High school students from throughout southern Colorado who spent the past week applying science and math skills to areas as varied as sports medicine and computer game design will be recognized in a June 25 ceremony at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
More than 20 students who participated in the week-long First in Leadership, Innovation, Technology and Engineering will be joined by parents, university leaders and industry professionals at a 5:30 p.m. ceremony at the Upper Lodge on the UCCS campus. The students will present projects they completed during the week while studying in areas as diverse as biotechnology, computer game design, sports medicine and robotics.
The goal of the program is to connect youth with professionals who work in science and technology fields and to generate both excitement about problem solving and tinkering, according to Dave Khaliqi (Call-ick-E), director, Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education.
“Improving student math and science skills is a national goal and a call to action for our university,” Khaliqi said. “We have to start young, we have to start fast and we have to make it fun if we are going to increase the number of students who chose science, math or engineering majors in college and pursue careers in these fields.”
The science workshops are coordinated with the highly successful CU Pre-Collegiate Development Program which works with middle and high school students with potential to be the first in their families to attend college. The program provides students with campus visits, and study skills to encourage college attendance.
For more information about the CU Pre Collegiate Development Program visit http://www.uccs.edu/~pcdp/. For information about the FLITE program visit http://www.uccs.edu/~pipes/flite2.html
The National Institute of Science, Space and Security Centers creates academic and research deliverables in science, space and security disciplines. It consists of the Center for Homeland Security, the Center for Space Studies, Center for Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Education and the Trauma, Health & Hazards Center.
UCCS, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colorado Springs, is one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The University offers 34 bachelor’s degrees, 19 master’s, and five doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls about 8,500 students annually.