We Were STEM Before STEM Was Cool: Announcing the 44th Annual Project – SITES Shadow Day

Michael W. Joseph

WHITESBORO, NY – The Mohawk Valley Engineers’ Executive Council announces the 44th Annual Project: SITES Event (Students Introduction To Engineering & Science) will be held Thursday, March 22nd, from 11:15 to 1:15 at Whitesboro’s Harts Hill Inn. We are looking for students (grades 7-11) interested in studying math and science related subjects, and in learning about the application of these topics in a business or laboratory. The students and hosts  meet over a buffet lunch and a short presentation, after which a host bring students to their business location, to spend time touring the facility, learning about the real tasks of a technical career, and shadowing the technologists for the afternoon. This year’s Keynote speaker will be Mr. Ralph Kohler, Principal Engineer at the US Air Force Research Labs-Information Directorate in Rome, who will be presenting “YOUR FUTURE AS A COMMERCIAL DRONE PILOT! , with a planned LIVE demo of a UAV drone flight.! Mr. Kohler is an AFRL Fellow, IEEE Fellow, R&D Top 100 Awardee, past  MVEEC Engineer of the Year, and a USAF Exemplary Civilian Service Medal Awardee. To date, over 4280 7th-to-11th-grade students from over 40 of the High- and Middle-Schools in the 6 county Mohawk Valley area have participated in Project: SITES, and the MVEEC has been involved with over 60 local hosts in 30 unique technical careers or industries. The event is sponsored by the IEEE-Mohawk Valley Section, AFCEA-Erie Canal Chapter, and the Griffiss Institute, and supported by MVCC’s STEP Office. Information on the event is available from mveec1@gmail.com.