People
Team Mentors: Brenda Lisitano, Joy Olayiwola, Sarah Feltz, Chinedum Uche,
Dami Oni-Orisan, Samantha Smith, Crystal Deleon, Jessica Fernandes.
STEM-C Teachers: Melissa Hall, Uche Uche, Lili Aramli, Duane Jones,
Jake Mendelssohn, Julie Lemke, Amanda Avery, Professor Sarah Raskin,
James Flannery, Elizabeth Kupiecki, Pauline Lake, Heather Saksa.
CTCSTA members: Seth Freeman, Betsy Dillard, Melissa Fearrington, Pauline Lake, Heather Saksa, Chinma Uche
Profile:
Women in STEM-C Teachers:
Pauline Lake: Pauline Lake is the Mobile CSP project’s Teaching Consultant -- i.e., she visits all of the teachers in the classroom, helping with technical issues and with instruction. She is the project’s full-time staff person and is closely involved in all aspects of the project, including the curriculum and assessment. A 2013 graduate of Trinity College with a double major in Computer Science and Educational Studies, Pauline has been teaching App Inventor to middle- and high-school students in the Hartford area since 2010. She also served as an online mentor in the CS4HS App Inventor course and a mentor for the Mobile CSP online course.
Mobile CS: Creating a Mobile App Come learn how to create a mobile app! We will use App Inventor for Android to create a fun and interactive app that will be fun for all ages. No experience necessary. Devices will be provided, but feel free to use your own Android device if you have one.
Heather Saksa: Heather is a technology teacher at the CREC Montessori Magnet School in Hartford, CT. She has studied website design and app development and has most recently been involved in educating teachers around the state as part of the Code.org teacher affiliate program.
CS Explorations: Explore the basics of programming through Scratch and the Hour of Code tutorials in this session. Participants will create fun a and simple programs, games, and animations!
Professor Raskin: Professor of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Hartford.
This workshop will include hands on activities to learn about the brain. We will color and make brain hats, act out the function of brain cells, perform a test of memory, play neuroscience jeopardy and more.
Participants will learn basic information about brain anatomy and function.
The team includes undergraduate neuroscience students who attend Trinity College. Many of them actively participate in the Neuroscience Club and brain awareness week activities including the Brain Bee for High School students that takes place in January.
Melissa A. Hall:
Mrs. Hall has been teaching chemistry to high school students for almost 30 years. During that time she has taught not only the students enrolled in her chemistry classes, but several groups of young people interested in pursuing many different areas of science through special summer and weekend programs. In addition, she has continually updated her own knowledge through specialized training in environmentally-sound chemistry experiments, microscale chemistry, proper handling, storage and disposal of hazardous materials, and in laboratory safety. Mrs. Hall has also co-taught many other chemistry teachers about the American Chemical Society’s ChemCom curriculum and in general laboratory safety.
Kool Chemistry: Most of the substances, materials, and “stuff” you use every day (or have around you) are not individual elements or compounds, but a category of matter called mixtures. For the scientist, we need to have a way to separate the mixtures into the elements and compounds that make them up. During this activity you will learn about, and DO (!) chromatography on samples of Kool-Aid ™ grape drink. This is one time that things are not what they appear!
Dr. Uche Uche, Dr. Aramli & Ms. Amanda Avery:
Dr. Uche: Dr. Uche is a science teacher at the Greater Hartford of the Academy of the Arts. He has been involved in teaching and research for over twenty years in Nigeria, United Kingdom and the US. He completed his graduate studies at the University of Edinburgh Scotland, UK.
Dr. Lili Aramli: Dr. Aramli is a science teacher and team leader at the Academy of Aerospace and Engineering and the Greater Hartford Academy of Mathematics and Science. She earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Connecticut and completed her research training as a Post-doctoral fellow at Yale University. She has been teaching for over 20 years and has developed an extensive research program that allows student to develop authentic research projects. She is actively involved in her school community and serves on various committees in addition to managing a research fellowship award that supports young people interested in research at her school. She is a member of AAAS, NSTA and takes pride in being teacher of the year at GHAMAS in 2008 and at AAE in 2013 as well as Women of Innovation award winner in 2013.
Ms. Amanda Avery: (no blurb received) Biology teacher at CREC’s Academy of Aerospace and Engineering and the Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science.
Extraction of Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from Strawberry: Cells are the basic unit of life. DNA contains instructions that direct every activity of the cell and ultimately, the entire body. The importance of DNA in forensic science and crime control is unlimited. This activity will demonstrate how DNA can be isolated from strawberry using common household materials.
James Flannery: My name is Jim Flannery and I am currently running the first-ever 'students teaching students' physics online competition: Mission FisX (missionfisx.com). I've also made my own sketch comedy show teaching intro high school physics called 'What the FisX' (wtfisx.com). My technical background includes: two years doing laboratory automation for a private company, two years of medical device work at a University, and founding two start up companies (LED and biotech). PLUS - I'm a 2004 GHAMAS graduate.
