Nuclear museum wants STEM to take root

  • Published
  • By Ryan Stark
  • Nucleus writer
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Crowds arrived early on Saturday at the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History near Kirtland for their Discover STEM Day, where many local organizations demonstrated science, technology, engineering and math for Albuquerque youth and their families.

Hands-on activities designed to stimulate interest in science included demonstrations using electricity and magnetism. Children could use a crank generator to create an electric pop between two electrodes, push iron filings around, learn about aerodynamics by playing with paper airplanes and even try out a flight simulator.

Kirtland agencies -- including Sandia National Laboratories, Tuskegee Airmen Inc. and Civil Air Patrol -- participated in the event. The Albuquerque Astronomical Society, the Albuquerque Soaring Association, Explora and the Kirtland Federal Credit Union were among the organizations on hand.

The Albuquerque chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics also participated. AIAA Chapter President Joel Mozer said Albuquerque's unique position in aerospace is important to his organization.

"It's good to reach out and let people know all about the air and space business going on in Albuquerque," he said. "And there's a lot going on around here."

Jennifer Hayden, the museum's marketing director, said 742 people attended the Saturday event, far surpassing last year's total, which was around 500.

"We have additional organizations supporting the event this year, all donating their time to help us," she said. "The museum is an educational entity, so STEM education is so important to us."

The Saturday event capped off STEM week at the museum.

"This is the grand finale of a week where we brought in over a thousand school kids," she said. "Today is the day to invite families and make STEM friendly to them."

Will White, who works for Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland, brought his three children, a niece and a nephew to the event. For him, the connection to STEM is personal.

"I'm an engineer," he said, "and, for me, it's really good to establish STEM (education) for the kids."

For more about the museum, visit www.nuclearmuseum.org.