBI). 

February 22, 2014  How do you see inside the human body?  An interactive session led by Dr. Bradley Smith
Emil T. Hofman Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Director of the Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility 

February 22, 2014  How do you see inside the human body? An interactive session led by Dr. Bradley SmithEmil T. Hofman Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Director of the Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility 

March 22, 2014  Why sew smart e-pants? A discussion of wearable computing and electronic textiles  An interactive session led by Dr. Tom Martin
Professor in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech, with a courtesy appointment in the School of Architecture + Design.
Co-director of the Virginia Tech E-textiles Lab. 

April 05, 2014  Why hang with your friends? Answers from an African Wild dog  An interactive session led by Dr. Kathleen Alexander
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech 

Spring 2014 Registration Procedure
• Online enrollment begins at 6 p.m. on Nov. 12, 2013
• 450 children will be accepted into the program
• Those accepted will represent a geographically diverse area.
• Registration is on a “first-come, first-served” basis that is open to children satisfying the age restriction, regardless of place of residence or academic achievements. A waiting list will be available after registration is full for a county or for the program.


Registration Fee
In order to keep up with the costs of providing a quality program, there will be a registration fee of $100.00 per child, payable upon registration (no refunds). The registration fee must be paid by check; further directions will be given at the time of enrollment. Parents have an option to apply for a scholarship for your child at the time you register online. If you have any questions regarding the scholarship please contact Dr. Kristy Collins at kdivitto@vbi.vt.edu. Lunch cards and a KTU t-shirt will be given to all children who attend KTU.

Arlington KTU- Oct. 20th speaker!

See below for more information about Dr. David Schmale- the 2013 Arlington Oct. 20th speaker! 

BLACKSBURG, Va., Sept. 17, 2013 – David G. Schmale III, an associate professor of plant pathology, physiology, and weed science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, was named one of Popular Science’s 2013 Brilliant Ten in the magazine’s October issue on stands now.

His research using drones — also called unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs — to explore microbial life in the atmosphere earned him a spot on the prestigious list of international scientists, engineers, and thinkers whose innovations change the world.

Schmale and colleagues use research drones to track the movement of dangerous microorganisms that surf atmospheric waves. These atmospheric waves collect, mix, and shuffle microorganisms across cities, states, and even countries. This research has deepened our understanding of the flow of life in the atmosphere, and has contributed unique tools for scientific exploration in the burgeoning field of aeroecology.

“Important pathogens of plants, domestic animals, and humans can be transported over long distances in the atmosphere. Drones are important tools to study how these pathogens travel from one location to another," said Schmale. "They can be used to help predict potential outbreaks of human and animal diseases, and even help farmers time their application of pesticides to thwart crop destruction."

Others young researchers on the Brilliant Ten list this year include a Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineer who is innovating new for tools for structural design, a University of Pennsylvania researcher examining gene expression, and a California Institute of Technology scientist exploring weather patterns of far-away planets.

“This collection of 10 brilliant young researchers is our chance to honor the most promising work — and the most hardworking people — in science and technology today,” said Jake Ward, editor-in-chief of Popular Science. “This year's winners are particularly distinguished and I'm proud to welcome them all as members of the 2013 Brilliant Ten."

Schmale, his team, and collaborators have had a number of high-impact findings since he began exploring high-flying microorganisms with drones.

“David is a tremendous innovator who is advancing our knowledge of food safety and biosecurity by using new research tools that examine previously uncharted regions,” said Elizabeth Grabau, head of the Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science.

He was the first to develop an autonomous drone to sample microorganisms in the lower atmosphere. This new technology was published in the Journal of Field Robotics in 2008.

Schmale and his collaborator Shane Ross, an associate professor of engineering science and mechanics at Virginia Tech, have discovered that important pathogens of plants, animals, and humans are transported tens to hundreds of kilometers via invisible atmospheric waves known as atmospheric transport barriers. This work was published in the journal Chaos in 2011.

His drones collected strains of a fungus that caused a devastating disease of wheat and produced dangerous toxins that far exceeded U.S. food safety threshold levels. This work was published in the journal Aerobiologia in 2012.

These discoveries have unleashed new and exciting civilian applications for drones, such as scouting for pests above crops and validating models for the spread of pathogens.

