STEAM

Mechanical engineering students build motorized Vitruvian man for a School of Music performance

Shayla Brown — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 20:23:35 +0000

Mechanical engineering students build motorized Vitruvian man for a School of Music performance Shayla Brown Mon, 04/08/2024 - 16:23

In This Story

Dr. Lisa Billingham

Nathan Kathir

A group of ��AV mechanical engineering students are building a motorized Vitruvian man for a Center for the Arts (CFA) performance of "Flying to the Stars," a choral concert dedicated to the beginnings of flight from the time of Leonardo da Vinci to the exploration of space.

Team members Kevin Kuck (left) and David Gosselin working on their project in the Machine Shop. Photo provided.

Lisa Billingham, director of choral activities at the Dewberry Family School of Music, said she wanted the concert to be an immersive experience for the audience, and reached out to the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) for help. There she connected with Nathan Kathir, a mechanical engineering professor, who shared the project idea with his students.

“This project is exciting because we are partnering with another unit at Mason outside of CEC,” said Kathir, who is the director of senior capstone projects for mechanical engineering students.

“There is already a lot of art involved in engineering, and this collaboration between music and our department will be very inspiring for future students,” said Kathir.

The four students assigned to the project are working in the Machine Shop on the SciTech Campus and call themselves The Polymaths.

“We were thinking about the show’s theme of Leonardo da Vinci and we knew that the Vitruvian man is kind of his staple,” said Mellany Ayala, a senior mechanical engineering student. “I drew a very rough sketch of the Vitruvian man inside a gyroscopic figure, and it ended up being what our team decided to build.”

The device, which will hang from center stage throughout the show, has two spotlights as well as projections that will shine down on the students as they perform.

“We’re aiming for something similar to the immersive Van Gogh experience in D.C.,” said Kevin Kuck, a senior mechanical engineering student and the team leader.

The Polymaths met once a week with Billingham and her student research assistant and choir member, Ross Calvin, to discuss the project and work on a proposal for funding. They applied for and received a grant from Mason’s University Life.

Billingham also created a QR code fundraiser on Facebook and received anonymous donations, she said.

“Hopefully these cool project collaborations keep happening in the future. It was really refreshing to work with people from CVPA; they were so easygoing and in such happy spirits,” said Ayala.

The Polymaths worked with the CFA’s electrician and did a run-through a week before the performance. They will also give a presentation about the project on Capstone Day to showcase the final product.

“This project has been one of the more hands-on experiences I’ve had at Mason so far,” said Kuck. “Being able to build something with my own hands was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed seeing it go from an idea on a page to something real. I think that's been the most satisfying part for me.”

During the concert, students will perform Jocelyn Hagen's “The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci” and “Leonardo Dreams of his Flying Machine” by Eric Whitacre. A piece by alum Peter Kadeli will also be performed.

Topics

senior capstone projects

Center for the Arts

Dewberry School of Music

mechanical engineering

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TTIP

Tech Talent Investment Program

Empowering girls in STEAM at the Potomac Science Center

Lauren Reuscher — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 17:31:16 +0000

Empowering girls in STEAM at the Potomac Science Center Lauren Reuscher Wed, 03/06/2024 - 12:31

��AV’s Potomac Science Center hosted the Girls in STEAM Empowerment Conference on Thursday, February 29. This annual event welcomed 60 middle school students for a day of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM). The event promotes STEAM careers for young women through engaging discussions and hands-on activities.

The Girls in STEAM Empowerment Conference was cosponsored by Mason, Schneider Electric, Prince William County Public Schools, The NEED Project, Dominion Energy, Iron Mountain Data Centers, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners, and ACI Solutions. Pictured: Abigail Weigel, Schneider Electric. Photo by PEREC

Students learned about energy science and engineered energy efficient structures. All the student attendees came from five Title I schools in Prince William County.

The National Energy Education Development Project (The NEED Project) led two energy workshops. Participants built and tested the efficiency of a mocked-up “thermally insulated house” and generated and measured electricity conducted through various objects.

Middle school students engaged in hands-on STEAM activities along the waterfront of the Potomac Science Center. Photo by PEREC

A panel of women in STEAM shared stories about how they came into their careers and responded to student questions. The panel included Cindy Smith, professor of environmental science and policy and director K-12 partnerships for the Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center (PEREC).

