Campers watch a 3D printer bring their flower model design to life.
Middle school girls from across Tennessee enjoyed trying out different models used in math and science at this year’s Adventures in STEM Camp. The campers used computers to design 3D models of flowers for 3D printing, tested a mathematical model for dinosaur locomotion, and played with Netlogo to learn about agent-based modeling of predator-prey interactions. Fifteen middle school girls participated.
In another activity, girls demonstrated population modeling by pretending to be wolves and deer in an exciting game of “Oh Deer!” They graphed their results outside with sidewalk chalk on one of Knoxville’s Greenways. Other highlights included engineering activities to learn about the power grid, a tour of the UT Veterinary Hospital, and interviews with mathematicians, scientists and engineers.
Campers pose with graphs they created of changing deer and wolf populations from the game “Oh Deer!”
NIMBioS and CURENT, an NSF-supported engineering center at UT, have co-organized the week-long day camp since 2012. The camp’s goal is to encourage and inspire middle school girls with STEM interests by delving into a variety of fun hands-on activities, making new friends with shared interests, and by learning about career opportunities in the STEM fields.
Thanks to the many NIMBioS staff, graduate students, and other volunteers that help make this camp possible.