HESTEC 2013 Magazine

September 2013

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Hello Friends, I would like to personally thank you for attending the Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HESTEC) Week from October 6-12, 2013. HESTEC 2013 marked the 12th year anniversary of HESTEC inspiring young people to consider a career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). With the theme “Launching the Future,” HESTEC sought to prepare the next generation of engineers and scientists ready to better the world.

Over the years, the program has blossomed into a nationally renowned model for increasing the number of future professionals in STEM through the support of its multiple partners and sponsors. Now more than ever, it is important to prepare our work force to meet tomorrow’s needs and challenges. I thank you for your support of this valuable program that is changing the lives of our students, their parents, teachers and community year after year.

I look forward to seeing you at HESTEC 2014.

With warmest regards,

Congressman Rubén Hinojosa 4

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On behalf of The University of Texas-Pan American, I want to thank everyone who joined us at HESTEC 2013. After a week of promoting and celebrating the opportunities that come from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), HESTEC 2013 may have come to an end, but, thanks to our supporters, the dreams that it has inspired in the hearts of the students who attended will never end. For 12 wonderful years, nationally renowned HESTEC has served as a transformative catalyst in the Rio Grande Valley, providing educators with the resources to promote STEM in their classrooms, motivating middle school and high school students to consider a career in STEM through exhibits, robotics competitions, and motivational speakers, and informing parents about the importance of their children obtaining a university education. The social and economic impact of HESTEC has been enormous.

This year’s HESTEC was particularly special because it featured STEM Funland, presented by our own College of Science and Mathematics and College of Engineering and Computer Science. UT Pan American students and faculty from these two colleges worked diligently to create amazing interactive games and projects that made science and engineering come alive for literally thousands of students and their parents. We were also happy to welcome our partner, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, back to UT Pan American. In spite of the government shutdown, they brought the best that NASA has to offer, including the NASA Curiosity Rover model which rolled over my back and the backs of so many children, making us laugh and learn at the same time.

Every year, HESTEC becomes bigger and better thanks in large part to its wonderful supporters. I am so grateful that so many have partnered with UT Pan American to promote STEM education in the Rio Grande Valley; we could never touch as many people as we do without the tremendous support we receive. I cannot wait to have everyone back on campus for HESTEC 2014. To everyone: you truly are a very important part of our “Pan Am family.”

Best regards,

Robert S. Nelsen UTPA President Hispanic Engineering, Science & Technology Week

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INSPIRATION NEVER DIES Since its inception in 2001, HESTEC serves to increase awareness of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields among students, parents, educators and community members, and increase participation rates of Hispanics by boosting high school graduation rates and postsecondary education.

We salute the students that participate, the educators for their inspiration, the families for their encouragement and the UTPA staff and volunteers for their commitment.

Through programs like HESTEC, we’re engaging a new generation of problem solvers as we pursue a new energy future.

www.shell.us

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September 2013 September 2013

Educator Day

2013 l , 7 r e l Octob red by She o Spons

By Gail Fagan and Jennifer Berghom, UTPA Office of Public Affairs During a Congressional Roundtable on Science Literacy, leaders from government, corporate America and educational institutions and organizations discussed the opportunities in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields and how to best encourage students, particularly those underrepresented in STEM to enter and be successful in STEM careers.

U.S. Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, who founded HESTEC in partnership with UTPA, said while college enrollment by Latinos in Texas has increased 110 percent from 2000 to 2012, bolstered by federal investments in financial aid, there is still a long way to go especially, in STEM fields and what he called “the jobs of the future.”

U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, second from left, and Laura Gump, H-E-B vice president of the border region, far right, listen to UTPA President Robert S. Nelsen, second from right, discuss opportunities the new university will provide the Rio Grande Valley during the Congressional Roundtable at UTPA’s HESTEC 2013. Other roundtable speakers were Lieutenant Colonel Walter Llamas, U.S. Army; David Laguna Aponte, economist, Shell Exploration and Production; Pilar Montoya, CEO, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers on behalf of ExxonMobil; and Dr. James Ponce, superintendent, McAllen ISD. High school teachers from across South Texas performed surgery with the help of robots, prevented the earth from demise from an asteroid and sought ways to combat a zombie apocalypse at The University of Texas-Pan American’s 12th annual Hispanic Engineering, Science & Technology (HESTEC) Week.

About 400 science and math teachers attended HESTEC’s Educator Day Oct. 7, which included breakout sessions that showed them activities and tools they can use to engage their students in learning, as well as discussions by leaders in the public and private sector about how important educators are in shaping future generations of scientists, engineers and innovators.

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UTPA President Robert S. Nelsen shared what opportunities, particularly in STEM, will come about as a result of UTPA’s merger with The University of Texas at Brownsville and the creation of a medical school in the Rio Grande Valley. He cited work already being done by students to address problems such as flooding and diabetes, both prevalent in the Valley.

“The new university will be a hub of innovation and have applied research taking place ... it will serve the Valley in ways we have never been able to do. And it will serve STEM, it will guarantee that there are jobs here in the Valley,” he said. “In just 10 years we expect to have 375 more doctors than we have in the Valley right now ... we expect to have 6,000 to 10,000 jobs with the average salary around $63,000.”