Schmale is currently working on a project funded by the National Science Foundation with Boris Vinatzer, an associate professor of plant pathology, physiology, and weed science, and other scientists around the world to study microorganisms in rain. Since some of these microorganisms have the potential to modulate weather, this work could lead to more accurate weather forecasting in the future.

Schmale is also passionate about getting young students interested in science. He has worked with Roanoke, Va., high school teacher Cynthia Bohland and her students to build gliders to better understand how living things fly and constructed LEGO mazes for a slime mold so students can comprehend the movement of microorganisms.

Research in the Schmale laboratory is currently supported by funds from the National Science Foundation (Dimensions of Biodiversity, the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship, and Dynamical Systems programs), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Virginia Small Grains Board.

He will be one of the speakers at the Nov. 9  TEDxVirginia Tech event that features people who think beyond borders. The title of his talk is, “Drone-ing for life in the atmosphere.” 

Other researchers from Virginia Tech have been on the magazine's Brilliant Ten list in years past, including Dennis Hong, an associate professor with the College of Engineering and two-time Virginia Tech College of Engineering alumnus Maurizio Porfiri. 

While he is in Blacksburg, much of Schmale’s flying happens at Virginia Tech's Kentland Experimental Systems Laboratory, where he and other Virginia Tech researchers use the  lab and associated airstrip to conduct sponsored research using a variety of unmanned systems.

“I’m thankful to be doing the science that I love, to be working with the best scientists and engineers in the world, and for this honor by Popular Science,” Schmale said.  “It's an exciting time to be an atmospheric explorer. The sky is the limit.”

Nationally ranked among the top research institutions of its kind, Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences focuses on the science and business of living systems through learning, discovery, and engagement. The college’s comprehensive curriculum gives more than 3,100 students in a dozen academic departments a balanced education that ranges from food and fiber production to economics to human health. Students learn from the world’s leading agricultural scientists, who bring the latest science and technology into the classroom.http://www.ppws.vt.edu/http://www.cals.vt.edu/

Hokie Bugfest- Oct. 19th

Basic information

October 19: Hokie Bugfest

Time: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Location: Inn at Virginia Tech (Latham Ballroom)

Cost: Free

Contact: Mike Weaver (mweaver@vt.edu) || phone: 540-231-6543 || website: http://www.hokiebugfest.org

More details

The third annual Hokie Bugfest will be held on October 19, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Inn at Virginia Tech (Latham Ballroom). The Inn is on the edge of the Virginia Tech campus off Price’s Fork Road, close to the 460 Bypass and near downtown Blacksburg. Plenty of parking will be available.

The Hokie Bugfest is a smorgasbord of bug-themed activities for both kids and adults. It features a live Bug Zoo, a haunted Bug House, luminescent bugs, games, crafts, and eye-catching exhibits. Bug enthusiasts can admire a giant bird-eater tarantula, watch cockroach races, try on a beekeeper’s suit, and chat with the HokieBird and Hokietron. Other activities include making bug boxes, tossing bug bags, and guessing how many crickets are in a tank. After visiting eight exhibits, children can earn a junior entomologist certificate.

The themes of science and discovery are interwoven into all activities. Older kids and adults will enjoy learning about gypsy moths, monsters of the insect world, beekeeping, and the importance of insects to our environment. Young entomologists can try to stump the “wizards of entomology” and see how insects move through high-speed photography.  A bonus for teachers: the content of many Bugfest activities ties into state Standards of Learning.

The main attraction of the Hokie Bugfest is the bugs themselves. Some well-known “bad guys” of the insect world will be on hand: bed bugs, stink bugs, mosquitoes, and termites. Death-feigning beetles, scorpions, tarantulas, hissing cockroaches, and millipedes will be on display. Our favorites are the vinegaroons – cave-dwelling whipscorpions that squirt vinegar from their tail!

Another featured attraction of the Hokie Bugfest is the Alberti Flea Circus. Jim Alberti’s troupe of performing fleas has charmed audiences from coast to coast. The flea circus will perform several times during the day.

For more details and a schedule of events, go to http://www.hokiebugfest.org.

The Hokie Bugfest was inspired by William B. Alwood, Virginia’s first entomologist. Alwood, an early pioneer of pest management and fruit culture, was one of Virginia Tech’s greatest scientists. The W.B. Alwood Entomological Society, a graduate student organization, helps host the Bugfest as part of its outreach mission.

