Old Dominion University will offer its second annual free, virtual STEM-H program, Remote Experience for Young Engineers and Scientists (REYES), beginning on June 28. Registration is free and open to the public. The eight-week program, which will run through July 23, will cover such topics as astrophysics, entomology, 3D bioprinting, multiple engineering disciplines, physics, psychology and Python coding.
Keynote speakers for this year’s event will include James West, inventor of the electret microphone, and NASA Astronaut Jose Hernandez. Last year, the summer enrichment program reportedly provided 81 lectures and reached 7,335 students of all ages in 115 countries, including Brazil, Spain, Germany, India, China and Pakistan.
Old Dominion had previously offered High Achieving Latinxs in Engineering and Science (HALES), a weeklong program geared to high school and college students. But last year, in response to the pandemic, Giovanna Genard, ODU's assistant vice president for strategic communication and marketing and chair of the HALES planning committee, recommended ODU substitute a virtual STEM-based program to serve students where they live.
“We re-envisioned the original initiative to create a longer-lasting program that is even more inclusive and accessible to students, some of whom may not have the time or resources to attend cost-prohibitive summer camps,” says Genard, co-chair of REYES.
“Thanks to the generosity of ODU faculty and researchers from NASA, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab), MIT, University of Puerto Rico, the Berkeley Lab in California and many other organizations that are donating their time and expertise—and a collaboration with the Embassy of Mexico in the U.S.—we are able to offer this program to the public free of charge, aligning with ODU's value of providing an accessible and affordable education,” she said. “All of the work is done on a volunteer basis," she adds.
Another addition to REYES this year is a mentorship program between faculty and students, who will be working on a specific research project. Students can participate live or asynchronously in REYES because all sessions will be recorded.
For more information, visit: www.odu.edu/reyes