The panelists talked to the educators about the skills that will be necessary to be successful in 21st century jobs, such as critical thinking, teamwork and collaborative skills, adaptability and lifelong learning.

LTC Walter Llamas from the U.S. Army praised the leadership training his branch of the military provides young people, including “when to be a leader and when to be a follower,” he said.

Pilar Montoya, CEO of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, which has nearly 350 student chapters, spoke on behalf of ExxonMobil, and described the lifetime support her organization

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provides Hispanics in STEM and her hope to create chapters in high schools as well.

“We are about celebrating the intelligence and talents that our community has,” she said, citing the support necessary from corporations and government to address the nation’s critical need for more STEM professionals.

“It will be our community that will be the solution. But we want to work with you, with the corporations and the University to really make the impact. It is really in partnership that we have the impact we have.”

After a visit in the Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME)’s Trailblazer — a large van carrying 21 different hands-on STEM-related exhibits focused on space, energy, biotechnology, aerodynamics and weather — teacher Mario Flores wondered how he could get the Trailblazer to come to his school.

The geometry and pre-calculus educator at Brownsville ISD’s Veterans Memorial High School participated in demonstrations of solar powered fans, tornado tubes and robotic surgery, to name a few, in the traveling exhibit supported by Shell.

In the afternoon, educators heard from David Laguna-Aponte, an economist with

Shell Exploration and Production, and Philippe Cousteau, the grandson of famous underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau who followed in his grandfather’s footsteps to become an explorer, social entrepreneur and environmental advocate.

Laguna thanked the educators for their dedication to their students and he credited his second grade teacher with inspiring him to work for an oil company after she shared stories with her students about her father who worked for an oil company and gave them calendars with the company’s logo on them.

Cousteau, who co-founded the nonprofit environmental education organization EarthEcho International with his sister Alexandra, talked about how the decline of the environment’s health has affected human health, including seeing a rise in the number of children who suffer from asthma.

“I believe that this community and communities like it around the country are part of that great next generation that will change this country for the better,” he said. “As educators of this new generation, you have a wonderful opportunity and responsibility to lead that generation toward a better future.”

To read full article, please visit : http://www.utpa.edu/news/index.cfm?newsid=4962

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By Gail Fagan and Jennifer Berghom, UTPA Office of Public Affairs

Today’s youth have been given a daunting task: to determine how to repair the Earth’s environment and sustain the planet’s inhabitants.

Philippe Cousteau, explorer, social entrepreneur, environmental advocate and the grandson of famous explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau, however, has the confidence that the next generation will find innovative ways to fix the damage that has been done to the Earth and improve the lives of the global population.

“I believe that every single one of you are the next great generation who will change this country for the better,” Cousteau said to hundreds of Rio Grande Valley high school students who attended Student Leadership Day of The University of TexasPan American’s Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HESTEC) conference Oct. 8. Lockheed Martin and Toyota co-sponsored Student Leadership Day. Cousteau, who co-founded the nonprofit environmental education program EarthEcho International with his relatives, showed video clips of stories he did for CNN on the deteriorating health of the coral reefs off the coast of Key West, Fla. and how one community in Haiti began gardens to provide food security to their neighborhoods. He encouraged the teenagers to look into innovative ways to help their communities and not listen to naysayers.

“Don’t ever make the mistake to think that you can’t do anything you want to do,” he said. “Never buy into the lie that destroying the environment for short-term gain is ever the right thing to do. There is a whole wide world out there and nothing is stopping you from exploring it.”

UTPA President Robert S. Nelsen greeted the students and asked them how many planned to attend college. He stressed the importance of them continuing their education beyond high school so they can be successful and lead future generations.

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“We need you to be the next generation of leaders, we need you to be the next congressmen, the next doctors, the next lawyers, the next scientists, the next explorers, and you can do that if you take advantage of today... and everything that Pan Am can give to you,” Nelsen said.

The high school students learned about various career opportunities and received advice on managing their money and looking for financial aid to pay for college in breakout sessions throughout the morning.

Laura Salinas, the GEAR UP facilitator for La Sara ISD, said HESTEC’s vision of sparking students’ interest in math and science is critical.

“A lot of our students here in the Valley, in the Hispanic Latino culture, their main thing after high school is to go straight into the workforce, and that’s perfectly fine, but we can show them something different,” Salinas said. “That’s what HESTEC offers, they are being shown the different opportunities they have for college or going into the military.

Jaime Gomez, a La Sara ninth grader, said he enjoyed the videos and speakers and was motivated to focus more on his studies. “I really like these types of programs where you bring in different people to explain their careers,” Gomez said. “Sometimes as students in the Valley we don’t have much of an opportunity to leave and go other places to experience these things.

When they bring in speakers like Philippe Cousteau, it’s really great to have awesome speakers like that. It’s just a better way to expose us to new and different things.”

To read full article, please visit : http://www.utpa.edu/news/index.cfm?newsid=4963

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By UTPA Office of Public Affairs

LATINA DAY

“There are very special days—there are birthdays, there’s Christmas—but for me, personally, this day is the most moving day, to see mothers and daughters here at our University, to see mothers helping their daughters to become the next leaders of America ... and take us to the next level,” he said.

