STEAM ahead at UIU

Northeast Iowa youth have the opportunity to further discover how fun it can be to study, explore and experiment within the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) during Upper Iowa University’s annual youth camp at its Fayette Campus. The university began injecting the arts into the former STEM Camp programming in 2018.

“Innovation is key to research and a prosperous future, so integrating the arts into STEM programming seems only natural,” UIU associate professor of biology Dr. William K. Jones said. “STEAM education increases creative thinking and future discoveries in students of all ages.”

While working alongside Upper Iowa professors and undergraduate students, camp participants participate in hands-on experiences within each of the fields of study. The full list of project areas are as follows:

• Adventures in Astronomy – Planets and telescopes and stars, oh my!  Come get to know our universe and your place within it in this stellar activity.

 

• Light and Vision – Explore how light behaves as both a particle and a wave. Also, learn how the human eye captures light so that we can see.

 

• Bird is the Word – What makes a bird a bird? Get up close and personal with bird specimens and look for birds in UIU’s natural areas.

 

• Cyber Camp – Learn how computer programming and robots come together to develop fun and useful solutions to problems.

 

• Art and Nature – Explore incorporating objects from nature in art objects.

 

• Color Chromatography – Discover hidden colors in flies and plants.

The 2019 UIU Summer STEAM Camp is open to all students currently in grades 5-8. The event will be held from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at UIU’s Fayette Campus June 17-20. Due to limited space, individuals are encouraged to register promptly. Applications are due by Saturday, June 1. For additional information about the project areas, cost and registration, contact Jones at 563-425-5903 or jonesw@uiu.edu.

Upper Iowa University is a STEM Jobs Approved College. The special recognition is for colleges and universities that provide broad and innovative STEM degree options for undergraduate students, actively recruit underrepresented and under-prepared students into STEM degrees, and offer targeted student support systems and career services to help students succeed.