Hello,
The Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science (GEMS) program application intake season is now open. GEMS is an Army Educational Outreach program (AEOP) sponsored learning experience, that enables students to experience science and engineering in real-world Army laboratory settings. The AMRDEC GEMS program is based on a multidisciplinary educational curriculum, and is focused on age/grade-appropriate hands ‐ on activities in areas such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics, computational science, physics, optics, robotics, chemistry, and others. Students receive a stipend to participate in this one ‐ week program. There will be no
GEMS-2 program this year, because we had no GEMS-1 program last year due to the AEOP Web application portal migration delay. The 2015 stipend amount for all GEMS participants is $100.
Eligibility Requirements: Students in grades 8th - 12th, who are U.S. citizens with a valid SSN are eligible to apply for AMRDEC GEMS. Note: 7th grade students who will be 8th graders on or before June 8, 2015 and 11th grade students who will be 12th graders on or before June 8, 2015 should apply. However, 12th grade students who will graduate on or before June 8, 2015 are not eligible for the GEMS program and should consider applying for the Science and
Engineering Apprentice Program (SEAP).
Dates:
GEMS-1 08 - 12 June
GEMS-1 15 - 19 June
GEMS-3 22 - 26 June
GEMS-3 20 - 24 July
AMRDEC GEMS Program(s) Overview: New science, technology, engineering, mathematics
(STEM) learning modules (SLM) are perpetually under planning and implementation to all three
AMRDEC GEMS programs as appropriate, and include inquiry and designed based learning objectives. Keystone AMRDEC GEMS learning modules as follows:
GEMS 1
Students build and operate a robot; construct a 13-step Rube Goldberg apparatus; and design, construct and test bridges. Numerous activities, icebreakers, and games are incorporated in order to build team cooperation, improve observation skills, develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In every activity, the science behind each activity is stressed. Activities will include completing the Rube Goldberg apparatus, determining which bridge design could support the most weight, utilizing sports materials to understand the coefficient of restitution, competing in a game of robot soccer, and/or Forensics Math I. Other activities will include daily tours of various projects being developed by AMRDEC on Redstone Arsenal. These may include tours of the Prototype
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Integration Facility, Software and Engineering Directorate, and other laboratories within the
Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center. Each project will culminate on Friday of the assigned week.
GEMS 2
Students build and operate a hovercraft; construct an inexpensive PC and learn simple programming; and design, construct, and test a trebuchet. Numerous activities, icebreakers, and games are incorporated in order to build team cooperation, improve observation skills, and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, utilizing sports materials to understand the coefficient of restitution, and/or Forensics Math II. In every activity, the science behind each activity will be stressed. Other activities might include tours of various projects being developed by AMRDEC on
Redstone Arsenal. These may include tours of the Composite Materials Lab and the Weapons
Sciences Labs. In addition, guest scientists and engineers will speak to the students about various projects on which they were working. Each project will culminate on Friday of the assigned week.
Activities include testing the predicting results of a computer program written the previous day, construction and operation of a person-sized hovercraft, and staging a mock battle and siege using constructed trebuchets.
GEMS 3
Only students who have completed GEMS-1 and GEMS-2 will be invited to participate in GEMS-3.
There is no application process for GEMS 3. If selected, students will complete advanced activities beyond those in GEMS-1 and GEMS-2, in addition to working with scientists, engineers, interns and co-ops to solve real world problems. Students may also participate in tours and hear various guest speakers and technical briefings.
How to Apply:
The GEMS Application Intake Season is Now Open! Candidates interested in
AMRDEC GEMS ‐ 1 should apply at: https://www.cvent.com/events/2015-gems-huntsville-al/registration-2a8885f8a3 bb4b6fa4ba6be648106a85.aspx. As stated above, there will be no AMRDEC GEMS-2 program this year, and AMRDEC GEMS ‐ 3 participation is by invitation only to students who have completed
GEMS ‐ 1 and GEMS ‐ 2.
Thanks for your Support!
Gayla Turner McMichael
Electronics Engineer
Outreach & Diversity Program Manager
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U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center, RDECOM
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Community Outreach Website - https://www.educationoutreachherald.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/STEMOutreach
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AMRDECSTEM
Email - AMRDEC-Outreach@amrdec.army.mil
GIF, JIL, & PCT!
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