[fusion_global id="3677"][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right="" admin_toggled="yes"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" min_height="" hover_type="none" link=""][fusion_text columns="" column_min_width="" column_spacing="" rule_style="default" rule_size="" rule_color="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""] In South Carolina, a local Arts Center is leading the way by popularizing STEM and STEAM careers among today’s youth. The small town of Greenwood, South Carolina, is known for its position right on Lake Greenwood in the Lakelands area of South Carolina. It’s also the home of item Southeast, an item America office and one of the forces behind Advancing Women Engineers. Now, Greenwood is putting itself on the map as a center for the future of STEM in South Carolina. Sylvia Martin, Outreach and Education Coordinator for the Arts Center of Greenwood was kind enough to sit down and chat with AWE about her organization’s efforts to create youth programs that encourage interest in STEAM. Her work on iMAGINE STEAM Greenwood led to a successful inaugural festival focused on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math fields. “STEAM education is all about teaching in tandem concepts from science, technology, engineering, art, and math so that students see the connections,” according to Ms. Martin. Since 2014, Sylvia has created events on behalf of the Arts Center, showing the integration between arts and STEAM. These events range from one-day festivals or ‘fun days’ to robotics teams comprised of kids. How We Got Here The road to the iMAGINE STEAM event began as STEAM Family Fundays. With the involvement of Greenwood-based Lander University and nearby Piedmont Technical College, Ms. Martin saw entire families enjoying the event’s attractions together and walking away encouraged and engaged. Close to 4,000 participants stretched through Greenwood, enjoying exhibits ranging from flashlight making, robot programming, and drone flying to beekeeping, snake handling, and topiary building. The 2019 iMAGINE STEAM festival came together with hard work from a core group of involved individuals, and the support of a community. A task force established in 2017 created an advisory board with the City of Greenwood representatives, the Arts Center team, and event sponsors. This task force aimed to involve more groups, and their success showed as over 50 exhibitors gathered for the event. STEM groups from local schools turned out, students in tow, to showcase what they had worked on as well as pick up a few new experiences. Small Businesses like Greenwood Aerial Photography showcased how they use technology in their day-to-day jobs. Fun for All, and All for Fun A parent quoted on iMAGINE STEAM SC’s website, when asked about the event, explained: “We had a marvelous time… I loved that my kids got to see/hear/touch the answers to ALL those questions kids ask… why is the sky blue? How do bees make honey? How do bees make honey? How do they clean the water? How does an owl look around without moving his eyeballs? What makes tornadoes sound like trains? What does a snake feel like? How does an engine work? What makes rainbows? And on and on!” Ms. Martin and the rest of the team behind iMAGINE STEAM are already focused on 2020’s event and how it will grow from the inaugural festival. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" hundred_percent_height="no" hundred_percent_height_scroll="no" hundred_percent_height_center_content="yes" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" status="published" publish_date="" class="" id="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" gradient_start_color="" gradient_end_color="" gradient_start_position="0" gradient_end_position="100" gradient_type="linear" radial_direction="center" linear_angle="180" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" enable_mobile="no" parallax_speed="0.3" background_blend_mode="none" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" video_preview_image="" filter_hue="0" filter_saturation="100" filter_brightness="100" filter_contrast="100" filter_invert="0" filter_sepia="0" filter_opacity="100" filter_blur="0" filter_hue_hover="0" filter_saturation_hover="100" filter_brightness_hover="100" filter_contrast_hover="100" filter_invert_hover="0" filter_sepia_hover="0" filter_opacity_hover="100" filter_blur_hover="0" admin_toggled="yes"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" spacing="" center_content="no" link="" target="_self" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" hover_type="none" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" border_radius="" box_shadow="no" dimension_box_shadow="" box_shadow_blur="0" box_shadow_spread="0" box_shadow_color="" box_shadow_style="" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" background_type="single" gradient_start_color="" gradient_end_color="" gradient_start_position="0" gradient_end_position="100" gradient_type="linear" radial_direction="center" linear_angle="180" background_color="" background_image="" background_image_id="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" background_blend_mode="none" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" filter_type="regular" filter_hue="0" filter_saturation="100" filter_brightness="100" filter_contrast="100" filter_invert="0" filter_sepia="0" filter_opacity="100" filter_blur="0" filter_hue_hover="0" filter_saturation_hover="100" filter_brightness_hover="100" filter_contrast_hover="100" filter_invert_hover="0" filter_sepia_hover="0" filter_opacity_hover="100" filter_blur_hover="0" last="no"][fusion_text columns="" column_min_width="" column_spacing="" rule_style="default" rule_size="" rule_color="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""] Are you local to South Carolina? Mark your calendars for April 18, 2020 in Greenwood, South Carolina! [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

