Another key message was that STEM study can be a winding road. Several panelists explained that they pursued different interests before ending up in graduate school — a point that made an impression on Axel Hernandez, a 10^th grader at TIMES2 STEM Academy.

“They told us how they started off wondering what they wanted to do and then they figured it out along the way,” Hernandez said. “That was pretty nice because I always thought you had to [know] before entering college. I understand more clearly now that you can still have an opportunity to change even if you’re in the middle of college.”

Beth O’Day-Hall, culture coordinator at Providence Career and Technical Academy, said she appreciated that the panelists’ experiences were relatable to the students at her school. 

“A majority of our students are first-generation and so were a majority of the panelists today,” O’Day-Hall said. “For our students to be reflected [on the panel] is so important. They can see that [a STEM career] is a potential future that maybe they weren’t aware of. That’s really meaningful and impactful.”

Hands-on science

After the discussion, it was off to labs around campus where students got to do a little science of their own. In one session, participants built tiny vibrating robots, which surfed on their own self-generated waves across a pan of water. After they built their robots, students could reshape their robots’ surfboards to change their paths through the water. 

“I like that it was hands-on,” said Llbay Matz, a 10^th grader at Central High School. “And I liked seeing what it does after [it’s built].”

In another session, many students couldn’t believe their eyes as a lens seemed to make the middle of a solid metal post disappear. “It’s magic!” one student exclaimed. Lydia Vignale, a first-year Brown Ph.D. student in engineering and STEM Day volunteer, explained that it’s actually refraction, the bending of light when it interacts with matter. 

Giselle Correy, a 10^th grader at TIMES2 STEM Academy, said she liked that the event was structured to include all kinds of learners. “If you’re a person who learns with pictures, they have pictures everywhere,” she said. “If you learn with words, they’re explaining it. And there’s lots of hands-on things. That’s what I really like.”

For Alci Castillo, a senior at Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School who plans to attend the University of Rhode Island and major in computer science, the best part was experiencing the excitement people can have for their work. 

“Seeing people who are passionate about what they do, whether as a student or a teacher, and to hear them talk about it, that was a great experience overall,” Castillo said.

The day concluded with students having a chance to learn about Pre-College Programs at Brown, which provide a way for interested students to take a next step toward a STEM career.

“We’re working to keep expanding STEM Day, both in terms of the number of students we’re reaching and also the opportunities they can connect with,” Robinson said. “We want this event to be more than just one day, but to try to build partnerships with both students and teachers.”