rograms like Lemelson-MIT to help promote STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education. A 2012 study by the Condition of College and Career Readiness discovered that more than half of all high schools students are not prepared for college-level math courses. The statistic is even worse for science. Math and science isnt easy; those are the hardest subjects, Estabrooks says. Were here to help them stay in the pipeline, to encourage them.
On the other side of the continent, almost 100 miles southeast of Juneau, Alaska, Mark Nances robotics class from Mt. Edgecumbe High School also placed in the top 15 schools competing for the $10,000 prize. We looked around the community for things that we could do with our robotics team, Nance says.
The town of Sitka rests along the coastal edge with towering mountains plunging straight into icy waters. [Search and rescue] needs the ability to go out and into a variety of different areas and situations and provide eyes and ears where they couldnt reach before. Their idea? To create a search-and-rescue UAV that can establish two-way communication between emergency responders and the person in distress. Getting a little technical mentoring from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, the team is going to use forward-looking infrared cameras paired with goggles so users can see through to the UAV. Were not inventing a new UAV, were innovating it, says Felisha Orsborn, organizer and technical team member. Were adding things in, taking things out, and using it unique ways.
Mt. Edgecumbe High School attracts students from different corners of Alaska, from small villages and large cities like Anchorage. Students play different roles, with some digging into the technical details specifics of the UAV and others helping to build a website or create a video to promote the project.
The Wallenpaupack and Mt. Edgecumbe InvenTeams will have nine months to work on their inventions before presenting their work at MIT at EurekaFest, where students will tour the campuss labs and facilities and also meet some the worlds leading scientists and inventors. We want the students to learn that math and science is fun, Estabrooks says, and to become the problem solvers of tomorrow.