SEEDS-Blacksburg Nature Center- Sept. 28th activity

http://www.seedskids.org

Price House, 107 Wharton St. SE.  Blacksburg, VA   Parking in our driveway, on Wharton St., and within 2 short blocks on Clay St. @ spout spring parking strip.  Admission is free; donations are welcome.  Fun for all ages.
 
Friday:  Play Date Fridays, 9am-1pm.  Friday Sept 27th, Dorothy’s program is “Autumn Leaves & Leaf Rubbings”

Saturday, Sept 28th, Open for regular hours 9am-1pm. 
Special program:   "What's in your neighborhood pond and stream?"
Time:  9-11am [talk at 10am].  Freshwater ecologists, Dr.’s Bryan Brown and Cayelan Carey, Assistant Professors in the Department of Biological Sciences at VT and their graduate students will guide us through some fun and interesting activities.  We’ll have several microscope stations with all kinds of pond and stream animals on display.  At 10 am, Dr.’s Brown and Carey will give a short (15 min) interpretive talk about urban streams and ponds.  Kids will love it!  There will be crayfish and other aquatic critters for the kids to see and touch.

VT Museum of Geosciences GeoFair and Mineral Sale

Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013, 10:00-4:00

at the Museum, 2062 Derring Hall, 1405 Perry St. Blacksburg.  Free parking.

Family-friendly hands-on activities presented by geoscience students using Museum teaching kits and exhibits including the OmniGlobe and the stream simulator.

Specimens for sale range from inexpensive student samples to fine collector-quality items.  Find unique gifts!

Directions and additional info at www.outreach.vt.edu

Last year over 400 people attended and had a great time!

Proceeds support the Museum of Geosciences Education and Public Outreach programming.

Virginia Tech Police Department to hold Community Day Sept. 29

BLACKSBURG, Va., Sept. 19, 2013 – Virginia Tech students, faculty, and staff, as well as the general public are invited to learn more about the university’s award winning police department on Sept. 29, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

About 250 people are expected to attend the free event, which will take place on Virginia Tech's Drillfield and will include activities for people of all ages.

"This annual event is a great opportunity for us to show the community all of the resources that are offered from our police department as well as many other campus partners," said Officer Nicole Quesenberry. "It's a fun social event where people can get to know our officers and learn important safety information."

Participants will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of interactive activities, including

• Drunk Goggle Carts;
• VIN etching;
• DUI simulator;
• Dunk-A-Cop;
• Seatbelt convincer;
• K-9 demonstrations;
• Texting and Driving simulator (co-sponsored by the Police Department and the Office of Emergency Management); and
• Car Seat Installation.

A Texting and Driving Simulator will allow participants to measure the difference in their reaction time when they’re behind the wheel while texting and driving.

Certified child passenger safety technicians will be on hand to inspect child safety seats. Technicians will also check for recalls and defects, and can provide advice on many child passenger safety issues.

The event will also include free food and prizes. Several community organizations will be on hand to share information and talk with participants about their organizations. The Virginia Tech Rescue Squad, Blacksburg Fire Department, and Carillion Lifeguard (helicopter) crew will have ongoing demonstrations throughout the day. The Virginia Tech Police Department’s Dive Team and K-9 Team will lead demonstrations as well.

The Drillfield is located across the street from Burruss Hall at 800 Drillfield Dr. in Blacksburg. Free parking is available in the Perry Street lots and the Perry Street Parking Garage near Prices Fork Road with a visitor's pass. A visitor's pass may be obtained Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Visitor Information Center, located at 965 Prices Fork Road, near the intersection of of Prices Fork and University City Boulevard next to The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center. A visitor's pass may also be obtained from the Virginia Tech Police Station, located on Sterrett Drive, outside of the Visitor Information Center hours. Find more parking information online or call 540-231-3200. 

More information is available on the Virginia Tech Police Department’s Facebook page.

Announcing the 2014 Virginia Tech Kids' Tech University program!

Find out answers to: "How can mathematics help us understand certain diseases of the eye?" "How do you see inside the human body?" "Why sew smart e-pants? A discussion of wearable computing and electronic textiles" "Why hang with your friends? Answers from an African Wild dog" 

Spring 2014 Registration Procedure

• Online enrollment begins at 6 p.m. on Nov. 12, 2013
• 450 children (ages 9-12) will be accepted into the program
• Those accepted will represent a geographically diverse area.
• Registration is on a “first-come, first-served” basis that is open to children satisfying the age restriction, regardless of place of residence or academic achievements. A waiting list will be available after registration is full for a county or for the program.