Nelsen called the support important for their daughters as they pursued higher education and entered STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) or other fields.

“So, to the mothers who are here today, we need you to help us, we need you to support us, we need you to support your daughters. As you are here today, please celebrate what you are accomplishing and what it means,” he said. “Today we celebrate you.”

Latina Day, which brought nearly 400 Region One GEAR UP ninth grade

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students and their mothers or other mentors to campus Oct. 9, celebrated and promoted women in STEM. The mother/ daughter teams heard inspiring stories from prominent, successful women, many of them Latinas and/or UTPA alumnae, in careers once exclusive to men. Latina Day’s main sponsor was ExxonMobil; contributing sponsors included IBM, Northrop Grumman and Xerox.

Before departing to breakout sessions across campus, guests heard from Alma Ortega-Johnson, area president, South Texas Region, Wells Fargo, who touted her bank being named the No. 1 bank for Latinas by the national publication Latina Magazine as well as Wells Fargo’s support of education.

She told her story of growing up poor in Mexico, one of five children of parents who only had elementary school educations. She said she told her father early in life that she wanted to be an attorney.

“To be honest with you, I didn’t have a clue what an attorney was,” she said.

“What I really meant is that I wanted to have a college degree, because it was

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clear to me that was the only way for me to improve the quality of life.”

She said her mother helped her financially with the “allowance” money given to her mother by her father, who did not want his daughter to obtain higher education. While in college, she worked in a Mexican bank at a minimum wage job under supervisors who did not readily support employees who were also going to school full time. She said the bank eventually demoted her to its lowest position because she remained in school.

“I didn’t mind cleaning the bank. It was an honorable job and I wanted to finish school. All that was important for me was to graduate from college,”said Ortega-Johnson, who went on after graduation to fill leadership positions with Wells Fargo. “I am so happy to see so many Latinas advancing in Wells Fargo because we can definitely bring diverse backgrounds, different cultures and language. We (Latinas) can make any company to be so successful.”

She asked the mothers to grab their daughters by the hand and tell each other,

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by Ex d e r o Spons “We are going to take advantage of this together. Give each other a really tight hug, hug them because your daughters really need your support ... the next time will be the hug of accomplishment at your graduation.”

Samantha Silvas (BS ‘09), site lead of the Central Infrastructure Houston Data Center for ExxonMobil Corp., and Pilar Montoya, chief executive officer of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, reinforced the day’s overall message of empowerment by sharing their success stories and encouraging the girls to pursue their dreams.

Montoya, who emigrated from South America as a child with her mother, warned the girls and their mothers about the “F” word: fear.

The girls were encouraged to hold hands with the woman closest to them and imagine the moment of their graduation – not only from high school, but college and beyond.

“This is an ‘F’ word I want you to remove from your vocabulary,” Montoya said. “Fear is an ugly word....When you let fear get in your way, you stop yourself from taking that step toward creating that life that you want, you stop yourself from taking a chance and a risk to really be the woman you deserve to be.”

Instead of succumbing to fear, Montoya said, replace that fear with another “F” word: faith.

“When we walk in faith, somehow we find the courage, somehow we’re capable of stopping that little voice in our head that says that we can’t do it,” she said.

To read full article, please visit : http://www.utpa.edu/news/index.cfm?newsid=4965

Sandra Bernal, pictured left, and her daughter Salma Bernal, a freshman at La Villa High School, spend some quality time together at HESTEC Latina Day Oct. 9.

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Bucky’s Riddle Bucky has a lot of friends at UTPA! Five of his best friends play sports while studying different things in school.

One of Bucky’s 5 friends lives closest to the university, one farthest, and the others in between.

Bucky remembers a lot of details about his friends, like that they all have different favorite foods and pets, but he has a hard time remembering everything.

Can you help Bucky figure out where the friend with a pet cat lives? Here’s what Bucky knows for sure: 1. The volleyball player commutes from her parents’ house.

2. The baseball player has a dog.

3. The soccer player is majoring in philosophy.

4. El Bosque is directly to the left of the Verandas.

5. The resident of El Bosque is majoring in math.

6. The friend who prefers salads keeps a pet snake.

7. The friend who lives in Troxel Hall’s favorite food is pizza.

8. The commuter lives in the middle of the other friends and majors in kinesiology.

9. The tennis player lives the closest to the university.

10. The friend who prefers PB&J lives next to the one who has a pet fish.

11. The hedgehog’s owner lives next to the one who loves pizza.

12. The friend who prefers sushi is majoring in chemistry.

13. The basketball player loves tacos.

14. The tennis player lives next to Bronc Village.

15. The friend who prefers PB&J has a neighbor who is an art major.

Answer: The person who has the cat lives in Troxel Hall, plays tennis, majors in art, and prefers pizza.

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October 10, 2013

Having his team’s robot knocked out of the competition circle twice, Julio Jimenez felt faint.

In round three, however, the Rio Hondo High School freshman and his team’s robot, “The Destroyer,” rebounded and knocked Progreso High School’s robot, “Optimus Exterminator” off the circle following three rounds to claim victory in the Robotics Day competition Oct. 10 at The University of Texas-Pan American.

