Resources:
Sarah Rigg's Feature Article: EMU, Ypsi school districts partner to create new institute promoting STEM education and careers
EMU Institute for STEM Education, Outreach and Workforce Development
Transcription:
Rylee Barnsdale: You're listening to 89 one WEMU. I'm Rylee Barnsdale, and this is On the Ground Ypsi. Earlier this summer, Eastern Michigan University was selected by Toyota's Driving Possibilities Initiative to collaborate with Lincoln Consolidated and Ypsilanti Community Schools to prepare youth for in-demand science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, careers. Thanks to a $10 million investment from Toyota, EMU's Institute for STEM Education, Outreach and Workforce Development will serve as a hub to not only deploy STEM resources, but also further increase student interest in STEM fields. Today, I'm joined by Doctor Sibrina Collins, who will be serving as director of the Institute for STEM education. Hi, Doctor Collins! Thanks so much for being here!
Dr. Sibrina Collins: Thank you so much for having me! Really appreciate it!
Rylee Barnsdale: So, if you had to give me an elevator pitch on what the STEM Ed Institute is, how would you sell it to me?
Dr. Sibrina Collins: You know, the STEM Institute is really a community-driven hub that integrates STEM-related resources and support systems right into the community. And so, basically, what it is all about is bringing all of that fun STEM stuff to the community, getting young people excited about STEM, and really thinking about what's possible for them in the future. We want to do fun stuff with not only students, but families, teachers, administrators and just having a lot of fun with STEM.
Rylee Barnsdale: And as far as those resources go that you mentioned, can you kind of give me an idea of what those look like and what folks can access right now?
Dr. Sibrina Collins: Sure! It's on our website. We have a wonderful resource of a number of activities available for the community. Some of the things that we recently did, we had attended Splinterpalooza at Lincoln Consolidated Schools, talking about the STEM Institute. We had a robot out there getting kids excited about that. And there are three really key buckets, or three key areas, for the STEM Institute. So, the education bucket focusing on curriculum, we have the outreach component, which is really about raising that STEM awareness and then workforce development, where students will be able to earn a STEM-related credential, right? And so, with all of those things, I really think that we will be a national leader in what STEM education is all about.
Rylee Barnsdale: And, obviously, there are a lot of lucrative opportunities in these STEM-related careers, but why else do you want to encourage students to think strongly about perhaps pursuing one of these careers?
Dr. Sibrina Collins: So, we have an increase in the number of STEM occupations, right? And we need STEM talent to fill those positions. So, that's the first thing. You know, we got a growing number of STEM occupations. We need talent to fill those positions. But the other reason, too, is that, when you look at the STEM workforce, it's not very diverse, right? So, those are the two key reasons why we're doing this. But I think what's also most important, is getting young people to see how, STEM impacts their daily lives, from when you start a car to cell phones to laptops, all of this wonderful technology. But also thinking about, for example, how STEM careers can really impact us from curing diseases and a number of things, but also having fun as well.
Rylee Barnsdale: This is WEMU's On the Ground Ypsi. I'm Rylee Barnsdale talking with EMU Institute for STEM Education director, Doctor Sibrina Collins. Now, Doctor Collins, you have a very extensive background in STEM and in STEM education. Can you tell me a little bit about what brought you and your expertise here to this position?
Dr. Sibrina Collins: Oh, that's a great question! And I've spent my entire career encouraging young people to pursue a career in the STEM fields. And that's what this position is about: really getting young people excited about STEM. I really think of myself as a real-life Shuri from "Black Panther," just trying to excite students about these fields. And so, one of the things that I have done in the past is you have to really meet students where they are and really connect with them. And so I've used films such as "Black Panther" to get students excited about the periodic table and those kinds of things. You got to meet students where they are. And I really think that if we want to encourage young people to pursue a career in the STEM fields, you got to say to them, "Listen, if you pursue an undergraduate degree in chemistry or physics of biology or engineering, this is how you can improve your communities, right?" Because young people, they're in their communities and they want to solve problems that they see. And so, we have to kind of get them to understand and connect them and reach them with those kinds of perspectives. That's how we got to get them excited about STEM: doing some wonderful hands-on activities and doing research. Those research shows that those kinds of things, that's what gets kids excited about STEM, not sitting in some boring lecture for like 50 minutes. That's not going to excite anybody...well, it might excite me. But that's not going to excite a young person, right? So, you got to have these hands-on, experiential learning activities to get young people excited about STEM.
