APG employees mentor local STEM students

By Rachel PonderJune 15, 2023

SMA project
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – High school senior Brita Onomake explains her capstone project, “Designing resin ceramic composites for use in temporary implants” to Science and Mathematics Academy alumni Patrick Heritier-Robbins during the SMA at Aberdeen High School Gallery Walk held on May 16, 2023. Onomake was mentored by Dr. Philip Goins, a materials engineer with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory.

(Photo Credit: Photo by Rachel Ponder, APG News )
VIEW ORIGINAL
SMA project
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – High school senior Somiron Kundu presents his capstone project, “Programming a multiplayer mobile game to teach literacy in English” during the Science and Mathematics Academy at Aberdeen High School Gallery Walk held on May 16, 2023. Kudu was mentored by Casey Rock of the Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center.
(Photo Credit: Photo by Rachel Ponder, APG News )
VIEW ORIGINAL

ABERDEEN, Md. — Thirty-four APG employees gave back to the community by mentoring local STEM students for a year-long capstone project. The seniors from the Science and Mathematics Academy at Aberdeen High School showcased their capstone projects during a Gallery Walk held on May 16, 2023.

Project topics included machine learning, artificial intelligence, biochemistry, engineering, manufacturing, environmental science, epidemiology and materials science.

SMA Program Specialist Sarah Ashley said the projects provide a “visual insight into the fascinating world of the scientific process.”

“I am very proud of these graduating students and the work they have done,” Ashley said in a press release. “When you see their posters, it is clear that they will be future leaders in the scientific community, and I know their accomplishments will benefit our society. While topics vary greatly, conducting research is what we strive to teach the students and the professional mentors are integral in this process.”

The program was open to the public and provided the opportunity to view posters, ask the students questions and talk to faculty advisors.

Building confidence

Dr. Philip Goins, a materials engineer with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory, mentored Brita Onomake from Aberdeen. Her project was “designing resin ceramic composites for use in temporary dental implants.” Goins said SMA helps build self-assurance in students, as some are intimidated by STEM classes.

“Programs like SMA are wonderful at preparing and firing students up for what STEM is really like,” he said. “Not only do students build real-world skills that you don't typically get in a classroom environment, but they get to see that their effort can help solve actual real-world problems they care about. Most of these students surprise themselves with how much they achieve in one year, and that confidence boost is also huge.”

Onomake said she was required to present her findings to a panel, which will help her prepare for college. She plans to study biochemistry.

“I liked that the mentor let me choose what I wanted to work on,” she added.

‘Keep the mission going’

Nicole Hall, a biological science laboratory technician with the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, said she took the opportunity to be a mentor because she wished she had more opportunities to gain “real world” experience when she was a student. Hall mentored Brieanna Gower, from Aberdeen, who plans to major in neuroscience.

“Often, we forget that even though kids in high school are still young, they are incredibly bright and able to perform a lot of the tasks we do on a daily basis,” she said. “Giving these kids opportunities that will help them forge their future, network with people in all different career paths is invaluable.”

Hall said she “highly recommends” serving as an SMA mentor. Some students return as Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education interns, which “helps keep the mission going.”

“Just remember, most of us, no matter what job we are in, had someone, at some point in their education [or]career, take an interest in us and help build us into the professional we are today,” she said. “No one made it here alone, so we owe it back to help these students be all they can be.”

Finding solutions

Casey Rock, with the DEVCOM Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center, mentored Somiron Kundu and Erica Hondadel, both from Bel Air. For their project, they made improvements to an app designed to help children living in developing countries throughout Africa and Asia become literate in English to increase the average number of levels completed by the users.

Rock said the students ran into some problems; they needed more testers to download the app from the Google Play store, so they had to use test subjects from their school. Part of the process is learning how to fail.

“The big takeaway from this whole lesson was the students really got to learn true engineering,” he said. “The idea of identifying a problem, looking at ways to implement a solution to the problem, but ultimately adapting quickly.”

For more information about SMA, visit https://www.scienceandmathacademy.com/.

For more photos, click https://www.flickr.com/photos/usagapg/albums/72177720309032435.