He and fellow teammates were still processing the fact they won as they stood on the championship platform in the Fieldhouse.

“I feel lightheaded right now,” Jimenez said.

Now in its 12th year, UTPA’s Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HESTEC) conference aims to inspire children to pursue careers related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The Robotics Day competition had 60 teams of middle and high school students vie for prizes that included a laptop, a Nook and a Texas Instruments Nspire calculator, as well as a trophy. The U.S. Army sponsored the event.

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The teams ­– comprising 30 high schools and 30 middle schools throughout South Texas – created robots using the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 with which they competed in several rounds of a sumo-style battle where they had to knock out their opponents from a circle platform. Students also developed a commercial promoting their products. UTPA faculty members and graduate students judged the commercials and those scores were calculated into their final scores.

By Gail Fagan and Jennifer Berghom, Gonzales (BS ‘09, biology), however, said he never doubted his students’ ability.

“I knew from the beginning they were going to make it to the top,” Gonzales said. “I believe my students are the best.”

Beyond the title of 2013 HESTEC Robotics Competition Champions, he said his team has gained critical thinking and analytical skills from taking things apart and putting things together.

“They problem solve on anything that has gone wrong,” Gonzales said. “It really takes a high level of thinking to create something out of nothing and fix it.” Participating in the event also gives them a new perspective on the future, he said.

The Rio Hondo team members said they didn’t know what to expect, since it was their first time competing, but the experience has been “awesome.”

“It feels incredible, I’m still shaking over it,” said Kevin Krafka, a junior at Rio Hondo and the team’s mentor.

Krafka said the team went through three different designs and decided to put the weight on the front end of their robot so nothing could get under it and pick it up.

Their coach, physics teacher Christopher

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“Coming from such a small school — Rio Hondo — this kind of event shows them that it doesn’t matter the size of the town they are coming from, that doesn’t limit the size of their dream,” he said. “They can go as big as they want.”

Each member of the Rio Hondo High School team won a laptop. Members of Progreso High School received Nooks for their second- place prize and Valley View High School team members took home the Texas Instruments Nspire calculators for placing third.

The team from Elias Longoria Middle School in the Edinburg CISD was excited to

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UTPA President Robert Nelsen was present at Robotics Day. He interacted with students, asking teams of robot-builders about their designs. With many types of robot designs, with names like ““The Destroyer” and “Optimus Exterminator,” the students demonstrated creativity and ingenuity.

be among the final 16 teams competing after winning every round.

When team member Deandra Ramos was asked about her interest in robotics, she responded, “robotics is my life.”

“I have been in it since the fifth grade,” said Ramos, a seventhgrade student. “I love the rush you feel when you are competing and you win. It’s just the best.”

The Longoria Middle School coach, Gracie Gomez (BS ‘04), who teaches technology applications and robotics to seventh- and eighthgrade students, has taught robotics since 2005 but this is the first time her team has competed its robot in a sumo-type battle. She said her students spent many hours preparing and learned a lot from their participation on the team and in the competition.

Fellow teammates, parents and siblings anxiously watching their teams’ battle from the bleachers.

“They start learning the engineering, a lot of math and technology... and it’s fun,” she said. “It shows them something they can do when they grow up, go to college, maybe be an engineer or a scientist. They are very excited about getting involved in robotics.”

Ninth grade students Eddy Salinas (left), IDEA College Prep, and Ezek Zamorano, Economedes High School, prepare to have their teams’ robots battle during HESTEC’s Robotics Day competition Oct. 10.

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Career Expo

October 11, 2013 Sponsored by Toyota

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Barbara Salas, a mechanical engineering major in her last semester of school, said she appreciated the chance to get an up close look at employment possibilities when she attended the Career Expo Oct. 11 at The University of Texas-Pan American.

“The last two years, I got my internships with Toyota and it was because of the expo. I came here and talked to recruiters and got myself known,” Salas said. “I cannot thank the University enough because if it weren’t for this opportunity I would have to travel and pay out of pocket. The fact that the University brings this here is great because we talk to the companies and get a job afterward.”

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By Gail Fagan and Roxanne Lerma Casares, UTPA Office of Public Affairs

Salas said though she has a job lined “From the career fair, we hope students up with Toyota Motor Corp. it was will get called back for interviews, for interesting to entertain other offers at the second interviews, arrange site visits Career Expo. with some of these organizations. This is the initial point of contact ...the screening “It is about networking and just getting part,” she said. my name out there,” she said.

Servantes said employers like IBM UTPA held its annual Career Expo at have been coming to UTPA since the Fieldhouse, which featured more than the late 1990s when the engineering 40 government agencies and companies program started and now are offering job searching for new employees. The opportunities in other majors. organizations set up bright displays, handed out pencils, pens, food items, Eli Garza, from Human Resources and electronic gadgets while offering on- at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas, site interviews for internship and work talked to UTPA finance majors Luis opportunities.

Cantu, Danny Sandoval, and Michael Ramirez about the internships and job The career fair coincides with the opportunities at his corporation during University’s Hispanic Engineering, the UTPA Career Expo.

