Category Archives: Community Partnerships

3D Printing, Community Partnerships, Engineering Design Challenge, Engineering Technology, Grants, Laser Cutting, Makerspace, NOVA Fab Lab, NOVA IET, NSF Grants, STEM Grants, STEM Workforce, Tech Equity

NOVA Awarded 3-Year “Makers By Design” Grant

The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded NOVA a three-year grant, set to begin in September 2021, to establish a Professional Learning program in design thinking pedagogy for secondary and postsecondary educators. Makers By Design (MBD) as we call it, is officially titled: Supporting Instructors to Embed Design Thinking in Digital Fabrication Courses.

Makers By Design Overview:

> Manufacturing and engineering technologies industries are facing a looming skills gap.

> Employers identify increasing need for soft skills (critical and design thinking, problem solving and communication) as manufacturing transitions to high-tech.

> There is a need to align engineering and engineering technology with industry defined technical and soft skills.

> MBD is a professional learning (PL) program for secondary and postsecondary educators focused on developing design thinking pedagogy through digital fabrication (e.g. 3D printing, laser engraving, CNC) techniques.

> Aligned with NSF includes broadening participation in STEM for underrepresented minorities.

> MBD will foster a community of practice between teachers, faculty, makerspace educators and industry.

The Grant

The curriculum will focus on design thinking projects that involve digital fabrication techniques, including 3D printing, laser engraving, and Computer Numerical Control milling. The Professional Learning program is expected to improve the educator’ teaching practices and enable them to update existing curricula and lesson plans to better align with industry relevant skills and techniques. The project also intends to create a community of practice around design thinking in digital fabrication that will build a beneficial network among secondary teachers, community college faculty, makerspace educators, and regional employers. It is expected that the project will support 36 secondary and postsecondary educators who will teach more than 3,000 K-12 and undergraduate students in the northern Virginia region. These students will have greater interest in and be better prepared for technical careers in manufacturing and engineering.

The overarching goal of the project is to use Professional Learning to move digital fabrication instruction beyond the reproduction of simple objects. Instead, the project will train educators to use pedagogy and cognitive strategies to embed design thinking into their digital fabrication lessons and courses. As a result, students will learn to use design thinking to build complex, useful objects.

The project’s specific aims include to: (1) create a professional learning institute; (2) host digital fabrication summer camps at NOVA and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington; (3) host a semiannual design and digital fabrication challenge; and (4) establish an online resource library of projects and lesson plans created and refined by educators in the community of practice. The project is expected to advance: understanding of the pedagogies that help to develop student interest in manufacturing and engineering; the capacity for Professional Learning to facilitate integration of design thinking into classrooms and makerspaces; and the extent to which a capstone design challenge may foster sustainable change in instructional practices. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy.

The NOVA Fab Lab has a Makerspace utilized by many NOVA programs and the community as well as a new Makers Program for college students coming up this fall

Check out the NOVA Fab Lab Page

#WeDoSTEM

Community Partnerships, Engineering Technology, NOVA Fab Lab, Robotics

Friday Night Robotics Starts Sept 17

The NOVA Fab Lab will be open on Friday nights for VEX teams to scrimmage and work on their robots starting Sept 17!

The 1st and 3rd Friday’s of the month are designated for VEX IQ Challenge (VIQC) teams and the 2nd and 4th Friday’s for VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) teams.  A game field will be available along with space for teams to work.

Sessions will start on Sept 17 from 5 to 10 pm and continue until the Virginia State VEX Championship in March 2021.

A one-time registration fee of $10 per participant is required for this recurring event at fablab.novastem.us/FridayNightRobotics (NOTE: Parental consent is required in the registration process as each participant needs to register – coaches cannot sign-up their entire team in one registration).

#WeDoSTEM

CLRI, Community Partnerships, STEM Careers

NOVA Students Recognized for CLRI Success

The Career & Leadership Readiness Institute (CLRI) at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) celebrated the completion of its inaugural year with a virtual celebration for 35 NOVA students and alumni who received certificates of completion and an address from NOVA President, Dr. Anne Kress!

