STEM Zone Saturday

Program Description

The STEM Zone Saturday is a hybrid monthly program that provides engagement in the sciences and engineering fields for 3^rd–12^th grade local, state, nation-wide and global students who interact with UH STEM Faculty, UH STEM Center Outreach Squad, undergraduates, industry partners, and like-minded peers. Since 2018, UH STEM Center has collaborated with the non-profit organization, Kids’ Lives Matter, and is committed to supporting students in the 3rd/5th Ward public housing communities and surrounding school districts. In the U.S., female, minority, and economically disadvantaged students are underrepresented in STEM majors and careers. Factors that influence reduced engagement in STEM:

Few female and minority role models
Little real-world application is found in math and science courses
Low student research population

Program Benefits

All registrants receive a STEM Kit that provides tangible materials used to explore during the program’s instruction which is led by UH Faculty, external industry partners, and UH STEM Center Outreach Squad members who are undergraduate and graduate students representing various STEM disciplines. The provision of STEM Kits that are hands-on and minds-on is crucial to ensure that the level of instructional rigor is focused on real–world concepts that sets a tone of excellence and scientific achievement for the students to experience.

Volunteer Opportunities

Faculty members, student organizations, and industry professionals are encouraged to contact the UH STEM Center at 713-743-4799 to inquire about the opportunity to host presentations during the STEM Zone Saturday Program. This program also benefits National Honor Society high school students who are looking to fulfill their volunteer expectations and will acquire leadership training on mentoring as well as instructional content.

STEM Zone Saturday in the News

The STEM Zone Saturday program has been highlighted in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics “Insider Newsletter” which provides an overview of the October event focused on superconductivity. Details about the event can be found here.

Fall 2023 Program Dates

The following is common for all program dates.

Time: 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Location: Online, Zoom Link will be emailed upon registration
Location: In-person, please check the specific dates for the meeting location. At times, the location may occur at a different building depending on the event sponsor.
Requirements:
- Online Participants: Computer with Camera for online participants
- In Person: Please arrive 15 minutes before the start of the program for check-in
Materials: STEM Kits are available from the UH STEM Center. Further details are provided upon registration.

Registration links for each program date can be found below.

Saturday, December 2, 2023

You will meet the following UH associates:

UH College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- Dr. Julia Wellner, Associate Professor, Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
Univision Communications
- Fernanda Ramos Garces, Atmospheric Scientist & Meteorologist
UH Chapter American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/jLGkWQ5oi5N4syJu7

Fall 2023 Program Dates (passed)

Saturday, November 4, 2023

You will meet the following UH associates:

UH College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- - Dr. Aibing Le, Professor, Dept. of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
  - Dr. Youtong Zheng, Asst. Professor, Dept. of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/C2QYWqVTDiFEXrHJ6
UH Cullen College of Engineering
- Student Chapter, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Saturday, October 14, 2023

Sponsored by the Houston CCS Alliance.

You will meet the following external partners:

Chevron
Space Center Houston
CCS Alliance

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/8A49pfMKRZxdzKFR8

Saturday, September 16, 2023

Sponsored by the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design.

You will meet the following UH Faculty, undergraduate/graduate students, and external partners:

UH Cullen College of Engineering
- Dr. Olga Bannova, Director, Sasakawa Center for Space Architecture & Master of Science in Space Architecture Program
Moody Nolan
- Melvalean McLemore, Senior Associate, PM & Texas Studio Design Leader
- Javier Guerrero, Project Coordinator
Perkins & Will
- - Nyx Valerdy, Designer II
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/TnhAvozALQjTM2CV9

Spring 2023 Program Dates

Saturday, January 28, 2023

Sponsored by TIEEN and TIEEP.

You will meet the following UH Faculty, undergraduate/graduate students, and external partners:

UH Energy
- Dr. Alan Rossiter, Exec. Director, External Relations/Educational Program Development
UH Cullen College of Engineering
- Dr. Megan Robertson, Chemical Engineering
ExxonMobil
- Hayley Ryan, Infrastructure Lead
Prairie View A & M University, Roy G. Perry College of Engineering
- Dr.Nabila Shamin, Assistant Professor & Assoc. Dept. Head, Chemical Engineering