Science and Technology (HESTEC) Week, now in its 12th year.

“Obviously, they recognized the talent we have and have been coming back for Lourdes Servantes, UTPA’s director of years now,” she said.

Career Services, said she expected 1,000 students and alumni or more to attend the Victor Alves, a senior in marketing, said expo, where many will get their initial the expos gave him a great opportunity to introduction to the companies, she said. polish up on his interviewing skills and to get a head start on a job search.

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“It is so much better than applying online. The companies come knowing you are a student and have limited amount of work experience in your field. Overall it is just a great opportunity for us to talk to future employers, network and maybe get a job in the future,” Alves said.

Servantes said she was pleased that many of the expo’s company recruiters were alumni, who take pride in coming and giving back to the University.

Gabriel Menchaca (BA ‘09, business management), was handing out free Frito Lay products in between talking to students about his company’s sales associate internship positions. He said he worked at H-E-B while in school at UTPA before going to work for Pepsico’s Frito Lay division. The McAllen native, who now works in Corpus Christi as a sales district leader, said he learned a lot from his professors and the mentors he had in prior jobs. He had some advice for Rio Grande Valley students.

“You got to be open to moving if you want to propel your career and move up,” he said. “Also, you need to focus on the studies and really shoot to be the best or great at what you are doing. And make sure you are networking. Networking is key when you are looking for a job. Start talking to recruiters and make it known who you are.”

Brothers and alumni Juan Delgado (BS ‘00, electrical engineering) and Adrian Delgado (BS ‘12, mechanical engineering) were at the expo recruiting

During the Oct. 11 Career Expo, H-E-B recruiter Michelle Mabbun, shares information with UTPA seniors Ricardo Mariscal (left), computer engineering major, and Luis De La Garza, electrical engineering major.

for SpawGlass and TDIndustries, respectively. Juan said his other two brothers – Jose (BS ‘02, electrical engineering) and Erick (BS ‘05, MS ‘10, engineering management) – are also UTPA graduates and his sister Veronica is currently studying dietetics at the University.

“I tell them there are a lot of companies here so take advantage. If you can, do two or three internships ... try different companies and things, learn something new ... that way when you graduate you will know what you want to do in the future,” he said.

Juan, a project engineer now overseeing the construction of the new building on campus located next to the University Center, said he has worked out of state previously and described the education students are receiving at UTPA equal to any in the country. He’s also excited about recruiting at the expo, which provides him a chance to give back to the University that gave him opportunities to be in the career he has now.

“I’m very proud of this and now actually working on buildings on the campus—I don’t even have words for that ... it’s pretty neat,” he said.

Juan said when students come by to talk to him, he remembers when he was in their shoes and gives them advice.

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E L D D MI SCHOOL

CHALLENGE

October 8-11, 2013

Students engage in hands on activities.

By Gail Fagan, UTPA Office of Public Affairs

As he stood in front of the “Mars Rover Landing” Xbox simulation game, Isaiah Trevino’s arms became thrusters as he moved the craft through what Mars mission engineers call the seven minutes of terror: bringing it to a landing safely and on target.

“For me it’s knowing that there are more things out there that you can find out ... like finding out a new compound or new kinds of elements that somewhere may be out there. I want to go into a science field, maybe biology or another area of science,” he said.

“You had to use your arms to stop it or keep it going,” said the eighth grade student from La Villa Middle School, who was enjoying all the hands-on activities available in the NASA & Space X venue during Student Leadership Day Oct. 8 at The University of Texas-Pan American’s 12th Annual Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology Conference.

His science teacher Joanna Acosta (BS ‘10), said the goal of her school’s first trip to the Middle School Challenge was to promote STEM career opportunities to their students and challenge them at a higher level.

Trevino, who also took part in the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Science Camp held at UTPA this summer, said the summer camp and events like HESTEC are getting him “super interested” in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

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“The kids love this stuff. It’s all hands-on and something that they really need to open their eyes. This is a perfect age to start introducing them to these different fields because this is when they are very curious. Their minds are like sponges,” said Acosta, who attended HESTEC years ago herself as a member of the first year cohort of GEAR UP students from La Villa High School.

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Students also got to visit UTPA’s STEM-related exhibit in its Visitors Center, Robot Zoo, the H-E-B Planetarium and the Center of Excellence in STEM Education. At the U.S. Army and Navy exhibits, they learned about the many travel, professional development and career opportunities available in the military and the campus’ Army ROTC program and were encouraged to concentrate on their studies and pursue higher education upon graduation. Presentations were also given by the UTPA Office for Sustainability and Raytheon, which brought their MathMovesU program that encourages students in reaching their math potential and shows them the many uses of math in everyday life.

In the STEM Funland area, manned by UTPA undergraduate and graduate students in the Colleges of Science and Mathematics and Engineering and Computer Science, the middle schoolers experienced a stimulating array of activities and hands-on tools to learn about topics such as electrostatic energy, geology, wave formation and Newton’s laws of motion, to name a few.

At a “breakout” session, students got hands-on demonstrations of bottle rockets.