[fusion_global id="3677"][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right="" admin_toggled="yes"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" min_height="" hover_type="none" link=""][fusion_text] Bees aren’t just cute – without them, nature and humans would have a real problem. Plant species – including one third of agricultural crops – depend on bees for pollination. As a result, colony collapse disorder is endangering both the ecosystem as a whole and traditional food production. One of the primary causes of this problem is shrinking habitats, which is why bee projects that offer these valuable insects protection and room to thrive are becoming all the more important. Waste management company AWG Abfallwirtschaftsgesellschaft mbH Wuppertal (AWG) has an industrial site located right next to a nature reserve. Spurred on by similar projects, the company took the decision to create a wonderful home for four bee colonies – and the profile technology of our MB Building Kit System was chosen as a material for the hives’ subframes. Making a beeline The company got in touch with two local young beekeepers who, as it happens, were looking for new sites for their hives and were thoroughly impressed with the site. An agreement was quickly reached, and AWG undertook to supply the subframes for the hives. As one of the beekeepers works as a designer at a Wuppertal industrial company, he had his own ideas to contribute: “Naturally he knew about item profiles. And, when he has something to build, that’s exactly what he uses. After all, he knows how flexible and stable they are,” says Willy Görtz, deputy operations manager at AWG. Although wood was initially considered for the subframes of the hives, it is prone to weathering and would need to be replaced on a regular basis. Durability and stability were precisely the reasons that our aluminium profiles were chosen or, to be more specific, why the subframes were built using Profile 8 40x40 light, natural . An individual hive has to be viewed as a kind of house for an entire bee colony and, in this particular bee project, each hive consists of three floors (frames). Hives are sealed on top with a cover, which also provides protection from the weather, while a hole is made in the base so that the bees can get through – hence the need to raise the hive off the ground by mounting it on a subframe. The lower section houses the brood chamber, followed by the honey super, where the honey frames are suspended. The frames are made of wood and are where the bees create and store their famous honeycombs. Two hives, which are so important for honey production, fit onto each subframe. Once they had been built, it became clear that the hives needed additional “landing boards” to make it easier for arriving bees to land and get in. To add the boards – which are around the size of a sheet of A4 – 30-cm-long profiles were therefore also fitted to each subframe. Sustainability part of the company’s DNA In the meantime, the bees have moved (or rather, been moved) into the new hives and are therefore no longer with the beekeepers’ colleagues or neighbours. They will undoubtedly feel at home on the otherwise unused plot of land and, once their hibernation is over, will be able to explore the surrounding area. The local ecosystem, too, can only benefit from the new insect neighbours. The bee project certainly ties in perfectly with the company’s responsible attitude, as Görtz points out: “Sustainability is naturally a major issue for us. We are a specialist waste disposal company and operate a waste-fired power station. Our job is to generate district heating and electricity from the waste that is, after all, produced by everyone in Wuppertal.” This focus on sustainability is also reflected in other projects. For example, AWG is currently working on the production of hydrogen for fuel cells that can be used to power buses in the public transport network. Do you want to keep up to date on the various ways that item solutions are being put to use? Then we have the perfect solution for you. Simply subscribe to the item blog by completing the box at the top right! [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

[fusion_global id="3677"][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right="" admin_toggled="yes"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" min_height="" hover_type="none" link=""][fusion_text] Molly Harwood’s journey from dreaming of becoming an illustrator to becoming an inspiration as a creator, an innovator, and a top-notch problem solver in an extreme frontier is simply amazing. Harwood’s career choice as an industrial designer exemplifies the limitless opportunities for women in the high-technology STEM workforce. These women represent the human capital vital to innovation and economic progress across all fields of science and engineering. Hands-On So how did Harwood’s career path, for lack of a better word, redesign? How does a person’s passion for illustration take the direction of becoming a designer for extreme environments? Simply put, Harwood enjoys making things. “I became interested in industrial design after I started to make things. My school placed a real large emphasis on learning from hands-on experience,’’ Harwood explains in relation to her studies at the Rhode Island School of Design. Harwood, who works with NASA, credits this hands-on learning experience as sparking her interest in “making things that were even more ‘extreme’ or efficient,’’ she has said. This interest led her into the choice career path of becoming an industrial designer. Up to the Challenge Design work in the aerospace industry spans both military and commercial aerospace projects. Industrial designers in the aerospace field work in a fast paced, creative and collaborative environment investigating and resolving design issues. This design process involves generating ideas and solutions through sessions such as brainstorming, prototyping, and sketching, where artistic inclination and mechanical skills are a plus! As an industrial designer for extreme environments, Harwood pursues complex projects approaching them with creative insight and tapping into her strong visual and spatial perception skills. She must decipher and prioritize exactly what is needed, and then communicate a design in the context of its desirable outcome. Attention to detail and absolute precision is critical. The challenging work at NASA captures Harwood’s interest, encouraging her to dig deep into problem-solving, to create cutting-edge solutions for unchartered and extreme conditions. Harwood says that she enjoys designing for human needs in specific, intense environments, in combination with also designing for extreme efficiency. She focuses on specifications of her component of the design process, often with limited knowledge of the final design! This work environment places no limits on where Harwood’s skills and energy can take her. Harwood’s work is truly “out of this world.” item is proud to support the inclusion and empowerment of women in the field of engineering. For more news that highlight the amazing stories and contributions of women engineers, visit https://www.advancingwomenengineers.com/ [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

News – item America – News & Stories

item Experts Kick Off 2020
item Experts Kick Off 2020

Know-how, News, People, USA/ Canada

item Experts Kick Off 2020

BlogAdminUS2020-02-11T23:21:56+00:00February 4th, 2020|Know-how, News, People, USA/ Canada|

What does a room full of item Experts look like? Something like this. [...]