Registration Fee
In order to keep up with the costs of providing a quality program, there will be a registration fee of $100.00 per child, payable upon registration (no refunds). The registration fee must be paid by check; further directions will be given at the time of enrollment. Parents have an option to apply for a scholarship for your child at the time you register online. If you have any questions regarding the scholarship please contact Dr. Kristy Collins at kdivitto@vbi.vt.edu. Lunch cards and a KTU t-shirt will be given to all children who attend KTU.

Virginia State University KTU program announced!

Kids’ Tech University's fall semester events will be held at the Virginia State University (VSU) campus in October and November of 2013! These are all-day events that consist of an interactive session, which is centered on answering a question about the world around us, and a hands-on component, which features the VSU professors, students, clubs, and community. Kids can take part in the virtual labs and forum after the all-day event to continue to cultivate their interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

2013 Interactive Sessions- Virginia State University

October 12, 2013 | "What if a Computer Could Learn Your Feelings?" - Answered by Dr. Shaundra Daily

November 16, 2013 | "Why do we want to touch everything with our fingertips? And more ‘Why’ questions about how our bodies communicate with the world. " - Answered by Dr. Helena Carvalho

Fall 2013 Registration Procedure

• Online enrollment begins at 6 p.m. on Thurs. September 5, 2013• 100 children will be accepted into the program• Those accepted will represent geographically diverse areas within a four-hour drive from the Virginia State University campus in Petersburg, VA.

Registration FeeIn order to keep up with the costs of providing a quality program, there will be a registration fee of $20.00 for the first child, and $10.00 for additional children in a family, payable upon registration (no refunds). The registration fee must be paid by check and pays for both the October & November KTU sessions; further directions will be given at the time of enrollment. The registration fee will cover the lunch for the registered child(ren) and parents and a t-shirt for the registered child(ren).

Arlington Kids' Tech University program!

Kids’ Tech University is a semester-long educational research program developed by the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute and Virginia 4-H, that puts scientists and engineers in front of kids to encourage the exploration of intriguing topics in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 

We are excited to offer a semester for the kids between the ages of 9 and 12 (on September 30, 2013), at the Virginia Tech Research Center in Arlington, VA! Kids and parents are welcome to attend three interactive sessions with a scientist over the course of the fall 2013 semester (Sundays, Sept. 15th, Oct. 20th and Nov. 17th). The Interactive Sessions with a Scientists, will be hosted by world-renowned scientists and will address questions from the world around us. After the session, the kids and parents are invited to have a snack and participate in exciting hands-on activities.

Parent/guardian are required to participate. Only registered kids are allowed to attend. Registration is open to 70 kids.

For more information see http://kidstechuniversity-arlington.vbi.vt.edu . 

Registration fee is $200 and is currently open!

Kids’ Tech University to host new programs this fall!

Blacksburg, VA, August 27, 2013---The award-winning Kids’ Tech University has partnered with the Army to host four new Kids’ Tech sessions at historic Fort Belvoir in Fairfax, Virginia. Registration will open on August 26 at 6 pm at http://kidstechuniversity-army.vbi.vt.edu.

The program aims to give children a taste of what it’s like to be part of the university community and to experience how asking questions often leads scientists to major discoveries.

Taking place on September 14, October 19, November 16 and December 7, these sessions will help kids find answers about the world around us. At the Fort Belvoir sessions, children will be invited to discover how network dynamics is used to solve problems, why Antarctica is necessary for understanding geology, and why bees are so important to food production.

"This is a unique opportunity for military children to interact with world renowned scientists and participate in hands-on activities” said Kristy Collins, KTU program director. “We are excited about hosting an event at Fort Belvoir, our first at a military location! This program is made possible by a grant from the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and with partnerships including the US Army Corp of Engineers; Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech; Virginia 4-H; US Army Family, Moral, Welfare and Recreation Programs; US Army Child Youth and School Services; Military Intelligence Readiness Command and Army Reserve Child and Youth Services.”

Because of this unique partnership, only children ages 9 to 12 with a military affiliation will be eligible to participate in the program. Registration is on a first come, first served basis.