Rylee Barnsdale: So, obviously, a big part of your role as director will be, just as you said, bringing that excitement to these students, also making these STEM fields feel maybe a little bit more relatable and a little bit more accessible. What else are you hoping to bring into this role as the director for the Institute?
Dr. Sibrina Collins: Basically, one of the things that I want to do is to learn and grow, and really as director, get into the community. That's what's really unique about the STEM Institute is that it's all about the community. And so, being in a community, getting in the classrooms with the teachers, the students, getting to know them and learning and growing, I'm just so excited about what's possible and really making, along with collaborating with the EMU team. For example, we have, Zach Krauss, who is the assistant director and the team and really making an impact in STEM education and to work so closely, specifically with three superintendents from Washtenaw Intermediate School District, Lincoln Consolidated Schools and Ypsilanti Community Schools. This is going to be really exciting, right? And so, I'm excited to to learn and visit each one of these school districts. I've already started visiting the areas. And when the school year kicks off, to be able to really impact the student and get them excited about STEM, I'm just super pumped, as you can see!
Rylee Barnsdale: This is WEMU's On the Ground Ypsi. I'm talking with Doctor Sibrina Collins, director of the Eastern Michigan University Institute for STEM education. So, Doctor Collins, as you mentioned previously, we're talking about how this institute is a massive collaboration, not just with EMU, but also with Lincoln Consolidated and Ypsi schools. There are tie-ins to the University of Michigan and Washtenaw Community College. This is a very large group of organizations and people making this possible. And as director, what does it mean to you to have such a wide network of collaborators?
Dr. Sibrina Collins: It means the world to me because all of us are collectively working on really focusing on one thing--how can we make sure that all students have access to a high-quality STEM education? That's what this is about. And all of us are focused on that. You know, my vision for STEM education is I would answer it this way. If you could empower a student, how would you do it, right? And one of the things that we have to do is create these spaces and environments where it's okay for kids to experiment, fail and learn and try again, right? And that's what STEM is all about. It's about experimenting and learning and learning from failure, right? And that's a life lesson, you know? So, it's okay to fail, but you gotta get back up and keep trying to keep trying. And so, I'm just so excited to be working with all of these collaborators to make sure that these young people in these school districts to get access to a high-quality STEM education. And we got some amazing leaders and amazing teachers leading the way. And, like I said, we are going to be a model for the rest of the nation as to doing this the right way, right, and impacting K-12.
Rylee Barnsdale: And I guess the last question I have for you, then, is when is the first day of school?
Dr. Sibrina Collins: Well, basically, the STEM Institute has been in existence for about a year now. We are officially open. I began my role August 1st, so I am brand new.
Rylee Barnsdale: Well, welcome!
Dr. Sibrina Collins: Thank you! Brand new! I figured out how to get around on campus. I got lost a little bit, and that's okay. And, ultimately, we want some of these kids to come to EMU too, right, and earn a degree and become an Eagle as well.
Rylee Barnsdale: Well, Doctor Collins, I want to thank you so much for being here and giving us a look into this program, these new partnerships, not just for Eastern, but for all of Ypsi and I mean, really, for all of Washtenaw County. It's really exciting to see all this come together!
Dr. Sibrina Collins: Thank you so much! Thank you for having me!
Rylee Barnsdale: For more information on today's topic and links to the full article, visit our website at wemu.org. On the Ground Ypsi is brought to you in partnership with Concentrate Media. I'm Rylee Barnsdale, and this is your community NPR station, 89 one WEMU FM, Ypsilanti.
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