After she pedaled the MAES bike, Maria Salas, a seventhgrade student at Kennedy Middle School in the PSJA school district, said she is already preparing to go to college by enrolling in a program that will prepare her to take the ACT and SAT this year.

In her first visit to HESTEC, she described it as “amazing.”

“It opens up kids’ eyes to a lot of fields of science. It’s not just all textbooks and charts. It’s actually fun and has a lot of handson things to do,” Salas said.

To read full article, please visit : http://www.utpa.edu/news/index.cfm?newsid=4964

UTPA student organizations volunteered their time to HESTEC; Middle School Challenge volunteers walked the middle-schoolers to the different session locations around campus.

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t n e d u St s n o i t a z i n a g r O

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By Gail Fagan, UTPA Office of Public Affairs

UTPA student organizations play a key role in HESTEC. From walking kids to their sessions to selling tasty festival foods, UTPA student organizations are involved in many aspects of HESTEC. John Paul Cantu, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering and Mexican American Engineers and Scientists vice president, said he wants young people to get more involved in the STEM fields. “There are a lot of young people who don’t know about STEM. This event opens them up to ideas and what they have to look forward to,” Cantu said.

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September 2013

Sharing College and Career Readiness through iTunes U and Pinterest

Do you wish information about college and career readiness would be centralized on one site? The Region One ESC GEAR UP: Ready, Set, College! Partnership has developed innovative resources that puts technology into the hands of more than 10,000 GEAR UP students across the Rio Grande Valley. With the launch of its own iTunes U site and Pinterest, a site for infographics and other images, GEAR UP communities can share interests in new and exciting ways.

Made public in July 2012, REGION ONE ESC GEAR UP can be found in the iTunes U directory under the K-12 group. iTunes U was created to manage and distribute open education resources from education institutes across the world.

Content can include audio and video files, PDFs, lectures, demonstrations, and apps. Utilizing the iTunes Store structure

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and the iTunes U mobile app, traditional classroom content such as a syllabus and handouts are incorporated into courses that allow students to easily follow through posts and materials that provide highlighting and note-taking ability within the app. With the addition of iBooks textbooks – interactive textbooks viewed on iPads using the iBooks mobile app – students are guided through an immersion of technology including photo galleries, videos, and 3D images.

The Region One ESC GEARUP site has grown over the past year with the introduction of several iBooks and courses developed to help students and educators utilize this exciting technology in the classroom. Courses offered by Region One ESC GEAR UP include iTunes U Course Manager, iBooks Author for Educators, and Apple Configurator to help guide educators with how to utilize this powerful new way for learners to share ideas. Courses for students and

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their parents include: College Readiness, Financial Literacy, STEM & U, and Family Empowerment, have been added so that GEAR UP communities are able to develop a college-going culture and are equipped to prepare students for making important decisions over the next four years as they prepare for a postsecondary education. Look for Region One ESC GEAR UP under the K-12 directory on iTunes U. The collection of iBooks and courses offers a variety of resources in both English and Spanish.

September 2013

In addition to iTunes U, Region One ESC GEAR UP has embraced Pinterest, a social media phenomenon, in a new and exciting way. Pinterest is a collection of “pins” added to “boards” about topics set by the user. The Region One ESC GEAR UP Pinterest site has fast become a vehicle for collecting and organizing everything about college and career readiness in one easily accessible location.

Pins are added to boards that are organized by topics. Boards can be secret or public, including invitations to fellow enthusiasts to share and like anything of similar interest. The Region One ESC GEAR UP Pinterest site has boards that include topics such as: college readiness, paying for college, scholarship opportunities, content-specific boards, and career planning.

The social aspect of Pinterest is the ability to follow someone with similar interests and for them to follow you. Unlike Facebook and Twitter where someone gets permission to follow, Pinterest is designed for information sharing. A feed appears each time you log in and displays sites from those you follow.

You can also use the search feature to find pins and boards of

a specific interest. Establishing a Pinterest account is quick and Twitter account, or any email easy, needing only a Facebook or address.

Region One ESC GEAR UP has an abundance of information on their Pinterest site for everyone. In its first year, the Region One ESC GEAR UP Pinterest site has over a thousand pins on 28 boards with more than 300 followers. Students and parents can learn how to plan, apply, and pay for college. Educators can find the latest technology on boards including students with disabilities and books worth reading. Even counselors and librarians have their own boards including pins from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the McAllen and Brownsville Public Library System.

Region One ESC GEAR UP continues to support new and innovative ways to provide cutting-edge technology for students, families, and communities in the Rio Grande Valley.

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September 2013

GEAR UP

Summer Technology Experiences

GEAR UP 2013 students from the Port Isabel Tarpon Tech summer technology camp.

The Region One ESC GEAR UP: Ready, Set, College! partnership, Lyford CISD and Port Isabel ISD, along with consulting partner Doris Teague, developed Summer Technology Camps in 2013, focused on careers within their communities. Challenge Based Learning or CBL is a collaborative and hands-on way of approaching any subject, asking students to work with other students, their teachers, and experts in their communities and around the world to develop a deeper knowledge of subjects they are studying, identify and solve challenges in their communities, and make a difference by sharing their results with the world. “The summer GEAR UP program was a great

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opportunity for teachers and students to learn together. Students utilized iPad devices to research information referencing the career of their choice and developed products demonstrating their new understandings.

