CEISMC

High Schoolers From Around the State Explore STEM Majors and Careers Through New Georgia Tech Summer Institute

admin — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 16:01:51 +0000

High Schoolers From Around the State Explore STEM Majors and Careers Through New Georgia Tech Summer Institute admin Thu, 07/03/2025 - 12:01

“I’m a bit more interested in going to Georgia Tech now than I was before,” said Harris County High School student Isaiah Willis while participating in a chemistry lab activity during last week’s Georgia Tech Summer Institute. “The science department that we’re in now—this seems pretty fun. I’ve never taken a chemistry class, so it seems pretty interesting. I might want to do this when I grow up.”

That sense of discovery was central to the campus experience for the 93 rising 11th graders representing 57 counties across Georgia—from Dade in the northwest corner to Chatham along the coast. The inaugural program was a weeklong statewide residential program hosted by Expanded Learning Programs in the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC), which is now part of the College of Lifetime Learning.

Throughout the week, participants explored STEM majors and careers through hands-on activities, attended sessions on navigating college life, and built community with one another through fun and engaging social events. The Summer Institute, modeled after the Governor’s Honors Program and Georgia Tech’s First-Generation College Institute, is designed to identify, engage and prepare talented students for a successful transition to college, while providing STEM opportunities to build career awareness.

Sirocus Barnes, director of CEISMC’s Expanded Learning Programs and program organizer, explained that the Summer Institute was created to support the Institute’s strategic goal of expanding access by developing talent across Georgia—particularly among K-12 students in rural and under-resourced communities. The initiative aims to give students the tools to become competitive college applicants and future leaders in the STEM workforce.

“One of the things we really want to focus on in Expanded Learning Programs is providing rich and meaningful opportunities for young people outside of the traditional school day. Summer presents a great opportunity to do just that,” he said. “We’re using this unique window in the summer, when students are more free to travel, to invite them for a week of immersive learning. This program gives them the chance to spend meaningful time on campus and experience what Georgia Tech has to offer.”

A standout feature of the summer program was the strong support from the Office of Strategic Student Access and the six other academic colleges. Representatives from the Scheller College of Business, the College of Computing, the College of Design, the College of Engineering, the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Sciences hosted sessions over a two-day period. They gave building tours, led STEM learning activities connected to the majors offered, and demonstrated some of the research innovations students might encounter in those career paths.

On another day, staff from Undergraduate Admission, Scholarships and Financial Aid, and Student Engagement and Well-being delivered presentations about their respective offices. Current undergraduates, who served as group leaders, offered a peer perspective on college life. The final day concluded with a family showcase where participants shared reflections about their experiences.

Greenbrier High School student Katie Branigan summed up the sentiment the Summer Institute aimed to foster. “I’m very grateful because I’ve always wanted to go to Georgia Tech since I was little,” she said. “I’ve always known that I wanted to do engineering, and I’m just very grateful that I got this experience.”

Summary sentence

Georgia Tech's Summer Institute welcomed 93 rising 11th graders representing 57 counties across Georgia to campus.

Summary

Georgia Tech's Summer Institute welcomed 93 rising 11th graders representing 57 counties across Georgia to campus. The inaugural program was a weeklong statewide residential program hosted by Expanded Learning Programs in the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC), which is now part of the College of Lifetime Learning.

Dateline

Mon, 06/30/2025 - 12:00

Contact

Joëlle Walls
CEISMC Communications

Keywords

CEISMC

college of lifetime learning

K-12 education

Georgia Tech Summer Institute

News room topics

Campus and Community

Categories

Community

Education

Institute and Campus

State Impact

Mercury ID

682944

Source updated

Thu, 07/03/2025 - 12:00

Brook Byers Professor Weissburg Wins $3M Grant to Bring Biologically Inspired Design to High Schools

admin — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 15:11:41 +0000

Brook Byers Professor Weissburg Wins $3M Grant to Bring Biologically Inspired Design to High Schools admin Wed, 06/18/2025 - 11:11

The way a ladybug folds its wings can help aerospace engineers design more compact satellites. Studying how ants dig tunnels could help us create our own tunnels more efficiently.

The idea of using nature’s examples to develop products and designs that benefit society is the cornerstone of a new project at Georgia Tech that aims to get more high school students interested in engineering.

Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the $3 million effort will put high school engineering teachers in research labs at Georgia Tech for five weeks. The teachers will be embedded with engineers and scientists, working at the forefront of what’s called biologically inspired design, and creating a curriculum for the teachers to use in their classrooms.

