High Schoolers Acquire STEM Experience

Sean Vornhagen didn't mind the burning smell inside the Middle Tennessee State University chemistry lab. He loves science "and my two favorite sciences are chemistry and biology," he said, knowing burning smells come with the territory.

Vornhagen, 17, of Nolensville, and his fellow MTSU College of Basic and Applied Sciences STEM Camp participants were "burning food and heating water to find out how many calories were in the food," he said, adding he plans to apply to MTSU.

A rising Nolensville High School senior, Vornhagen was one of 40 students attending this summer's STEM camp -- featuring science, technology, engineering and math -- held recently in the Science Building, Davis Science Building, Wiser-Patten Science Hall and other campus indoor and outdoor facilities.

During the camp, held July 15-19, participants from around the Midstate conducted a quantum levitation of a superconductor, learned about forensics, solved chemistry problems with math, flew unmanned aircraft, studied the capabilities of concrete and more.

Early in the week, Chemistry Department Chair Amy Phelps said the one group burning food and heating water to discover how many calories were in the food were "more reserved, but they seem to enjoy what's happening. I wasn't hearing much 'woo' (excitement). I told them I needed to hear more 'woo' from them."

Phelps said her groups throughout the week would learn about "making things go, rockets, explosive energy and caloric energy. It's all about converting one kind of energy to another kind. ... We tried to make it entertaining and engaging."

The campers, to show the teenagers a dose of college life, received mentoring from MTSU faculty and undergraduate and graduate students.

MTeach, an MTSU program preparing teachers to teach science and agriculture to middle school and high school students, Concrete Industry Management and Physics and Astronomy were areas the campers explored. They also had three days of team building in the Campus Recreation Center and collaborated on final-day presentations.

The science college will offer the fourth annual CBAS STEM next summer. For more information call 615-898-2613 or visit the college website https://cbas.mtsu.edu.