Title :
Bioinspiring an Interest in STEM
Author :
Laut, Jeffrey ; Bartolini, Tiziana ; Porfiri, Maurizio
Author_Institution :
Polytech. Sch. of Eng., Dept. of Mech. & Aerosp. Eng., New York Univ., New York, NY, USA
Abstract :
Attracting K-12 students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is viewed as a critical element for benefiting both the economy and society. This paper describes an outreach program, conducted in a Brooklyn, NY, USA, public middle school, aimed at educating students in mechatronics, biology, and bioinspiration. The program is designed to foster student interest in STEM subjects, especially engineering-related concepts, by actively demonstrating their application in solving tangible real-world problems. It consists of a series of lectures and practical activities that culminate with a hands-on bioinspiration-based event at the New York Aquarium. Survey results show that students who participated in the program have a better understanding of the relationship between engineering and nature, demonstrate improved knowledge of select STEM topics, and are more interested in pursuing STEM careers.
Keywords :
STEM; bio-inspired materials; biology; computer aided instruction; educational aids; educational robots; mechatronics; physics education; student experiments; K-12 students; STEM; biology; education; engineering-related concepts; hands-on bioinspiration-based event; knowledge; lectures; mechatronics; outreach program; practical activities; public middle school; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; tangible real-world problems; Biodiversity; Educational institutions; Mechatronics; Mobile robots; Servomotors; Bioinspired robots; K–12 education; educational technology; mobile robots; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); underwater vehicles;
Journal_Title :
Education, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TE.2014.2324533