“Lots of people think animals and what they do is insanely cool — and the internet agrees — which means we can engage interest in engineering by making a link to biology as a way to solve engineering challenges,” said Marc Weissburg, project leader and professor in the School of Biological Sciences. “The act of trying to see how an animal might help find a solution to a problem is a very creative process. It challenges the notion that engineering is boring. High school engineering experiences vary widely, but they generally do not include the most cutting-edge topics, like bio-inspired design, which gets people really excited,” he said.

For the next four years, Weissburg will collaborate with researchers Meltem Alemdar, Michael Helms, Roxanne Moore and Michael Ryan at Georgia Tech’s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing. They’ll create and assess units for 10th, 11th and 12th graders that explore bio-inspired design in the context of problems that are relatable to teenagers.

In particular, the researchers see their approach as a way to reach girls, who may not have considered engineering as a potential career. Weissburg pointed to data from the Center for Digital Education that showed 24% of male high school students expressed interest in engineering. For young women, the number was just 11%.

“Too often, engineering is depicted as applied math and science, which completely neglects how human-centered engineering is,” said Weissburg, who also co-directs the Center for Biologically Inspired Design at Georgia Tech and is a Brook Byers Professor.

The project will generate a curriculum with design and build exercises, background materials for teachers, examples to spark discussion, tests, and other resources that can be used by teachers across the country. Researchers will examine how well the curriculum engages students, particularly those from groups underrepresented in engineering.

“States have different standards, and teacher goals and classes have to be responsive to their unique student audience,” Weissburg said. “Our series of resources, all of which will be online, will allow teachers to easily slot in material that fits for them. It will allow them to talk to us and each other about best practices.”

The research team has partnered with Gwinnett County Public Schools to identify the first group of teachers they’ll invite to participate. Weissburg said that will happen in late Spring 2020.

“Bio-inspired engineering is a unique way of thinking, and so we have to help the teachers understand how to encourage this in their students.”

Summary sentence

Four-year project will bring teachers into Georgia Tech labs and create new curriculum materials for them to use in class.

Summary

The way a ladybug folds its wings can help aerospace engineers design more compact satellites. Studying how ants dig tunnels could help us create our own tunnels more efficiently.

Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the $3 million effort will put high school engineering teachers in research labs at Georgia Tech for five weeks.

Georgia Tech's Computer Science Initiative Expands Opportunities for Rural Students

admin — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 13:57:51 +0000

Georgia Tech's Computer Science Initiative Expands Opportunities for Rural Students admin Tue, 01/28/2025 - 08:57

In Georgia, where rural communities often face barriers to accessing advanced education in science and technology, Georgia Tech is leading a transformative effort to bridge the gap. The Rural Computer Science Initiative, designed by the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC), is redefining computer science education for underserved school districts.

The program, inspired by Georgia state representative Todd Jones, connects Georgia Tech faculty and students with rural schools to co-teach engaging computer science lessons while supporting local teachers in developing the skills needed to independently teach these subjects. As Rep. Jones explains, “At the end of the day, your birthplace should not determine the type of education you receive here in our state.”

Empowering Teachers and Students

Through a combination of remote teaching and in-class collaboration, the program is already active in 40 school districts, with plans to expand in 2025. The program's co-teaching model enables rural teachers to upskill while offering students dynamic, hands-on learning opportunities. Shiona Drummer, a participating computer science teacher in Twiggs County noted, “It's been really good to me because I did not have a background in computer science. Being a part of the program has influenced my teaching in that I know I have colleagues I can call on.”

For students, the program unlocks new possibilities.

"It's been fun. It's something new,” shared a Twiggs County student. “You get to just express yourself,” she continued. “Most classes, you just sit there, pretty much just bored. This class, you get to interact with things, and it’s just more fun.”

These reactions reflect the initiative's broader goals: to inspire students, foster their confidence, and connect their education to real-world challenges. Lizanne DeStefano, CEISMC’s executive director, emphasizes this point: “The way that we've designed the Rural CS Initiative is that the student work is embedded in real-life problems, particularly those that affect our rural communities.”

Preparing for the Future Workforce

Beyond classroom learning, the program is helping shape Georgia’s future workforce to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving tech landscape. Rep. Jones highlights the initiative's broader implications: “We’ve given [students] that opportunity and that springboard to be able to do things they possibly may never have had the opportunity to do. It provides a greater educated workforce — one that brings us into 2030, 2040, and 2050 with the advent of AI, autonomous vehicles, and other technological advancements.”

The initiative is also tackling one of the pain points for rural communities: the belief that young people must leave their hometowns to find well-paying, high-value jobs. DeStefano explains, “We’re using this as a way to show how students can remain in their communities, contribute to them with a computer science degree or knowledge, and still be an important cog in the global workforce.”