US Army ERDC -Topographic Engineering Center’s Deputy Chief Valerie Carney said, "ERDC realizes the importance of STEM outreach to help build our future workforce, and we are very excited to be able to sponsor Kids' Tech University at Fort Belvoir this year in support of our outreach efforts. What caught my attention with KTU is the multi-faceted aspect of the program, having interactive sessions with scientists, hands-on activities with volunteers, and virtual lab activities to be performed later at home. The comprehensive nature of this program should make it fun for children to learn about STEM disciplines."

Kids’ Tech University will also host an inaugural fall program at the VT Research Center in Arlington, Virginia. Start up money for the program is being provided by a VT Research Center grant. The program will be held on September 15, October 20, and November 17^, 2013. Children (and parents) will be invited to discover how network dynamics is used to solve problems, high-flying organisms, and how viruses make us sick. Registration opens Aug. 27 at 6 pm at http://kidstechuniversity-arlington.vbi.vt.edu. Registration closes once 70 children have signed up for the program.

STEM Summer Workshop!

(Click the flyer to make it larger so you can read it!)

Reminder!- Saturday, April 27th- Virginia Tech at Kids' Tech University event- free, open to the public

We are excited to announce a free, open to the public event on Saturday, April 27th (10 am-3 pm) held at Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech (**On a campus map- building 119 and 120; cars can park right out front of the building. No Virginia Tech parking permits needed.)

**All are welcome- children must be accompanied by an adult!** Participate in the educational activities at your own pace.

Kids' educational activities include:
~Egg drop (kids will build an apparatus to protect an egg and then see if it works!)
~Straw rocket building activity
~Virginia Tech Police K-9 demonstrations
~Robotic arm (find out how scientists use robotics to preform moon mining)
~Quasar Instruments GO Lab- a full functioning mobile laboratory- This mobile lab is housed on a Mac truck! See what various scientific instruments do and participate in hands-on demonstrations for all ages! 

This event is co-hosted by:
~Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech
~Virginia 4-H
~Quasar Instruments
~Virginia Tech RASC-AL Design Team
~Virginia Tech Biochemistry Club
~Virginia Tech Lunabotics

"Wild World Celebration" day! Sat., April 27th!

The SEEDS-Blacksburg Nature Center will be holding our second annual “Wild World Celebration” on Saturday, April 27th, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the historic Price House at 107 Wharton Street, SE. Join us as we celebrate Earth Day, Arbor Day and Save the Frogs Day!

•View exhibits featuring live animals, birds, insects, frog facts and other wonders of the natural world
•Play games – see the world as if you were a drop of water, migrate like a monarch butterfly and more!
•Participate in hands-on activities, including finding out what happens when an underground storage tank leaks into your water supply – yuck!
•Make arts and crafts using recycled and natural objects
•Learn about composting and how worms (and other critters) eat your garbage and turn it into fabulous soil that can grow delicious food for you to eat
•Help plant a tree in honor of Arbor Day
•Participate in our silent auction fundraiser featuring passes to local attractions, Fair Trade products and nature-related items
•Make new friends who love nature just as much as you do!

Virginia Tech and Arcos Films inviting you see "Switch"

Virginia Tech and Arcos Films would like to invite you to a FREE screening of Switch, a new award-winning documentary that moves past the politics to deliver the straight answers on energy.
 
Monday, 4/22/2013– 7:00pm 
Virginia Tech
Squires Colonial Hall
www.switchenergyproject.com     
 
Is fracking polluting our water? How dangerous is nuclear? Will gasoline prices continue to rise? Can we clean up coal? Can renewables really power our future?
 
Switch is an inspiring film that takes an honest and unbiased look at the state of energy in the world today. Dr. Scott Tinker travels the world to answer the biggest questions about the future of energy, and he tackles issues surrounding all types, including coal, solar, oil and biofuels, just to name a few.

But the Geosciences Department at Virginia Tech wants to give you even more. At this special showing of Switch, we’ll also include a panel discussion with four of VT’s top researchers in the field of energy: Dr. Michael Ellis, Dr. Michael Hochella, Dr. Madeline Schreiber and moderated by Dr. John Chermak. Find out what people in the field have to say about the future of energy!

And the movie is only a small part of the entire Switch Energy Project. At SwitchEnergyProject.com, you can go behind the scenes to hear complete interviews with 26 leading international experts. You can also browse by topic and view hundreds of short movies, each providing invaluable information about our energy consumption and what the future will hold.