This was a wonderful way to demonstrate how teachers can utilize challenge-based learning to enhance traditional tasks to engage students� said Kristin Brown, Lyford high school principal.

Apple Inc. has worked with teachers and leaders in the education community to develop this new approach to teaching and learning. CBL engages students in a multidisciplinary approach that starts with standards-based content and lets students

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leverage the technology they use in their daily lives to solve complex, real-world problems.

Students add their voice by posing solutions in a creative and interactive manner. CBL was designed to assist teachers with research, providing tools to create an interactive learning environment, and knowledge and expertise to facilitate the innovation process.

Through a teacher developed workflow, Lyford and Port Isabel GEAR UP students worked in teams to create content that will be published in a multimedia, interactive touch iBook textbook and shared on the Region One ESC GEAR UP iTunes U site.

September 2013

Lyford CISD GEAR UP students presenting their iBook to families, administration, and community members.

The focus of the summer technology camps was for groups of students, through the guidance and support of their teachers and GEAR UP staff, to work in teams to create individual chapters that would be combined for an iBook textbook. This course also challenged Lyford and Port Isabel teachers, as they studied the process along with the students.

Focusing on careers and colleges that excel in specialized programs of interest to the students, chapters of the iBooks were authored by groups of students at each school. With the assistance of educators interested in incorporating this new technology into their classrooms, students researched careers and colleges using a CBL model. “Students who learn new technology infuse the entire population of the school. The students influence teachers and other students to challenge their way of thinking and be more creative by integrating technology, � said Port Isabel Superintendent Dr. Lisa Garcia. Creating an iBook was a wonderful experience for our students and the teachers. Learning new technology while simultaneously learning about career pathways challenged our students to think creatively. The summer camp provided inspiration for the students and the teachers.

They have since become a group of infectious

technology integrators, spreading their new learning throughout the campus.

As a culminating activity to the Summer Technology Camps, GEAR UP students invited their families and district administrators to an unveiling of their cooperative efforts. Each team revealed their chapter, including self-made videos, creative narratives on their universities and careers, graphics, slides shows and information on costs for college and career salaries. Besides the research and technology skills developed at these Summer Technology Camps, GEAR UP students were able to hone their presentation skills.

Region One ESC GEAR UP continues to look for new and innovative avenues that encourage students to express their leaning in creative, technology-driven ways. Soon to be revealed are the two projects developed over the summer 2013 by Port Isabel GEAR UP students at the Tarpon Tech Summer Camp and the Lyford GEAR UP students at their summer technology camp. Be sure to check the Region One ESC GEAR UP iTunes U site and download the iBook textbook.

Jacob Sanchez of Lyford CISD received an iPad mini from GEAR UP consulting partner Doris Teague for his work with the GEAR UP Summer Technology camp.

Felipe Garcia (left) and Roland Ramirez (right) from Port Isabel GEAR UP working with technology at the Tarpon Tech Summer Camp.

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September 2013

CYBERMENTORING are cool! Robots “Robots are fascinating. Robots are the future. ” “Robots are cool! Robots are fascinating. Robots are the future.” These are just a few of the comments that were heard recently when promoting the most recent event of Cybermentoring. Approximately six times a year, Region One ESC GEAR UP hosts an-all day event where mentors from around the country discuss various topics related to interesting career pathways. Mentors that have a connection to the Rio Grande Valley are chosen and they interact using the latest technology with GEAR UP cohort students, their teachers, as well as some of their administrators.

Cybermentoring is a Region One GEAR UP initiative that provides opportunities to discuss career pathways with GEAR UP cohort students. The sessions are interactive and they connect groups of students from participating schools to a mentor at a remote location via a computer, an ipad or videoconferencing equipment. Students are able to interact with mentors, such as area professionals, university professors, and/ or college students from anywhere in the United States through these forms of technology.

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Robotics and STEM careers were the topics chosen for September as we prepared our GEAR UP students to visit UTPA for HESTEC in October. By introducing STEM topics and related fields of study, Region One GEAR UP hopes to provide inspiration to our students, so they not only desire to research these topics, but also take related courses at their respective high schools in preparation to study them in the future at a college or university.

September’s mentor, Heriberto Reynoso, was a former GEAR UP student from Region One GEAR UP’s first grant.

He was a former Robotics Day participant in 2005 and graduated from high school in 2006. He was so intrigued by robots that they created the spark he needed to pursue a college degree. “I concluded that the future of robotics was in artificial intelligence and machine vision. I quickly enrolled as a computer science major and never looked back. Thereafter, I landed three internships at NASA,” he said.

During the session, Heriberto displayed many of the robots that he has built over the past 11 years for various competitions.

He shared his stories of lessons learned during these type of events that inspired him to apply for scholarships and internships.

Throughout the day, multiple students responded, “this (experience) was awesome,” “thanks for sharing,” and “I really liked it!.”

By Kristopher McKinney, Region One GEAR UP STEM Specialist

September 2013

Heriberto is shown at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he worked as a contractor for the Mars Sample Return mission, which is set for 2018.

