Saturday, April 22, 2017
YOUNGSTOWN
The campus of Youngstown State University was like a huge episode of The Big Bang Theory today, as students from the university’s College of Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering showed off their creations to the public.
Some 250 students took part in the STEM showcase, which included more than 70 projects, according to Emilie Eberth, STEM outreach and scholarships coordinator.
There were projects displayed by students from all grade levels and from all disciplines of the STEM college. First-year students competed for the honor of having their projects selected for display at the OH WOW! children’s science center downtown, Eberth said.
“Our hope is that the community can see what STEM is all about, and what our students have accomplished,” she said.
One of the more popular projects was a micro-turbine jet engine experiment and nozzle design, created by senior mechanical engineering students Ryan Neice and Ali Alelaiw . The duo drew a large crowd each time they fired up their engine, which had spectators covering their ears to muffle the mighty roar of the miniature engine.
Inside, senior engineering students Jared Fink and Vincent Dell’Arco showed off the automatic tong mechanism they’d created to hold the jaws of a mechanical hoist in position. They said it was intended to help improve on a mechanism currently in use at Hunter Lift in North Lima.
Ahmasi Martin Jr. of Chicago will attend YSU beginning in the fall as a STEM student and a track athlete. He attended the showcase Saturday with his father, Ahmasi Sr.
“I like what I’m seeing here,” Ahmasi Sr. said. “This is impressive, seeing these inventions that might be out there for use in the world one day.”
Read more about the event in Sunday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.