Audiences have called Switch “the first truly balanced energy film." As no documentary before it, SWITCH has been embraced and supported by people across the energy spectrum: environmentalists and academics, fossil and renewable energy experts, scientists and economists.
 
“I took my students to a screening of SWITCH, and we spent most of the following class discussing it, a testament to its value as an educational tool. It was amazing...” -- Amy Jaffe, Rice University Energy Program
 
“Every person in America should see and digest this film.” -- Douglas Johnson, Statoil
 
“SWITCH really puts all the pieces together, and makes me optimistic for the future.” -- Erin Geoffroy, Environmental Defense Fund

April 14th- Atmospheric Teaching Experiment @ VT Weather Balloon Launch!

STEMABILITY 2013 is here!

STEMABILITY 2013 is an informal opportunity for students with disabilities to participate in engineering technology and science learning activities designed to enhance their success in the college and work environment. 

Students will: 
Explore career majors in engineering and sciences
Engage in hands-on learning activities with faculty and students
Try out assistive and learning technologies
Use self-advocacy skills to plan for accommodations
Meet successful college mentors with disabilities

Who is eligible?
Rising high school juniors and seniors with disabilities who are interested in STEM related majors and careers. Students should be planning to attend a 2 or 4 year university and are seeking a Virginia Advanced Studies or Standard Diploma.

When is STEMABILITY 2013?
Program runs from Friday morning to Saturday afternoon, June 14-15.

Where is STEMABILITY 2013?
Program will be on the Blacksburg, Virginia Tech campus. Students will reside in the residence hall. All sessions will be conducted on the Tech campus. 

What else do you need to know? Application deadline is April 30, 2013. Student selections made by May 6, 2013. Simultaneous Parent Sessions Available.

Visit our website or contact Andrea Sharpe, program director at stemabbility@vt.edu

Blue Mountain School summer camps

Blue Mountain School, a contemplative progressive school located in beautiful Floyd County, is offering three camps this summer for kids aged 3 to 12. Camp runs Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Each day will include theme-related activities, free play (including the largest slip and slide ever), and mindfulness practices, and each camp session will end with a celebration for the whole family!

Mystery Camp: June 17-21 - Students will solve various mysteries all week, leading up to a big mystery at the end of the week. They will have a chance to participate in making footprint molds, fingerprinting, fiber analysis, evidence collection, informant interviewing, and intelligence analysis.

Old-Time Radio Show - Local Traditions: June 24-28 - Students will explore local traditional crafts, music, storytelling, and traditional skills and will present what they've learned in a live radio show at the end of the week.

Circus Camp: July 8-19 - Students will have the opportunity to try all sorts of circus-related games and skills and will put on a real circus at the end of the session. For returning Circus Campers, this will be a chance to refine skills worked on last summer and try out new skills, too!

Rates: $195 per week per student. Additional children in a family receive a 15% discount. Please note that Circus Camp is two weeks.

Contact: Carol Volker at carol@bluemountainschool.net or 540-745-4234.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/431817730236308

Saturday, April 27th- Virginia Tech at Kids' Tech University event- free, open to the public

We are excited to announce a free, open to the public event on Saturday, April 27th (10 am-3 pm) held at Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech (**On a campus map- building 119 and 120; cars can park right out front of the building. No Virginia Tech parking permits needed.)

**All are welcome- children must be accompanied by an adult!** Participate in the educational activities at your own pace.

Kids' educational activities include:
~Egg drop (kids will build an apparatus to protect an egg and then see if it works!)
~Straw rocket building activity
~Virginia Tech Police K-9 demonstrations
~Robotic arm (find out how scientists use robotics to preform moon mining)
~Quasar Instruments GO Lab- a full functioning mobile laboratory- This mobile lab is housed on a Mac truck! See what various scientific instruments do and participate in hands-on demonstrations for all ages! 

This event is co-hosted by:

~Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech

~Virginia 4-H

~Quasar Instruments

~Virginia Tech RASC-AL Design Team

~Virginia Tech Biochemistry Club

~Virginia Tech Lunabotics

Teacher workshop- "Bright Lights, Big City" March 30th

Teacher workshop- "Bright Lights, Big City"

Sarah Foltz, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech

When: Saturday, 30 March 9am-1pm.

Location: Price House, 107 Wharton St. SE, Blacksburg. Parking in our driveway, on Wharton St., and within 2 short blocks on Clay St. @ spout spring parking strip & Church St. in the public parking lot. Admission is free. Engaging for all ages.

