Young people from around the state are putting on their thinking caps and getting ready for the STEP (Science and Technology Entry Program) Regional Science Bowl this weekend. Sixteen STEP teams from around the state, made up of about 80 high school students, will compete Saturday, Feb. 6, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. at College Park Hall. President Stephen C. Ainlay will give the welcome address Saturday morning, and Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton is the keynote speaker.
STEP encourages historically underrepresented students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. The Science Bowl is a “Jeopardy-style” contest in which teams compete in several rounds. Each squad is mentored by one of about a dozen institutions, including Monroe Community College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Syracuse University and the University at Albany. Union’s two teams are being coached by Chris Vargas ’10 and Peter Cardone ’10.
This is the first time Union is hosting the competition, now in its 20th year. “Union shows its commitment to diversity and its dedication to fostering a more diverse interest in science, technology, engineering and math among young people,” said Angela Tatem, director of the Kenney Community Center, which oversees the College’s STEP initiatives. “The participants are empowered by the opportunity to see students who look like them battling for the chance to be the best in science and math.”
The final round of competition is scheduled for 1:50 p.m. Saturday, with an awards presentation at 2:15 p.m. The winning team will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. in May to compete in the national competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Saturday’s event is sponsored by the President’s Office. The Schenectady Museum is supplying free passes to all Science Bowl participants, and the New York State Department of Education provides support for Union’s STEP program. Fifty members of the Union community are volunteering to support the College’s STEP efforts and the Science Bowl. Several professors are involved, as are members of the Society of Physics Students, Chemistry Club, Biomechanical Engineering Society, Pre-Health Society, Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers, Lambda Pi Chi and SNMA-MAPS (Student National Medical Association-Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students).