Requirements to obtain the certificate included completing a variety of workshops including topics such as Resume Preparation, Interviewing, Networking, Diversity & Equity Inclusion in the workplace, communication and conflict resolution and other sessions highlighting how to professionally stand out from the crowd. Students delivered a final project to complete their CLRI certification.

Over 500 individuals attended activities throughout the semester and late last-year.  Orientation sessions were offered from November-January and 21 workshops, panels and information sessions led by 29 various community partners were offered during 8 weeks of the Spring 2021 semester.   Captioning services were provided for every session and as well as an opportunity for NOVA ASL interpreting students to practice their interpreting skills.

CLRI’s first goal is to provide opportunities for students to engage in career and leadership readiness training and networking activities with the NOVA community and employers to increase career connections.  The second goal is to prepare NOVA students with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to navigate a diverse workplace. It is an optional program for NOVA students and does not have any academic credits or grades tied to it.

Participants at the Virtual Recognition Celebration received a NOVA Polo, an embossed padfolio, and an engraved NOVA pen along with their certificate of completion. Community partners received a special NOVA engraved pen.

The CLRI is a 2020-21 InNOVAtion Grant sponsored by the NOVA Foundation. This grant sponsored initiative was submitted and implemented by Brittany Hollis, IET Career Coach and Tiffanie Rosier, SySTEMic STEM Education Coordinator.

A couple of responses from students who completed the course:

“I appreciate very much all the enthusiasm and dedication you have transmitted to us through your excellent work. The knowledge and skills acquired are and will be very valuable for our professional development. Thank you for your time and continuous monitoring so that we can complete each required step. I would absolutely recommend you for future activities!”
Kelly S.

“Thank you to all the Employers/Partners that came to the CLRI workshops. You were wonderful, helpful, kind and insightful. You were an amazing group of men and women who work in the fields of interest and were able to answer our questions and give us amazing feedback and connections for the future.”
Marijane D.

 

Community Partnerships, NOVA Fab Lab, STEM Courses, STEM Education, STEM Events, STEM Resources Online, Virtual STEMinars

Virtual STEMinars and Fab Lab Tours this Fall

Virtual STEMinars are back! We are running virtual FAB LAB tours and info sessions and virtual workshops that include a Maker Club, a Laser Fabrication Workshop, Video Game Development and more, starting in October. Many STEMinars are HANDS-ON, as we will send you materials that you work on with an instructor virtually leading the course on Zoom.

Events and courses listed below:

LLI Fab Lab Virtual Tour & Industry 4.0
These special sessions will include images and videos of the facility, an overview of Fab Lab activities, and a presentation on Industry 4.0 (IoT).  Session options are being offered to members of the Manassas Lifelong Learning Institute on October 16th and November 13th at 10:00 am.

Register at https://reg138.imperisoft.com/LLI-Manassas/Search/Registration.aspx
(must be a LLI member to register for this event).

Virtual Tour & Info Session:  NOVA Fab Lab
Would you like to learn more about the NOVA Fab Lab? Then attend this virtual tour and live information session.  You will have an opportunity to ask questions, see images and videos of lab activities, and receive an overview of Fab Lab programs. Open to the public and registration is required. Free.  November 6th from 2:00-2:45 pm.

Register here:  http://steminar.novastem.us/Register

Virtual Maker Club
Have your kids take a break from the screen and tinker with some hands-on STEM activities.  Over the course of four weeks a weekly project will be provided that will include activities such as:  building a tiny robot, creating circuits, using a DIY conductive probe to design experiments, building a wind turbine to move objects, and completing a design challenge using items from around the house.  Directions and printed extension activities will be provided so that participants can explore at their own pace.  An optional live virtual session will be provided once a week to provide an overview, support, sharing, and assistance with extension activities.  A materials kit will be mailed, but participants will need: a Phillips screwdriver, a fan, 100 pennies, tape, scissors, liquid glue, and recycling bin materials.  Recommended for children in grades 4 – 8.  Cost $72 ($60 for NOVA staff/faculty/students). Two session options beginning October 26th andNovember 24th.

