Page 10

PLSO Issue 2 2015 March April

Explore Engineering event shows Douglas County students STEM careers The question of post-secondary plans can be answered easily by some students. Others haven’t thought about it. But it’s a question that needs to be discussed sooner rather than later, according to the ideology behind Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub. The Hub made its inaugural appearance as a co-host of Umpqua Community College’s annual Explore Engineering event in February. Around 200 Douglas County students packed the Lang Center to meet with 40 vendors from engineering, surveying, computing and computer science career fields. “We want to start (students) early thinking about where they’re headed in the future,” said Lisa Lanza, the Hub’s project manager. “Our whole economy has shifted. You don’t need a four-year degree to make a living wage.” Lanza started working for STEAM Hub in February. The Umpqua Valley hub is a project of Douglas County Partners for Student Success. It’s one of six regional hubs working to increase the number of students who earn degrees or enter careers in STEM fields, meaning science, technology, engineering and math. The “A” in Umpqua Valley’s Hub stands for art, to represent the design element that often correlates with computer science. While the Explore Engineering event is supposed to give students an introduction to those careers, Lanza said The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 38, No. 2, 2015 8 STEAM is working to make that connection sustainable. When students entered the Lang Center, they filled out a card with their interests and contact information. Lanza said the Hub plans to use the information to create mentorships between students and vendors. Lanza has experience making connections with students, specifically in STEM fields. She received many waves and “heys” from teenagers meandering the building Thursday. Lanza used to teach in the Glide school district, involving her students in water quality testing projects for the Bureau of Land Management. When she taught in the Winston- Dillard school district, she took her students to Yellowstone National Park. She also worked for UCC, teaching career and technical education at the Wolf Creek Job Corps. “This job is perfect for me because it’s a merging of interests,” she said. People often tell Lanza that there are no jobs in Douglas County, but she argues the opposite. The problem is producing the workforce capable of completing the jobs. That’s where STEM career awareness comes in. Oregon vendors, including Orenco Systems, the Oregon Department of Forestry and the U.S. Air Force, attended the event. Arguably, the most popular booth of the evening was the Air Force’s. It might have had something to do with the large robot which many students approached to ogle. “What is that?” one student asked. The Air Force presenter explained that the robot could be controlled through a remote to examine suspicious packages or a scene for explosives. The robot was an example of the more technical side to the Air Force, something students don’t necessarily think about, said Air Force technical sergeant Ryan Breaux. “We want to let people into the Air Force in a lot of different ways,” Breaux said. Days Creek sophomore Donovon Pavlov is interested in pararescue. He pocketed a business card and said he may reconnect with the recruiters. “It’s amazing that a lot of young people are congregating in one place,” Pavlov said of the event. Trajan Terrell, also a Days Creek sophomore, said the event was helpful in introducing him to examples of what he could do as a career. He’s currently thinking about becoming an astronomer. „ Kate Stringer » continues on page 9 » Leonard Herzstein discusses professional land surveying at the Eighth Annual Explore Engineering and Surveying Computing and Computer Science event at Umpqua Community College on Thursday. MICHAEL SULLIVAN/The News-Review EXPLORE ENGINEERING EVENT


PLSO Issue 2 2015 March April
To see the actual publication please follow the link above