Tinker participates in STEM programs

Published Aug. 2, 2012
By Brandice J. O'Brien
Tinker Public Affairs

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Flowers and plants depend on their stems for survival. Tinker also relies on a stem or STEM. Science, technology, engineering and math are Tinker's roots to the future, success and survival.

Tinker and its personnel participate in and sponsor several kindergarten through college STEM outreach programs throughout the state in hopes of promoting interest in related career fields.

"Team Tinker has a lot of presence in a lot of the different communities," said Cynthia Kennedy, Tinker Science and Engineering K-12 Outreach coordinator. "Without Team Tinker's funding, the kids of the rural schools, specifically, may not ever have the opportunity to get out of their small communities and visit Oklahoma City and Stillwater."

Tinker's latest venture is sponsoring eight interns to work at the TechJOYnt summer camp. TechJOYnt is a venue where children ages 4-17 can explore robotics, game design and software development. The interns, ranging in age from 16-18, work on a part-time or full-time schedule with pay.

"This opportunity gives them leadership skills and experience working with children, some of whom might be 'at-risk,' like themselves," Ms. Kennedy said. "We sought interns who may not have had opportunities and came from some of the more at-risk schools."

Throughout the school year, Tinker provides resources, supplies, computer programs, offers STEM hands-on events and science fairs, job-shadowing opportunities, and has had an on-base engineer mentor students on nondestructive inspection.

"I'm a second-generation engineer and I was always fascinated by math and science. I do 'Bill Nye the Science Guy' type demos to several groups of students a year, from second grade through high school. When I see the look of amazement, or that moment when you can tell when it 'clicks' with them, it is absolutely priceless," said David Campbell, Air Force Sustainment Center NDI program manager. "The odds are that the next Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs or Albert Einstien is sitting right here in this room. And most of them know that Steve Jobs started Apple in his garage, so I ask how many of them have a garage. When most of them raise their hands, I ask 'what are you waiting for?'"

The base has also been involved in Botball, the Knowledge is Power Program, Department of Defense STARBASE Oklahoma-Tinker program, and others.
Botball is an educational robotics program geared toward middle and high-school aged students who work in a team-oriented environment. They build robots for competition with standards created on national science education.

The Knowledge is Power Program is a free open-enrollment option for college-preparatory school in under-resourced neighborhoods throughout the country. Nationally networked, it promotes an education-based achievements and support.

STARBASE Oklahoma-Tinker program is a DOD-funded educational youth program focuses on teaching fifth graders - known in the program as cadets - STEM, through hands-on experiments and tutorials in hopes that an interest will be sparked and the kids will seek out STEM-based careers. DOD STARBASE Oklahoma targets students in at-risk locations or elementary schools that receive Title I funding. In the course of the 25 hours of classroom instruction, STARBASE cadets are introduced to physics, chemistry, engineering, technology, geometry, data analysis, rocketry, computer-assisted design, or CAD, and measurement.

"I've always believed in STEM education," said Aruna Abhayagoonaward-hana, 76th Aircraft Maintenance Group mechanical engineer. "The perception of STEM is that these subjects are hard and not fun, but our responsibility is to show them that it can be fun. We show them why engineers use math and science, the cool things we can do and we try to peak their curiosity.

"We have a problem in the United States with a lack of students enrolling in the engineering fields," Mr. Abhaya-goonawardhana said. "According to a recent survey, the graduation rate in engineering is about 4 percent compared to China and India, which produces approximately 35 percent."

Mr. Abhayagoonawardhana is the regional vice chairman for the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Region VIII, which allows him to venture into schools and colleges to brief students about the benefits of STEM courses; media coordinator for the Future City competition in Oklahoma, and supports MATHCOUNTS.

The Future City competition, held during National Engineers Week each February, challenges sixth, seventh and eighth graders to design a model city based on a theme and presents it to a team of regional judges.

MATHCOUNTS is an enrichment club and competition program offered in middle schools throughout the country which encourages its members to solve challenging math problems.

Mr. Abhayagoonawardhana said he has seen the fruits of his labor. His 10-year-old son has developed an interest in math and has said he wants to pursue a career in engineering. Outside of his home, Mr. Abhayagoonawardhana has run into former students he's mentored and who have job shadowed him and have told him they're taking engineering courses in colleges.

"Now is the time for us as engineers and parents to encourage these fresh young minds to educate themselves in math, science and engineering fields," he said.