Corridor In The News

Exposing Young Students to Careers in Math and Science

By Jenna McVey

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 –Twenty-five eager hands shot up in the air to volunteer for the next demonstration in a room cluttered with science “toys.”

Recently students from Howard W. Bishop Middle School and Lincoln Middle School arrived at the University of Florida’s physics building for “Math and Science Day.”

In the morning, students watched physics demonstrations by Jeff Bindell, director of techPATH and lecturer for the University of Central Florida physics department.

TechPATH is a group that interacts with local school districts to help introduce middle and high school students to science and math career paths. It is an educational program of Florida High Tech Corridor, an initiative of the University of Florida, the University of South Florida and UCF.

After beginning the day with donuts and juice, students observed and participated in a series of demonstrations including whirling around pipes to make whistling sounds and spinning a hand-held bike tire to show what happens to the motion when the tire changes direction.

Bindell showed the students that math and science are in their lives every day, even in video games.

When Bindell asked the students if they wanted to flip burgers as a career, they answered in a chorus of “No!” He proceeded to show the type of house where the students could live if they worked in a science or technology field. Wide eyes and smiles quickly filled the room.

“I’d like to be a person who studies space,” said Johnathan, a sixth-grade student at Howard W. Bishop Middle. “And I’d like to make money.”

Bindell said techPATH wants students to know they have a choice: They can work for a living or have fun for a living. Everyone he knows in physics, engineering and technology is having fun.

Even though the U.S. is a big country, it is producing fewer scientists than smaller countries, like Taiwan, Bindell said.

“We are falling behind,” he said. “We have a mission. We need to keep teachers aware of new high-tech opportunities for students, and we want to keep kids interested in science and math.”

Bindell said it is best to spark students’ interests early, which is why the events include middle and high school students. “We get the most bang for our buck when we get kids who are not already interested in science and math,” he said. “If students keep postponing taking science and math classes, they are really limiting their future, and they will never catch up.”

After a catered lunch, students explored permanent exhibits displayed in the physics building’s lobby. Demonstrations were presented by faculty member Robert DeSerio, director of instructional laboratories, and physics seniors Andrew Carnes and Andrew Vaughn.

For the afternoon portion of Math and Science Day, students were bused to the Health Science Center where they interacted with the Human Patient Simulator (SIM).

Dr. Samsun Lampotang, professor of anesthesiology at the UF College of Medicine, and Thomas Bedard, clinical simulations coordinator at the College of Nursing, demonstrated the life-like qualities of the SIMs. SIMs talk, breathe, have a heartbeat and more. It was explained that SIMs help future doctors, nurses and other medical professionals learn about medical practices without requiring a human patient.

“It was the most interesting to see the body and how they used anesthesia to put people to sleep,” said Tavia, a sixth-grade student at Howard W. Bishop Middle School, “(Before today) I was going to be a veterinarian , but now I don’t know if I’m going to be an animal or human doctor.”