By Timothy Rider
Picatinny Arsenal personnel joined local companies in a science exposition that included demonstrations, student presentations and interactive Army technology displays at the inaugural STEM Fair at the Rockaway Valley School in Boonton Township on April 30.
A 10th grade Mountain Lakes High School student organized the first-ever fair for STEM – which stands for science, technology, engineering & mathematics – for her Girl Scout Gold Award project.
“During my time at RVS, I noticed an opportunity for additional hands-on STEM experiences,” Leah Mills said during the STEM Fair opening remarks. “I was inspired to try and implement an annual STEM fair for students to explore their interests in these fields.”
U.S. Army Combat Capability Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center physicists Stephanie Maruca Donnelly and Damien Marianucci kicked off the event with a demonstration of flash-freezing flowers in liquid nitrogen to provide a vivid lesson in thermodynamics and material science.
Students of the RVS school from grades five-through-eight presented scientific research projects on topics such as potato batteries, principles of hydraulics and electrolyte levels in sports drinks.
Listening to the presenters were a panel of judges who could provide feedback based on extensive real-world scientific experience. Armaments Center Senior Scientific Technical Manager for Advanced Manufacturing, Jim Zunino and Armaments Center Deputy Chief of Staff, Jennifer Page sat on the panel with Director of Precision Medicine at Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., Nanae Izumi.
The event also featured a “Design Lab” for hands-on creativity with electronics, robotics and face painting, making it an engaging experience for even the youngest attendees. Rockaway Valley school teaches children from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade.
Picatinny employees and representatives from several local companies hosted 14 interactive stations, providing attendees the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with cutting-edge Army technology – including a Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station Trainer, an explosive ordnance disposal robot and a robotic quadruped — with other interactive stations covering topics such as aerodynamics and ecology.
To help turn her STEM Fair vision into a reality, Mills reached out to Page – an engineer who runs Picatinny’s annual Introduce a Teen to Engineering event. Page served as Mills’ Girl Scout Gold Award project mentor and connected her with the Picatinny Arsenal STEM Education Office.
“I was honored when Leah asked me to be her mentor,” said Page “Leah’s passion for this STEM Fair and her drive to introduce younger students to STEM fields were the true catalysts behind the event’s success. She knew her goals from the very beginning and worked relentlessly to make them happen. It was a privilege to watch her ideas flourish and to see her confidently solidify her decisions throughout the planning process.”
“The amount of effort and enthusiasm the students had was inspiring,” said Zunino. “I was particularly impressed that they used AI (artificial intelligence) as a tool to help augment their work, rather than having AI do their work for them.” Zunino said a student building an e-bike had trouble designing a gear and making a machinable file using computer-aided design, so he introduced him to an AI tool that helped the project move forward.
The Picatinny Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education Office is operated by the Armaments Center with support from the many scientists and engineers found in the Armaments Center and other Picatinny Arsenal organizations. Its mission is to provide the future workforce needed in our Department of War laboratories and contribute to a technologically proficient society.
“Developing the next generation of scientists and engineers is one of the most rewarding aspects of my role,” said Page.