HipScience has been bringing their sensors and STEM curriculum to students through partnerships with companies and institutions such as Microsoft, Florida State University, Dremel, Websmith Group and others. "But to really make an impact we needed to do something on a larger scale. Even boosting the sales channels with occasional workshops, event drawings, and school visits was not reaching enough kids fast enough," said Marquette Trishaun, COO of HipScience. "We knew we had to figure out a way to get these sensors and lessons into all schools, including those in economically disadvantaged areas," Trishaun added. "Students may know that there are fantastic career opportunities in science and technology, but they never have the chance to see if it interests them. Because STEM equipment is not in their classrooms, they may feel that it's out of reach without ever having the chance to interact and evaluate. Because it needs to be a win-win, we decided to get our network and stakeholders involved. Committing to the White House Stem for All initiative gives us added leverage."
About the STEM Advantage Program
Adults (18 or over) can nominate a US K-12 school or STEM Camp to receive a Mantis STEM sensor and accompanying curriculum. By spreading the word and getting 24 more people to nominate the same school or STEM Camp, they will be placed on the donor recipient list. That list will be presented on the MantisOpenStem.com website and social media pages, crowdfunding pages, and affiliated shopping cart checkout pages. There, shoppers and donors can select and make a donation of at least 1 kit to any school or camp on the list. Once a school or camp receives a donation, they will be notified and shipping information will be collected. At the end of the campaign, schools that received a donation will be sent their sensor(s), curriculum and training schedule. Nominations are being collected at http://www.mantisopenstem.com/enroll/. HipScience will begin taking donations as soon as we have at least one qualified nominee.
Each kit being donated will include one of the Mantis sensors described below along with curriculum specific to the sensor's purpose. The curriculum will include a lesson or series of lessons authored and vetted by teachers or subject matter experts. There will be an online teacher training session for the donation recipients. The sensors being provided are open platform and programmable so, in addition to advancing proficiency in science, math, and engineering, there is also a coding aspect to these devices and the accompanying curriculum. Some of the sensors that will be included in this program:
Mantis Climate Sensor can provide the student with data related to the temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, UV light, dew point and a new expansion port that will allow additional measurements such as wind speed. Recharging the Climate Sensor can easily be done using the USB charger port.
Mantis Sensor Wand which can host a variety of probes (including competitor probes). The Mantis product line provides a versatile and extensive collection of open-source probes (turbidity, pH, soil moisture, temperature, conductivity) and accessories to collect, store, and display experiment data, whether as part of a curriculum or DIY project. The Mantis Sensor Wand is also compatible with a variety of other manufacturers' sensors. The Sensor Wand is Bluetooth compatible, and can be charged using the USB charger.
Mantis Force Motion Sensor Kit includes a Mantis Cart and Ramp. The cart houses a force motion sensor and in combination, they can be used to conduct a vast array of activities associated with acceleration, motion, and pressure measurement.
About the White House STEM for All Initiative
With projections that the US will need 1 million additional STEM graduates by 2022 to meet workforce demand, President Obama asks the Nation to engage all students, including those who are underrepresented in many STEM fields. To learn more about President Obama's White House Stem for All initiative, you can visit https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2016/02/11/stem-all.
About HipScience, LLC and MantisOpenStem.com
With headquarters in Atlanta and a location in Orlando, Mantis is a brand division of HipScience, LLC. HipScience is an embedded sensor company, embedding sensors so they talk and play with other relevant technology. The Mantis brand of sensors and probes is designed with STEM education and hobbyists in mind promoting an open platform and standards-based curriculum. With over 15 years of experience in the aerospace industry, the company has been designing and engineering sensors that embed in wearable items, education tools, and commercial/industrial devices. Visit us at http://www.hip-sci.com/ to learn more.
Contact
Marquette Trishaun
***@hip-sci.com
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