'Girls Broadcast from the Moon!'
During this workshop your team will create a short video sharing a message with the world - broadcasting from the moon! Due to time constraints and limited budgets, we will be using green screen technology rather than rockets. Audio, video, and editing technologies will be explored hands-on.
Jake Mendelssohn: (no blurb received) Biology teacher at CREC’s Academy of Aerospace and Engineering and the Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science.
Digital Electronics and You: We live in Digital Electronic world and in this hands-on, interactive activity, you will learn how to use digital logic to control the things and systems around you. All of our automated systems from traffic lights to refrigerators to elevators use digital logic to work and after this session you will understand how they operate.
Duane Jones: (no blurb received) Mathematics teacher at CREC’s Academy of Aerospace and Engineering and the Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science.
Elizabeth Kupiecki: (no blurb received) Mathematics teacher at CREC’s Academy of Aerospace and Engineering and the Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science.
Julie Lemke: (no blurb received) Engineering teacher at CREC’s Academy of Aerospace and Engineering and the Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science.
3D: Students will learn how to use Autodesk Inventor to create 3D objects. Students will also learn how 3D printers work.
Women in STEM-C Panelists and Mentors:
Jennifer Michalek: Jennifer Michalek is the secondary math consultant for the Connecticut Department of Education. Before joining the CDSE, she served Connecticut as a teacher for 18 years. She worked in high schools in Region 10 and Simsbury, teaching all courses from Algebra I to AP Calculus and Computer Science. She completed her time in the classroom with the Bristol School System as an 8th grade math teacher. In 2012, she was recognized as Bristol’s Teacher of the Year. Jennifer earned a B.S. in Mathematics/Computer Science from Stonehill College and a M.A. degree in Special Education from Central Connecticut State University.
Joanne Davenport: Joanne Davenport is a licensed Medical Technologist currently working as a Clinical Business Systems Analyst with Hartford Healthcare. She is assisting in the design and build of a new Electronic Medical Record (EMR) using a sophisticated system called EPIC for the Hartford Healthcare system. Joanne earned a B.S. Degree in Allied Health from the University of Connecticut. For 11 years, she worked as a Medical Technologist at The Hospital of Central Connecticut, where she was responsible for testing/analyzing various specimens to help providers diagnose patients for specific disease states. She has a wide range of knowledge about the hospital laboratory setting, including provider and nursing processes.
Carolyn Hoban: I love my job as the Vice President of Research at Hartford Healthcare. Understanding science, technology, engineering and math is my foundation and direction of research to identify the critical needs of our patients- so we can bring the right treatment for the right patient at the right time.
Understanding science and technology allows to understand how cells work, pathologies emerge and ultimately presents to doctors charged with making it better. This comes together in the academic health center where our shared goal is to translate research into practices that will help people. It's awesome!
Samantha Smith: Samantha graduated from Weaver High School and GHAMAS in 2004 and attended Trinity College. She graduated from Trinity in 2008 with a B.S. in Mathematics, then graduated from University of Hartford in 2012 with a M.S. in Accounting & Taxation. She spent a short time working in public accounting and currently works as an Auditor for the State of Connecticut.
Sarah Feltz: Sarah graduated from GHAMAS in 2012. She is currently a Junior at Syracuse University. She is also a Biology major on the Pre-dental track and intend to go to dental school after graduation.
Brenda Lisitano: Brenda graduated from GHAMAS and Southington High School in the class of 2009 and Rochester Institute of Technology class of 2013 with Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering Degrees in Mechanical Engineering. She is currently an Aero/Thermo Engineer in Engine Operability Analysis for Pratt and Whitney.
Joie Olayiwola: Joie Olayiwola graduated from GHAMAS June 2009, and the University of Connecticut, with a degree in Diagnostic Genetic Sciences in May 2013. Currently, she works in the Cytogenetics section of the Department of Pathology at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. I plan on going to graduate school in the future for a Ph.D. in Human Genetics.
Chinedum Uche: Chinedum graduated from GHAMAS in 2014 and is currently a freshman at Dartmouth College. Chinedum plans on focusing on Computer Science and Pre-med while at Dartmouth. This past summer Chinedum participated in an intensive summer institute at Google. Also, as part of her GHAMAS experience, Chinedum did a mice research project.
Dami Oni-Orisan: Dami is a proud graduate of the GHAMAS class of 2009. She graduated from Yale University in 2013 where she double majored in Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology and Portuguese. She is dedicated to fighting disparities in healthcare and education here in the U.S. and abroad.
Jessica Fernandes: Jessica, a GHAMAS class of 2014 graduate, is a freshman in the University of Connecticut Honors program who is majoring in Cognitive Science. Jessica worked in a Neuroscience lab at Yale University for the past two summers. The first summer was through the Discovery to Cure Internship.
Crystal Deleon: My names Crystal Deleon I graduated from AAE/GHAMAS class of 2014. I was a member of Women in STEM-C! I currently attend the University of Saint Joseph.