STEM Exploration Day Workshop Titles and Descriptions for Friday, May 1, 2015

Mini-Lunch Session: Health Career Trends (M1, M2) 25 min./rotated with 25 min. lunch period. Presented by Larry Bergum, Health Career Recruitment Consultant, AHEC (WI Area Health Education System Center-Northern Highland Region) Overview of Health Care Career Opportunities: How to research health care careers, what education is needed for a Health Career, and the importance of employability skills, portfolios, post high education and oral communication.

Mini-Lunch Demo: First Tech Robotics (M3, M4) 25 min./rotated with 25 min. lunch period. Presented by Mike Wojtusik, Advisor, and Rhinelander First Tech Challenge Robotics Club, Rhinelander High School, Rhinelander, WI First Tech Challenge Robotics Club will give demonstration of their wireless robot.

Battle for Bats: Why are Bat Populations Declining? (A1, B1) Presented by Deahn Donner, PhD. Project Leader and Landscape Ecologist, USDA Forest Service, Institute for Applied Ecosystem Studies (Donner and Marquardt)-Northern Research Station, Rhinelander, WI Bat populations are declining for many reasons, but primarily due to the devastating White-nose Syndrome. This syndrome is caused by a fungus, which was discovered in a Wisconsin cave last year. What will the discovery of this fungus do to Wisconsin’s bat populations? This interactive session will discuss bat biology, habitat requirements, and what you can do to help bats survive

Blood Typing: How Blood Type Affects Newborn Babies (A2, B2, and C2) Presented by Holly M. Frost, MD, Marshfield Clinic Pediatrics Minocqua, WI Learn about the different blood types and how they can affect newborn babies before and after delivery. Complete a hands on lab using simulated blood to learn how blood typing is performed.

Careers in the Veterinary Field (A3, B3) Presented by Joseph Bodewes, DVM, All Creatures Veterinary Clinic, Minocqua, WI Be introduced to a typical day as a general practice veterinarian and learn about the job opportunities in the veterinary field with hands on explanation of tools and equipment used in the field.

Chemistry! T-Shirt Chromatography (A4, B4, and C4) Presented by John Frost Ph.D., Global Senior Applications Chemist and Spectroscopist, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography is a powerful technique used throughout the scientific community to separate mixtures based on their physical and chemical properties. We will investigate this technique while creating fun t- shirts that the participants can take home. In addition students will be introduced to some of the unique opportunities that can be had with a career in science and will participate in energetic demonstrations of scientific principles.

Getting Your Feet Wet with Water Quality Monitoring (A5, C5) Presented by John Heusinkveld, Assistant Director, Natural Resources, UW-Stevens Point Treehaven campus, Tomahawk, WI We will be donning a pair of waders and getting in the stream learning how to assess water quality via invertebrates, chemical and physical properties, and possibly even a fish or two! Monarch Mishaps: A Game of Survival (A6) Presented by Katie-Lynn Bunney, Community Program Specialist, Fishery/Wildlife/Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota Monarch Lab, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN If one female monarch can lay hundreds of eggs, why isn’t the world full of monarchs? Monarch Mishaps demonstrates what challenges monarchs face to survive, including predators, weather, and people. Immerse yourself in the monarch life cycle, learn what monarchs face every day and talk about what we can do to help!

Northwoods Weather (B7) Presented by WJFW-Channel 12 Meteorological Staff, Rhinelander, WI Learn about what makes northern Wisconsin special when it comes to weather and find out what local influences impact our climate. This session requires strong participation from the class so be prepared to ask questions with regards to weather! Plant Identification (A8, B8, and C8) Presented by Rachel Anderson, Program Assistant, College of Natural Resources, University of WI-Stevens Point Treehaven campus, Tomahawk, WI See the outdoors in a new way by learning to identify plant life! Use your senses, observational skills, and other resources to discover the names of Wisconsin plants. Instructor Rachel Anderson is a naturalist at UWSP-Treehaven and teaches plant identification to UWSP natural resource majors as part of their summer field experience program. First Tech Challenge Robotics (B9) Presented by Mike Wojtusik, Advisor, and Rhinelander First Tech Challenge Robotics Club, Rhinelander High School, Rhinelander, WI The club will demonstrate the process of building a wireless robot to perform a set of challenges. This is a nationwide event with about 28 teams from WI currently competing to make it to a world competition.

STEM Shuttle: Giving Students Space to Learn! (A10, B10, and C10) Presented by the Dream Flight USA Shuttle Crew, Nick Ryan, Susan Bushman, Sandy Smith, Wausau, WI Students will work in pairs experiencing a wide variety of hands-on activities as they move from station to station on board the popular STEM Shuttle. Guided by shuttle teachers, students will design a space station, use a robotic arm, and get a feel of how difficult it is working in space.

Wildlife Rehabilitation (A11, B11, and C11) Presented by Bart Kotarba, Rehabilitation Specialist, Northwoods Wildlife Center, Minocqua, WI So, what IS wildlife rehabilitation? Learn why people take care of injured and orphaned wild animals as well as some of the ways they do it, through hands-on activities. You will also meet some of the animals behind our efforts to help people appreciate wildlife.