How the Initiative Works

The professional development aspect of the Rural Computer Science Initiative helps ensure that the teachers can sustain the program’s impact long after Georgia Tech’s involvement.

Leigh McCook, who leads the initiative at GTRI, outlined the process: “We first meet with the teachers, providing professional development to walk through the modules and show them how they should get involved in the classroom. Then we co-teach the first week and guide problem-based learning in the second week to assess student comprehension.”

Ensuring that cutting-edge topics such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and robotics are paired with a problem-based learning approach, is how Georgia Tech is properly equipping rural students with 21st-century skills.

“Knowledge is power,” said Rise’ Jenkins, principal at Twiggs County High School. “Once you show students what’s available to them and the access they have, they just readily embrace the idea of learning.”

An initiative that moves beyond education into more of a transformation, this program aims to prepare students for careers in emerging fields while ensuring Georgia remains competitive in the global economy. CEISMC’s DeStefano notes, “We’re not thinking about filling jobs today; we’re thinking about filling jobs for the next decade.”

Summary sentence

Georgia Tech’s Rural Computer Science Initiative empowers rural teachers and students in Georgia through co-taught computer science courses, preparing them for tech careers and supporting Georgia’s future workforce.

Summary

With 40 schools systems throughout Georgia participating so far, Georgia Tech’s Rural Computer Science Initiative bridges the educational divide for underserved communities across the state by connecting Georgia Tech faculty and students with rural school systems to co-teach dynamic computer science courses, empowering teachers with new skills and inspiring students to pursue tech careers while addressing workforce needs for Georgia's future economy.

Dateline

Wed, 01/22/2025 - 12:00

Blair.Meeks@gatech.edu

Contact

Blair Meeks
Institute Communications
Georgia Tech

Associated importer

Keywords

STEM education

CEISMC

GTRI

economic development

rural economic development

News room topics

Business and Economic Development

Categories

Computer Science/Information Technology and Security

Economic Development and Policy

Education

Mercury ID

679831

Source updated

Tue, 01/28/2025 - 08:57

Growing Up at Georgia Tech

admin — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 15:52:41 +0000

Growing Up at Georgia Tech admin Fri, 04/26/2024 - 11:52

Many students meticulously plan their Commencement outfits, but Courtney Curtis sewed hers.

The Douglasville, Georgia, native got her first sewing machine when she was 9, taking inspiration from her seamstress grandmother. Despite sewing through her finger the first time she used the machine, Curtis kept at it.

"I am not someone who gives up or quits. If you sew through your finger once, that doesn't mean you'll do it again. Everything, whether it's a hobby or starting a new project, comes with a learning curve, and if I start something, I'm going to finish it," she said.

Around the time she started sewing, Curtis set foot on the Georgia Tech campus for the first time. Attending CEISMC events and K.I.D.S Club events, she remembers how expansive the 400-acre campus felt as a child. Over time, it became familiar as she returned often with her dad, who was earning a master's degree in civil engineering.

"When we were on campus with him, he would study in front of the same big tree on Tech Green. While he studied, I would do my homework, and that spot became one of my favorite study spots on campus," she said.

On one of her many weekend trips to campus as a high school student, she attended a biomedical engineering student panel and felt an instant connection to the program.

"As a high school sophomore, I listened to the panel talk about their experiences, what it meant to be in BME, and everything they do at Georgia Tech, and that was a primary reason why I gravitated toward it. I felt that it fit with who I was as a person, and in hindsight, getting my education here allowed me to pursue my passions," Curtis, a John Lewis Leadership Fellow, said.

After graduating, she will join Owens & Minor as an R&D product engineer focusing on medical apparel, combining her interests in sewing and helping others. Owens & Minor was the primary sponsor of Curtis' capstone project, in which her team created a more inclusive cleaning coverall.

"Unfortunately, the hoods currently used in cleaning coveralls don't accommodate the fact that people have heads and that those heads have hair. That was a glaring complaint we heard, especially from women who wear their hair in puffs or may have braids. Our coverall resolves that issue with an inclusive hood that covers your hair, keeps everything nice and sterile while you're working, and eliminates waste," she explained.

From the Flowers Invention Studio to the Salsa Club, Curtis will miss plenty of aspects of campus life, including one that she knows goes against the norm for most college students.

"I'm surprisingly going to miss the atmosphere and the vibes around final exams when everybody's super stressed and scrambling, and you see everyone cramming in the Library," she said.

When she crosses the Commencement stage, Curtis will be thinking of all those who helped her get to this point — her family, the Georgia Tech Society of Black Engineers, the Black Women’s Support Group, the Office of Minority Educational Development, and BME faculty members including James Blumling, Swati Gupta, Melissa Kemp, S. Balakrishna Pai, and Ankur Singh.