Mason Professor Cindy Smith (second from left) with Prince William County Schools staff Melinda Landry, Jeanne Jabara BS Biology ‘80, MS Environmental Biology ‘83, and Jess Doiron. Photo by PEREC

The Girls in STEAM Empowerment Conference is cosponsored by Mason, Schneider Electric, Prince William County Public Schools, The NEED Project, Dominion Energy, Iron Mountain Data Centers, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners, and ACI Solutions.

Conference space at the Potomac Science Center. Photo by PEREC

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Topics

STEAM

Women's History Month

Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP)

Prince William County

K-12 Partnerships

Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center

Picture This

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Potomac Science Center

AWS Girls’ Tech Day Virginia at Hylton Center inspires nearly 400 girls and young women to pursue STEAM

Colleen Rich — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 14:53:36 +0000

AWS Girls’ Tech Day Virginia at Hylton Center inspires nearly 400 girls and young women to pursue STEAM Colleen Rich Mon, 11/14/2022 - 09:53

The Hylton Performing Arts Center at ��AV’s Science and Technology Campus is normally bustling with performances from local, national, and international artists. On October 1, the venue was filled with a different kind of energy.

Nearly 400 girls and women interested in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) gathered to participate in Girls’ Tech Day Virginia, hosted by Amazon Web Services (AWS). The initiative, in partnership with the Prince William County Public Schools Education Foundation (SPARK), as well as other local organizations, aims to inspire school-aged girls and young women to pursue careers in STEAM.

Girls' Tech Day attendees got to work a mock crime scene. Photo by AWS

The event offered panels and workshops with Mason faculty and STEAM professionals. Workshops included “Who’s the Artist? Engineer or Machine” and “The Real CSI,” the latter offering a dive into what it is like to be a forensic scientist turning the Merchant Hall stage into a mock crime scene.

The event also gave attendees opportunities to build coding experience and included professional development with resume building and complimentary headshots.

“I was thrilled to have the opportunity to engage with the talented young ladies who participated in the AWS Girls’ Tech Day,” said Kelly Knight, associate professor of forensic science at Mason and facilitator of “The Real CSI” workshop. “As I looked out into the audience and saw the excitement in their eyes, I couldn't help but think about how meaningful an event like this would have been to me as a young girl.”

Since 2018, Girls’ Tech Day has reached nearly 7,000 girls and young women ages 8-24 to motivate, excite, and inspire them to pursue careers in STEAM. A free program, the first Girls’ Tech Day took place at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in partnership with AWS, who also supports the Hylton Center’s Education Initiative and other programs. Ongoing support from AWS helps make arts accessible to local students and schools at the Hylton Center and throughout local communities.

“We were excited to host this event in collaboration with the Hylton Center to support students in Prince William County, building on our ongoing efforts to bring STEAM education opportunities to young learners,” said Cornelia Robinson, global lead of inclusion and outreach for AWS. “Women represent a quarter or less of workers in computing and engineering, and we want to do our part to inspire and support students and young women in the communities we call home.”

Nearly 400 girls and women interested in STEAM gathered to participate in Girls’ Tech Day Virginia. Photo by AWS

Girls’ Tech Day is just one part of a collection of initiatives AWS is leading to promote STEAM education in Virginia. In 2019, Prince William County opened the first AWS Think Big Space to further promote and cultivate an interest in STEAM disciplines through hands-on learning. Since then, AWS has funded 38 spaces globally and is looking to establish even more in Northern Virginia.

“The Hylton Center Education Initiative is 100% supported by philanthropy,” said Hylton Center Education Coordinator Marit Majeske. “The lead sponsorship of AWS enables the Hylton Center to reach students from early elementary to lifelong learners with in-person field trips, virtual field trips, master classes, lecture demonstrations, and residencies. We are grateful for their support of our goal to bring the arts to students in our community.”

Connecting with students at an early age is especially meaningful for Knight.

“When I was their age, there weren't many events that were not only created for girls but that were also free, and I think that's an important point,” she said. “It’s wonderful to have STEAM outreach programs, but if they aren't accessible, we are missing the point. Programs such as this allow girls to not only see the possibilities but to also remind them that they belong in STEAM regardless of their background.”

Learn more about AWS Girls’ Tech Day.