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September 2013

How can I make learning fun?

What is the best way to get my students engaged in science?

Where can I get the support I need to accomplish my goals in the classroom?

These are perhaps the most common questions of science teachers across the state and the nation. Region One ESC GEAR UP has made it their mission to provide the necessary assistance to educators in a effort to support a rigorous learning environment while at the same time increasing test scores for required state assessments. Specifically, the GEAR UP science initiative centers around supporting to GEAR UP science teachers in the form of professional development training. If you want proof of this, look no further than Zapata Middle School where Michael Villarreal teaches science to eighth graders and has taken advantage of the resources that GEAR UP has provided to its cohort teachers.

Mr. Villarreal has participated in science workshops offered by GEAR UP and Region One ESC. They have helped him discover innovative methods and an array of activities to get his students

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captivated with science. By learning new teaching strategies from the GEAR UP trainings and adopting some of the hands-on lab lessons into his classroom planning, Villarreal has effectively transformed his group of pupils into emerging scientists. His frequent use of technology in the classroom prepares his students for the ever changing world that we inhabit. He doesn’t make students learn chemistry by memorizing the Periodic Table of Elements. He incorporates computers or iPads and simulates virtual lessons to engage students. The result is increased participation by his students which translates into greater academic achievement.

His attendance at numerous professional development sessions has created the opportunity to continuously explore new ways to make his science lessons and labs both impactful and entertaining to his students. Not only does he make learning fun, but he instills lofty expectations for his Zapata Middle School pupils. Villarreal encourages all of his students to pursue higher education and a postsecondary degree. According to Yesenia Garcia, GEAR UP facilitator at Zapata ISD, “Michael Villarreal epitomizes what all teachers should strive for and become. He is the epitome

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of the American dream — overcoming obstacles and becoming successful through obtaining an education.” It is this message of getting an education that he shares with his students as a way of inspiring them to do the same and attain prosperity as well.

As you can see, Villarreal is a hardworking, self motivated, high energy teacher that goes far above and beyond the call of duty for his students. He is a mentor and a role model not only for his school but for his community. He is a caring and compassionate teacher that listens and understands the stories and the backgrounds of his students. Mr. Villarreal relates to them and always treats them with respect. He makes it a point to look out for their best interests and he provides them with the best education possible. He is a fantastic representative of what a Region One ESC GEAR UP educator is all about.

September 2013

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Doing so has helped us rapidly grow to more than 2 billion in total assets. Lone Star National Bank, The Valley’s Bank.

1-800-580-0322 www.lonestarnationalbank.com

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September 2013

y t i n u m

m o C Day

October 12, 2013 Sponsored by H-E-B TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

HESTEC Community Day is one of the largest educational outreach events in the South Texas region. It is a free event open to the public featuring fun STEM exhibits, foods by UTPA student organizations, and live entertainment. The purpose of this event is to promote the importance of higher education, specifically in STEM fields, to people of all ages!

2013 Community Day highlights included: · UTPA Planetarium · STEM Funland · NASA’s exhibit and its Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover Model, a replica of the Rover that is currently

exploring Mars carrying some of the biggest and most advanced equipment to roam Mars. · Robot Zoo, a 1,500-square-foot exhibit showcasing robot animals and hands-on activities illustrating the fascinating real-life characteristics of animals. · Entertainment by local talent, from karate demos to belly dancers. · Performances by Sebastien de la Cruz accompanied by UTPA Mariachi Aztlán, and Tejano groups Los Palominos, and Little Joe y la Familia.

“El Charro de Oro” Sebastian De La Cruz

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UTPA’s Ballet Folklórico gave an outdoor performance (above).

September 2013

Let’s Go Places

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September 2013

A FINAL EXAM LIKE THIS TAKES COURAGE.

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For information about scholarship opportunities and ROTC at UTPA, visit goarmy.com/rotc/x554 or call 956-665-3601.

Hispanic Engineering, Science & Technology Week

September 2013

EDUCATION

IN THESE FACES,

WE CAN SEE THE FUTURE From developing unique educational initiatives to creating a state-level STEM modeling program, Raytheon ensures a bright future for the next generation of innovators.

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“Customer Success Is Our Mission” is a registered trademark of Raytheon Company.

Science Experiment Try picking up a piece of ice with a string.

Can you do it without tying any knots?

We’ll show you how!

What you need: Ice cube Salt String Glass Water Scissors

How to:

Fill the glass to the top with water.

Cut a piece of string around 20 centimeters long.

Place an ice cube in the water. It will float.

Lay the string across the ice cube and glass.

Cover ice cube and string with a layer of salt.

Leave for one minute.

Carefully pick up the ends of the string.

What’s happening?

Salt lowers the freezing point of water to below 0 degrees Celsius. When you added salt to the ice cube, the salt lowered the melting point of the ice. The salt is in a thin layer, so it melts a thin layer on top of the ice cube. The water cooled down further and re-froze around the string.

We use salt in winter to prevent roads from getting icy. The salt lowers the melting point of ice and stops roads from becoming icy and dangerous.

More experiments can be found at www.planet-science.com.

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