Wednesday, August 31, 2011
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Galen Hayek, a Youngstown State University senior majoring in chemistry, knocks together two shot-put balls, one rusted and one covered in aluminum foil, to make sparks and a loud pop. YSU’s Office of Associate Degree and Tech Prep Programs sponsored the second Geek Fest on Tuesday in Kilcawley Center’s Chestnut Room.
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Anvia Mickens of Youngstown, a junior history major at Youngstown State University, takes aim at the ROTC skill area Tuesday at YSU’s Geek Fest. The event, sponsored by the university’s Office of Associate Degree and Tech Prep Programs, is to bring attention to Science, Technology, Enginerring and Math programs and get more students interested in those careers.
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Janelle Russell of Youngstown, who is pursuing a master’s degree in chemistry at Youngstown State University, watches as her plastic bag floats to the top of the wind tunnel at YSU’s Geek Fest. The event was planned to bring attention to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math programs.
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NotifyLink, a telecommunications system for mobile devices, drew interest during the event, which was designed to get students interested in careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
By Denise Dick
Youngstown
Calling all geeks — no pocket protectors or thick glasses required.
Youngstown State University’s Office of Associate Degree and Tech Prep Programs sponsored the second Geek Fest on Tuesday in Kilcawley Center’s Chestnut Room.
“It’s to bring attention to STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering and Math — programs,” said Arlene Floyd, director of the office. “We’re trying to get more people interested in those careers.”
The event was open to YSU students as well as those in kindergarten through 12th grade from throughout the region.
“‘Geek’ no longer has a negative connotation,” Floyd said. “In fact, a geek is a person that could end up being your boss.”
The festival features some university academic departments as well as technology companies including Notify Technology Corp., Parker Hannifin, via680 LLC and the Youngstown Business Incubator/Taft Technology Center.
Anvia Mickens of Youngstown, a junior history major, tried her sharp-shooting skills at the shooting range, pointing at targets on a screen.
“I did pretty good,” she said. “You have to aim almost like you’re trying to miss.”
She’s played the “Call of Duty” game on Xbox, but Tuesday marked the first time she’s fired a “weapon” at targets on a big screen.
It was fun, she said, but she’s not thinking about changing her major.
At the wind-tunnel station, participants had to use materials available on the table — cotton balls, embroidery rings, string, plastic bags — to assemble an object light enough to float in the wind tunnel but heavy enough to not blow out of it.
Janelle Russell of Youngstown, who is pursuing her master’s degree in chemistry, put together a plastic bag with an embroidery ring with weights attached to the bottom. She inserted it into the tunnel and watched it float to the top.
“I just made it up in my head,” Russell said. “It’s just something I thought of.”
Galen Hayek of Hubbard, a senior, is majoring in chemistry with a biology minor. He showed fellow students how two shot-put balls, one rusted and the other covered with aluminum foil, when struck together create a spark and a loud bang.
“The iron oxide [from the rust] is replacing the aluminum oxide, and that’s the reaction you’re seeing,” Hayek said.