AFIT celebrates Engineers' Week with local students

  • Published
  • By Sandy Simison
  • 88th Air Base Wing, Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) celebrated National Engineers Week with a series of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) outreach demonstrations for more than 300 students from the Dayton and Cincinnati areas. 

Schools participating included Roger Bacon High School, Greenon High School, Dayton Christian High School and Dayton Regional STEM School. 

The day's demonstrations at AFIT included sensor technology using quadcopters, building LEGO robotics, a Wright-Patterson Air Force Base chemical biological radiological and nuclear response truck tour, propulsion science building straw rockets, laser technology research, cyber defense research spotlighting streetlight hacking and electronic signal disruption, civil engineering bridge construction and testing and a paper airplane competition. 

"I was influenced by a school visit from a NASA scientist when I was just a young kid," said Rick Patton, a researcher within the AFIT Autonomous Navigation Technology Center. 

"I distinctly remember them bringing liquid nitrogen, dunking a piece of rubber hose in the liquid, then smashing it into a million pieces with a hammer. I immediately wanted to know how that was possible. If I can influence even one of these kids here today to seek out a STEM-related education that would be significant," Patton said. 

He let students fly a quadcopter and discussed how sensors are used in autonomous flight research, Global Positioning Systems and other navigational technologies. 

Founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers, the annual event is part of a nationwide effort to celebrate and promote engineering. 

National Engineers Week has a strong focus on engaging in kindergarten through 12th grade student outreach to promote interest in the STEM research fields. 

"These types of outreach opportunities establish the seed corn for future AFIT students," said Maj. Brian Stone, director, Center for Operational Analysis, AFIT.

"Using these opportunities to instill a basic interest and desire for knowledge within these young students to pursue a STEM-related field in the future, we stand to reap huge rewards from our next generation of technological experts and innovators. This translates into a win for the Air Force, a win for our nation."