STEM Week 2016

Superbowl of STEM
The 3rd Annual Flagstaff Community STEM Celebration kicked off the week on Monday, March 7th at the NAU Skydome with almost every school, STEM business, government agency, and non-profit in Flagstaff! You can relive the excitement with Flg4TV's 2 minute video here!

Thank you to all of our amazing STEM Partners!

High-Altitude Balloon Launch
On Wednesday, March 9th, Teacher Kaci Heins and 100 NPA 6th graders sent their payload to over 106,000 feet on a high-altitude balloon from the Flagstaff Airport. Community Leader Bruce Sidlinger and his Aeronautics Engineering class from Flag High, Airport Director Barney Helmick, the Coconino Amateur Radio Club, the Civil Air Patrol, and many other community partners were there to assist. You can see images and hear the story from KNAU's science and technology field reporter Melissa Sevigny here.

Balloon ready for lift off, Kaci Heins and students finalizing the payload, and KNAU's Melissa Sevigny

Women Executives in STEM Panel
NAU hosted the panel on Thursday, March 10th. All of the women had connections to NAU and facilitator Elizabeth Glass recommended that the many students in attendance use their alumni network as they search career opportunities.

Women on the panel from left were: Lisa Bagwell, GE Energy Connections; Sandi Brown, former manager of Brunswick Nuclear Plant; Kelly Franklin, Orbital ATK: Cindy Klingberg, Raytheon Missile Systems; Laura Roberts, Pantheon Enterprises; and Cheryl Roscher, Fresenius Kabi USA

AZ North Regional
The Skydome was brimming again on Friday and Saturday with the CocoNuts and 52 other teams, for NAU's inaugural FIRST Robotics Arizona North Regional contest, which pitted robots against each other to try to take down a castle. You can read Corina Vanek's article on the event here. Microchip sponsored pit tours by volunteers from many of the teams, as well as a VIP luncheon that was well-attended by Flagstaff's government, business, and education leaders. FIRST, which stands for --- , is a non-profit founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway. It encourages students to pursue STEM  and also develops skills in teamwork, problem-solving, creativity, and gracious professionalism.

Clockwise from upper left: Highlanders Pit; CocoNuts Pit; Steve Sanghi, CEO of Microchip Technologies, speaking at the VIP Luncheon; Jack of the Highlanders Team touring Swedish exchange educator Kajsa Berg; Robotics Team 192; and Mary K Walton of FUSD

Congratulations to everyone on helping make STEM Week 2016 the best ever in Flagstaff STEM City!