WESTLAKE STEAM SYMPOSIUM

Investigative scientists understand the value of recording and identifying fingerprints that are unique to each individual as an important piece of forensic evidence. This workshop will focus on the proper documentation, collection and analysis of fingerprints. Topics will include photography and lifting of fingerprints, and the analysis of fingerprints. Students will have the opportunity to compare known fingerprints, to fingerprints found at a crime scene.

From mobile phones to smart watches, internet connected devices and apps are a part of our everyday lives. But anything that is connected to the internet introduces risk because it can be hacked. In this workshop, students will analyze different scenarios and learn how to improve security through threat modeling. Minimize the risk of being hacked and how to make the world a safer place!

Ever wondered why Pringles are so addictive? There’s a reason why “once you pop, you can’t stop”! Did you know that your eyes don't always tell you the truth?

In this workshop, students will have an opportunity to test their senses with interactive food and drinks exercises, and find out if they've got what it takes to be one of our expert taste testers!

From Neuroscience to Chemistry, students will learn what it takes to become a Sensory Scientist, and why food and drink companies rely on research to improve their products and keep you buying more!

Problem Solving! Design Process! Competition!

In this workshop students are presented with timed “STEAM” and “MINUTE TO WIN IT” design challenges and work to engineer a solution with everyday objects and materials. The groups then present their designs and compete against other teams by testing their designs. This is a great way to introduce or build upon design thinking skills while students discover how different solutions can be used to solve one problem.

This workshop will focus on the proper documentation, collection and analysis of footwear impressions. Topics will include photography, casting and lifting of unknown impressions and the analysis of footwear impressions. Students will have the opportunity to compare known footwear to footwear impressions found at a crime scene.

The FBI's Counterintelligence Division is looking for an elusive spy who fled the country. The only evidence that was left behind is a letter written in secret code. In this workshop, students must decipher clues and follow the spy's escape and return him to justice. You will learn how to use cryptography, ciphers and algorithms to help solve this mystery.

In this workshop, students will learn about blockchain through an interactive game called Are the fish safe to eat? Blockchain offers all parties involved in a business network a secure and synchronized transaction from beginning to end. This is done through digital ledgers, a chronicle version of the list of events designed to be unhackable. The list of the events are blocks; the blocks are distributed across multiple computers. Students will learn every step of the blockchain process by figuring out who touched the fish starting from the fisherman, all the way through the importers, exporters, and distributors.

Street art has developed into multi-color and multi-story murals by international artists that have even encroached into modern advertising, fashion, and have defined neighborhoods in NYC.

In this workshop, you will learn about some of the famous street artists and how this viral movement was born and nurtured in inner-cities.

Students will design and create their own graffiti tag, a stylized personal signature.

In this session, students will explore chemical reactions in food using baking powder that contains an acid and a base, to create delicious, moist, and leavened corn bread. We’ll also explore the dairy world and work with coagulating milk to produce a soft, smooth edible cheese. The workshop will finish with a discussion on controlling pathogens in food and how the curing process works. If time allows, we will fast pickle cucumbers and talk about how this quick method creates intense flavors and helps control bacterial growth. Participants can than eat their chemical reactions. Recipes and a shopping list of ingredients will be provided in advance.

In this workshop, students will learn about the many types of work encompassed by the veterinary professions. We will discuss veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing, and the many environments in which we work. Students will view animal skeletal materials, X-ray images, and learn about common diagnostic equipment. A brief virtual training session in animal first aid will be included. A "current events" section will have students play disease detectives in relation to a zoonotic disease outbreak. A question and answer session will follow.

Criminals are smart until they make mistakes. The workshop session involves learning about a famous hacker who got caught by the FBI. The presentation will give students a lesson about Cybersecurity and go over pictures metadata and how the hacker got caught. It will also include a hands-on component where students can put in practice what they learned. Student will log in a custom website designed for Westlake HS where they can find all the resources needed.

Have you ever wanted to make slappy trap beats or write a heart-string-pulling ballad? Music In The Tech-Roaring 20’s explores the technology-driven process of how music is created today!

This workshop will consist of a brief introduction to composition, songwriting, and production (free and paid -GarageBand, Noteflight, Logic, Finale, etc.). Experience in one or more of those areas/platforms is recommended but not essential. Only an interest in music and/or using technology to make it is required for this workshop! (P.S. if you play/own an instrument, bring it!!)

In this workshop, students will learn about different aspects of cybers security and play a jeopardy game to test their skills! You will learn about the different aspects of cyber security including first principles, IP addressing, privacy, encryption, and the World Wide Web. Be prepared to test your new knowledge in a competitive challenge.

Learn the basics of Python and have fun at the same time! This workshop will cover introductory topics, including variables, print statements, and simple logic. Students will use this knowledge to create reusable Mad Lib stories! The program will fill the gaps of your story with input from the user. Learn programming and have fun reading Mad Lib Stories!

From college choice and auditions to theatrical training and working in the film and television industry - this workshop will focus on first steps to 'breaking into' the industry of entertainment. Students will view clips from "The Blair Witch Project" and other films demonstrating the art of improvisation, filmmaking and special effects.

Is it possible to rewire the human brain? In this workshop, students will learn about the science of neuroplasticity through yoga and mindful breathing. Neuroplasticity is the capacity of neurons in the brain to change their connections and behavior in response to new information and sensory stimulation. Students will learn how movement techniques positively influence their brain.