Urban areas are built for people, but animals make their homes here too. These activities explore differences between urban and non-urban habitats, the kinds of animals that move to town, the challenges (and opportunities!) of urban living, and how animals adapt to their new home. These activities are intended to help participants understand how human activities can alter habitats and thereby effect how and where wildlife lives.

Relevant Virginia SOLs

LS.9 c) Investigate and understand how organisms adapt to biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem.

Key concepts include adaptations that enable survival within a specific ecosystem.

LS.11 b - d) Investigate and understand the relationships between ecosystem dynamics and human activity. Key concepts include change in habitat size, quality, or structure; change in species competition; and population disturbances and factors that threaten or enhance species survival.

LS.13 c) Investigate and understand that populations of organisms change over time. Key concepts include how environmental influences can lead to diversity of organisms.

BIO.7 b) Investigate and understand how populations change through time. Key concepts include how environmental pressures impact the survival of populations.

BIO.8 d) Investigate and understand dynamic equilibriums within populations, communities, and ecosystems. Key concepts include the effects of natural events & human activities on ecosystems.

Activity 1: Urban vs. Rural

Participants will compare and contrast photos of urban and rural areas. They will choose specific characteristics of these habitats from a supplied set, and decide which habitat each characteristic best describes.

Activity 2: Who Lives Where?

Cards representing a variety of different animals, as well as clues about those animals’ natural history and resource needs, will be provided. Based on the information provided, participants will assign each animal to an urban or rural habitat.

Activity 3: Urban Challenges and Opportunities

Participants will match common characteristics of urban habitats to their potential effects on wildlife. They will then decide whether each potential effect is helpful or harmful to animals.

Activity 4: City Bird, Country Bird

Birds are one of the most visible and common groups of urban wildlife. Participants will examine data from research that compared urban and rural populations of birds and determine the differences between these groups. They will then explore possible long-term impacts of these urban-related differences on wildlife populations by matching the difference they’ve identified to potential effects on a provided list.

The SEEDS – Blacksburg Nature Center

With Contributing Partners:

Town of Blacksburg Dept. of Parks and Rec. & VT Dept. of Biol. Sci. Outreach

107 Wharton St. SE PO Box 824 Blacksburg VA 24063-0824 • (540) 552-3914 • discover@seedskids.org

Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology encourages teens to create at Make-to-Learn Workshop

BLACKSBURG, Va., March 22, 2013 – The Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology  invites area teenagers to share what they make with the world at Virginia Tech’s first Make-to-Learn Workshop. 

The free event will be held on Saturday, April 6, from 1-5 p.m. in STUDIOne, the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology studio, at 460 Turner Street NW, on the ground floor of Collegiate Square, Blacksburg, Va.

Organized and coordinated by IDEA Studio, one of five studios within the institute designed to structure organizational projects and initiatives for the institute, the event provides 13- to 18-year-olds the opportunity to create an instructable, which involves making something and documenting the creative process through photography, video, and written instructions.

The purpose of the Make-to-Learn Workshop is to encourage middle and high school students to identify themselves as makers. Makers create everything from engineering-oriented projects to traditional arts and crafts. Participants will complete a project, but will also learn how to identify, document, and explain the process.  

This event is one example of the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology’s community outreach efforts to bring maker technologies to children in the community with the goals of increasing their creative self-efficacy, expanding their technical skills, and teaching them how to move forward in the making process.

Participants may bring an existing project, finished or in progress, or start a new project at the workshop.  They do not need to bring any materials with them to the event. Materials will be provided and several stations will be available, including a maker space; areas for designing, writing, and scripting; photography booths; and video spaces. After completing a project, participants will have the opportunity to submit their creations to the Make-to-Learncontest.

This event is limited to 20 participants. To reserve a space for the Make-to-Learn Workshop,email Phyllis Newbill.

A university-level research institute sitting at the nexus of the arts, design, engineering, and science, the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology is uniquely partnered with the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech. By forging a pathway between transdisciplinary research and art, educational innovation, and scientific and commercial discovery, the institute works to foster the creative process to create new possibilities for exploration and expression through learning, discovery, and engagement. This includes preparing students in kindergarten through 12th grade and higher education environments to succeed in a world that demands teamwork and collaboration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines; promoting new research domains that transcend institutionalized boundaries; and participating with people of all ages in the process of co-creation.