Student work and YSU facilities displayed at STEM showcase

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown State University College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics will show off its high-tech labs and some of its best students at the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Showcase 2 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday on campus.

Also, $1,000 in scholarship money will be given away to prospective YSU STEM students who attend and complete a survey.

The showcase is free, but guests are encouraged to register in advance. To register and for information, visit www.stemshowcase.ysustem.com.

Open for tours will be YSU’s newly improved X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy labs. YSU received a new cyber-enabled, single crystal X-ray diffractometer through a grant from the National Science Foundation.

The NSF also funded the recent expansion of the electron microscopy lab, including two new electron microscopes and a new facility to house them. The microscopes let researchers view items up to 1 million times magnification.

Among the student research projects that will be on display is the Chem-E-Car, a small car powered by a chemical energy source. YSU’s Chem-E-Car team recently placed second at the regional Chem-E-Car contest in Illinois.

Students will showcase a new, more-efficient and portable design they developed to cool down beverages, and YSU’s Baja car team will have this year’s car on hand.