Summit lets kids explore science

The official word

Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

The event is sponsored by the Charles County Technology Council, the Energetics Technology Center, the College of Southern Maryland and Vyalex Management Solutions in partnership with many others. It is open to all Southern Maryland middle school, high school and college students.

The summit provides students and parents opportunities to investigate careers in engineering, computer science, health care and the trades from private sector, civilian and military professionals who work in technology fields. In addition to displays and exhibits, students and their parents are invited to participate in hands-on activities, mini-lectures and demonstrations and to collect information about local scholarship opportunities.

Participants at last year's Youth in Technology Summit were landing U.S. Navy F/A-18s on the deck of an aircraft carrier, watching the slow-motion flattening and reshaping of a dropped cube of Jell-O filmed with high-speed video playback technology, measuring their bodies' oxygen consumption during various stages of exercise and trying not to freak out during a "hair-raising" experiment with electricity.

This year the summit, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 31 at CSM's La Plata campus at 8730 Mitchell Road, will feature all of that and more, thanks to the many partners who will be on hand with just as intriguing activities.

Fluharty's Electric, a firm based in Tilghman, will exhibit two small wind turbines (a Skystream demonstrator model and a small 1-kw Bergey turbine) offering a green element to the event. The new GM Co. ,through its advanced propulsion technologies is reinventing the automobile and "driving a greener future" that will change transportation's role in the energy equation. On Saturday participants will see one illustration of this technology, the Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell electric vehicle. GM and Fluharty will be displaying their products outside the physical education center.

Inside the PE center, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers will display a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, engine turbine, new communications online survey and flash drive raffle, IAMAW-member product displays, student photos and career information.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center will discuss the design of airborne, underwater and ground robots for EOD use and allow students to interact with the robots to better understand the interface between the robot and humans.

NSWC Dahlgren will present the electromagnetic rail gun, which uses high power electromagnetic energy instead of explosive chemical propellants (energetics) to propel a projectile farther and faster than any preceding gun. The high velocity projectile will destroy its targets due to its kinetic energy rather than with conventional explosives.

These items, as well as a working elevator, are only some of the exhibits and demonstrations on display. Workshop topics include the Explorers program, building rockets, the SMART team, MESA and robotics, preparing for a national security career, getting into college, affording your education, apprenticeships, health care careers, tours of the CSM simulation lab, and science, technology, engineering and math careers. Each of these workshops will be presented three times during the afternoon starting at 1 p.m.

In the spirit of Halloween, students may come to the summit in costume. The theme is "Tech or Treat." There will be a competition for the best use of the theme between noon and 12:30 p.m. with a prize for the winner. Registered students receive a ticket for a free lunch. Registration is from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the PE center. For information, go to www.csmd.edu/YouthinTechnology, and be sure to stop by the tech council's booth at the event.

I also need to mention that NAVAIR's and NAVSEA's participation in this event is not intended to be an official sanction, endorsement or sponsorship of nonfederal entities participating in the summit.

Mark Czajka is the president of the Charles County Technology Council and can be reached at mczajka@thetechcouncil.net.