Register here:  http://steminar.novastem.us/Register

Laser Workshop:  Design Thanksgiving Pie Toppers
Design personalized pie toppers that will then be fabricated and mailed to you.  You will learn how to design in Inkscape, a free graphics and drawing software, while learning how lasers can be used to cut and engrave. Ages 16 and older. Cost $20 ($16 for NOVA staff/faculty/students). Live virtual session on November 2nd from 7:00-9:00 pm.

Register here: http://steminar.novastem.us/Register

Makers by Design Challenge Series
The goal of a Maker is to produce better products – but what defines a “better product?” What is a better product in the age of Digital Fabrication? Machines might have assimilated hard skills, but the soft skills necessary for innovation have yet to be adopted.  This 4-part STEMinar and optional lab(s) addresses these concerns by identifying the soft skills required in Digital Fabrication. Topics will include: Design Thinking, brainstorming, user-empathy, rapid ideation, prototyping, and making as an iterative non-sequential process. The series will conclude with the presentation of a design challenge and competition, with the winning members’ product being fabricated in our own Fab-Lab. Open to current 9-12th graders and college students.  Sessions run from 7:00 – 8:00 pm on Tuesday, November 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th .

Registration is for all 4 sessions, while the Optional Labs have a separate registration.  FREE.

Register here:  http://steminar.novastem.us/Register

Video Game Development using Scratch
Enhance your Scratch coding skills while developing a video game!  Participants must have prior and intermediate level experience using Scratch.  A four-session series with each session building on the previous.  For grades 6 – 9th on Wednesdays Oct. 28th, Nov. 4th, 11th, & 18th at 7:00 pm.  FREE.

Register here:  http://steminar.novastem.us/Register

 

 

 

Community Partnerships, Employee Spotlight, Publicity, STEM Awards

NOVA SySTEMic Coordinator Nominated for Gov Award

Tiffanie Rosier, our Woodbridge STEM Coordinator, has been nominated for a 2020 Governor’s Honor Award for Personal and Professional Excellence. Tiffanie specializes in STEM Career Exploration, and has been particularly adept at transitioning STEM Career events into a virtual platform, connecting with both students and the corporate world. Tiffanie has also taken on the role of Remote Student Support (RS3) for NOVA IET.

Summary of Nomination
Ms. Rosier is admired by her NOVA SySTEMic team for her positive outlook, willingness to help, and her commitment to the students at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). Ms. Rosier is currently associated with the Perkins Grant Committee and in collaboration with team members to further CTE efforts. Ms. Rosier constantly seeks out and shares opportunities to encourage career development or participate in events to anyone she encounters within the NOVA community.

Significance
The recent restrictions to in-person events due to the COVID-19 pandemic meant there was a need to quickly adapt to a “new normal”. Ms. Rosier put her resilience and resourcefulness to good use to make sure this would be accomplished.

Initiative and Creativity
Without the ability to host in-person events, the career focused, Ms. Rosier, focused her energy into seamlessly transitioning into a virtual platform; allowing accessibility to a broader, diverse
audience. Ms. Rosier’s numerous connections in the corporate world has allowed her to provide greater exposure to all NOVA students. Most recently, she partnered with NOVA’s Career Connection team and organizations like Leidos and LinkedIn to make engaging and educational virtual events accessible during a critical time when employment was a concern for many students.

Ms. Rosier also recently stepped in to fill the need within the Information and Engineering Technologies Division as a Remote Student Support (RS3) advisor. Within four months, Ms. Rosier has taken ownership of this new role and is actively involved in guiding new and current students.

Benefit
She continues to coordinate with NOVA faculty and staff to offer professional and personal growth opportunities and has reached over 800 students in the past year. As an RS3 Advisor, Ms.
Rosier, successfully connected with upwards of 300 students and 25 military veterans to provide them advising, guidance in course sections, and completing financial aid requirements. Every individual Ms. Rosier reaches will be more prepared for their educational and career path because of her efforts.

