Media Advisory: Students demonstrating hands-on wind tunnel and shake table projects join national science access expert Shirley Malcolm Friday in Science Week closing celebration

BUFFALO, N.Y. – City-wide Science Week concludes its successful week of science and technology consciousness-raising Friday, April 11, with students demonstrating their wind tunnel and shake table projects and an inspirational speech by STEM and educational access advocate Shirley Malcolm.

“Science Week was a great success.  Buffalo Public Schools students engaged in science, teachers focused on best practices, and the region’s SUNY institutions collaborated in strengthening the educational pipeline,” says Vice President for Research and Economic Development Alexander N. Cartwright.   “UB was glad to help facilitate the week by creating new activities while also highlighting existing programs that will support science learning throughout the year.”

What: This year’s first-annual Buffalo Public Schools Science Week has showcased how science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) expertise among young people is crucial to satisfying the employment needs of Western New York’s emerging life sciences and advanced manufacturing industries.  The week’s activities close with students demonstrating working wind tunnel and earthquake-simulating shake table projects. Shirley Malcolm, a national leader in encouraging girls and women to pursue degrees and careers in engineering and science degrees, will speak on her work dedicated to expanding access for all students in STEM programs.

Where and When: Friday’s in-class science activities and presentations will be at Burgard High School, 400 Kensington Ave. Science demonstrations begin at 9 a.m. The ceremony continues with speeches until about 10:45 a.m. Malcom is scheduled to speak at approximately 10 a.m.

Who: Malcolm and the students showing visitors their science projects will join Buffalo Public School officials, including Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Pamela Brown; UB administrators and educators Cartwright and Joseph A. Gardella Jr.; state and local public officials, including Congressman Brian Higgins, SUNY Trustee Eunice Lewin and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, and educators from the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership, which is assisting the week of science and technology activities.

Why: Funded by a $10 million National Science Foundation grant, organizers want to transform how science is taught and build a technology-savvy workforce in Western New York to meet demands of the area’s expanding innovation economy. The weeklong program has already earned praise from teachers and parents.

Sixth-grader Tyler Smith of the Charles R. Drew Science Magnet School #59 appeared this week on Channel 7’s Wednesday Weather segment as a special Science Week guest.  Tyler’s parents and Stephanie Finn, the school’s science coach, accompanied Tyler to Channel 7 studios.

“His mother could not stop talking about how grateful she was for the school, and even for his sixth-grade science teacher, Mrs. Kristen Tata,” said Denisca R. Thompson, principal at Dr. Charles R. Drew Science Magnet, one of the city schools participating in Science Week. “She says that Mrs. Tata has really awakened Tyler’s thirst for learning.  I appreciate ISEPs involvement with Tyler. This is a team effort.”

On site contacts and media opportunities: Suzanne Chamberlain, senior director at UB’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, will be at the school to handle media requests. Her cell phone is 716-868-1020. Buffalo Public School science teachers and the students conducting hands-on science activities will be available for interviews and videos of the classroom experiments.

Visit the web site of the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development for more information about Science Week daily activities and for articles on this week’s activities.