Subtitle

From K.I.D.S Club to the Commencement stage, Courtney Curtis prepares for the final step of her Georgia Tech journey.

Summary sentence

From K.I.D.S Club to the Commencement stage, Courtney Curtis prepares for the final step of her Georgia Tech journey.

Summary

From K.I.D.S Club to the Commencement stage, Courtney Curtis prepares for the final step of her Georgia Tech journey.

Dateline

Fri, 04/26/2024 - 12:00

Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu

Contact

Steven Gagliano - Institute Communications

Associated importer

Keywords

K.I.D.S. Club

Biomedical Engineering

CEISMC

Flowers Innovation Studio

News room topics

Campus and Community

Categories

Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics

Community

Engineering

Student and Faculty

Mercury ID

674403

Source updated

Fri, 04/26/2024 - 11:51

Georgia Tech represented at inaugural White House Summit on STEMM Equity and Excellence

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 22:25:44 +0000

Georgia Tech represented at inaugural White House Summit on STEMM Equity and Excellence admin Wed, 12/14/2022 - 17:25

The White House Office of Science and Technology hosted a summit on Monday to launch a national slate of initiatives to build a more equitable, diversified, and inclusive science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) workforce and bolster the nation’s global competitiveness in these fields.

Lizanne DeStefano, executive director of Georgia Tech’s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing, was among the more than 100 invited guests from U.S. government agencies, businesses, education, civic, nonprofit, community-based, and philanthropic organizations to attend the inaugural White House Summit on STEMM Equity and Excellence.

“I was most excited to see how so many of the initiatives of Georgia Tech’s strategic plan are aligned with this federal commitment,” said DeStefano, also a professor of psychology in the College of Sciences. “Our plans to reach out to first-generation college students and their families, support K-12 STEMM teachers at all levels, create engaging STEMM enrichment activities for all Georgia students, and strengthen STEMM pathways are key to improving diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in STEMM.”

DeStefano, whose research interests include the evaluation and sustainability of innovative STEM educational programs and multi-site initiatives, had previously served as co-chair of the National Science Foundation’s STEM Education Advisory Committee. The group was charged with providing oversight and input for the National STEM Education Strategic Plan, involving 19 federal agencies that support STEM education at various levels.

“Since a portion of the plan addressed diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM, this Summit was especially relevant to our work,” she said. “Returning to Washington, D.C. for this momentous occasion in making STEMM education equity and access a national priority was an honor. The state of Georgia is well-positioned to make a real change in this arena with its rich ecosystem of universities and colleges, industry, and community organizations.”

The one-day event included remarks from various government officials in support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to eliminate systematic barriers to entry in STEMM followed by a series of panel discussions with representatives from the public and private sectors who work in this space.

The summit concluded with a call to join the STEMM Opportunity Alliance (SOA), a new landmark organization led by the American Association for the Advancement of Science with support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The SOA is responsible for coordinating current and future national efforts with over 90 partners from industry, government, education, research, foundations, and organizations already committed to achieving shared goals for equity in STEMM by 2050.

The five action areas that will be addressed by the SOA are:

Ensure every person has opportunity to participate in STEMM,
Invest in the STEMM teacher pipeline,
Close the funding gap and invest in community colleges, minority-serving institutions, and community-based organizations,

Dismantle bias and discriminatory practices throughout the STEMM ecosystem, and
Close the STEMM information gap with best practices in evaluation, shared indicators of progress and meaningful disaggregation of data.

— Joëlle Walls, CEISMC Communications

Summary sentence

Summit launches national initiative to expand access and opportunities in STEM and medicine fields.

Summary

Summit launches national initiative to expand access and opportunities in STEM and medicine fields.

Dateline

Wed, 12/14/2022 - 12:00

Contact

Joëlle Walls

CEISMC Communications

Location

Atlanta, GA

Associated importer

Keywords

cos-community

C-PIES

diversity in STEM

CEISMC

K-12 education

STEM teachers

Economic Development and Policy

federal relations

News room topics

Campus and Community

Categories

Institute and Campus

Alumni

Economic Development and Policy

Institute Leadership

Mercury ID

663865

Source updated

Wed, 12/14/2022 - 14:40

CEISMC

High Schoolers From Around the State Explore STEM Majors and Careers Through New Georgia Tech Summer Institute

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Brook Byers Professor Weissburg Wins $3M Grant to Bring Biologically Inspired Design to High Schools

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Georgia Tech's Computer Science Initiative Expands Opportunities for Rural Students

Empowering Teachers and Students

Preparing for the Future Workforce

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Growing Up at Georgia Tech

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Georgia Tech represented at inaugural White House Summit on STEMM Equity and Excellence

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