Mission
In line with the mission of Northern Virginia Community College, Ms. Rosier delivers exceptional service to the college as well as the community. Her dedication to career development has proven to inspire students to set goals, challenge themselves, and explore opportunities in Northern Virginia’s competitive workforce.

Quote from Nominee
“I am honored to receive the nomination for the Personal & Professional Excellence Award! I consider myself a lifelong learner and people have always shared information with me about the importance of personal and professional development as early as my college years.  I try to seize any opportunity that I can to learn something new or enhance myself by strengthening myself in other areas.  I am a firm believer in giving and giving back and leave no one behind.  I try to share all that I can with others, in order to support them in thinking about their own personal or professional development needs.”

 

Business Engagement, Community Partnerships, IET Newsletter, NOVA Loudoun Campus, NOVA STEM Faculty, STEM Awards, STEM Courses, STEM Degrees

NOVA Adjunct Wins NVTC Data Center Champion Award

NOVA Adjunct Faculty T.J. Ciccone has been named the Data Center Community Champion at the 2nd annual NVTC Virginia Data Center Awards in McLean for his leadership, support, and contributions to NOVA’s Data Center Operations (DCO) program and students.

The virtual event was attended by more than 150 industry executives, economic development professionals and state elected officials to recognize individuals and projects that represent excellence in areas of sustainability, construction, support, and advocacy and community engagement. Northern Virginia is the largest data center market in the world, according to NVTC’s 2020 Impact of Data Centers on the State and Local Economies of Virginia. You can read more about the 2nd annual NVTC awards here.

Professor Ciccone is the Vice President of Critical Operations at Stack Infrastructure and has helped lead the way in Data Center Operations for our college community by creating industry engagement opportunities for NOVA students, building industry-driven curriculum and providing data center tours and on-site laboratory activities.

His class at NOVA, ENE 195 – Intro to Data Center Operations (DCO), is part of the NOVA Engineering Technology A.A.S Degree DCO Specialization as well as the DCO Certificate program and expands basic knowledge on how data centers work from an engineering standpoint. This course is the only fully college accredited data center program in Virginia and more than 70% of students who have taken the intro course are now working in a data center. Professor Ciccone is teaching in-person (with social distancing) this semester at the Loudoun campus.

He responded to his NVTC award by saying “I am honored to be named a Data Center Community Champion, and beyond grateful to Northern Virginia Community College for embracing the need for an accredited data center program. It expands and increases the available talent pool, the diversity of candidates for the labor force, and most importantly the opportunity for young people from all walks of life to enter a career in technology. To be part of this, the largest data center market in the world, is very humbling.”

Congratulations, Professor Ciccone – we’re grateful to have you at NOVA!

#BoldlyNOVA #WeDoSTEM

Community Partnerships, Robotics, STEM Camps

STEM Camp Students Will Name Surgical Robot!

NOVA SySTEMic is partnering with OrthoVirginia on a naming campaign for their new MAKO Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgical Robot.

With 27 locations around the state that include on-site physical therapy, orthopedic urgent care, and out-patient surgery centers, OrthoVirginia makes it easy for orthopedic patients to excel on the path to recovery, powered by advanced technology and techniques. The MAKO Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgical Robot is the first robot in VA to be used in an outpatient surgery setting!

STEM Camp students in our robotics camps will be given the opportunity to name the robot! This will be available to students in robotics camps that run from June 29 thru July 24.  Students can submit two options each. From the submissions a name will be chosen by our committee on July 27 and the robot will be officially named with the winning moniker in time for its first surgery on July 30! Proposed robot names are due to Camp Instructors by July 24.

The MAKO robot performs total and partial knee replacement surgery. Click here for a video that highlights the robot’s capabilities.

There are prizes for the student who’s robot name is picked: 4 tickets to a D.C. United Soccer game and free D.C. United gear!

If you would like to sign your child up for our Virtual Robotics camps go to https://www.nvcc.edu/systemic/camps.html. We also have many other Virtual STEM Camps available.

#WeDoSTEM