Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP)

🎉 Nominate today: The AEOP Membership Council Community Service Award! 🌟 This award celebrates AEOP participants who’ve made a significant impact in their community using their AEOP experience. Nominees must have completed an AEOP program by 2023. Know someone who’s making a difference – or even yourself? Submit your nomination today! Nominations close November 15. https://lnkd.in/eM2nhjdp

Are you passionate about STEM? Junior Solar Sprint is always looking for volunteers to support TSA state events, U.S. Army-hosted events, and the TSA national conference. JSS is held at 22 state events, and volunteers nationwide play a key role in making them a success! Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gRYhf5KU

Today marks the last day of our “AEOP 101” series, and we’re spotlighting GEMS! Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science is a summer STEM enrichment program for middle and high school students. GEMS goes beyond basic experiments, diving into creative and practical STEM concepts in action. Plus, there are volunteer opportunities for both students and teachers in U.S. Army research labs and engineering centers! More at: https://lnkd.in/edbkycm

Today’s program brings STEM to life for students who might not typically see themselves as a scientist or engineer through hands-on, engaging STEM activities that make learning fun. Unite is a four-to-six week program designed for high schoolers from priority populations that offers students a chance to explore real-world STEM applications and discover future career paths. More at: https://lnkd.in/ebrAVBWb

Today’s spotlight is on the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium - a nationwide, DoD-sponsored STEM competition designed to challenge high school students to develop skills needed for college and future careers. The competition pushes participants to tackle real-world problems by fostering critical thinking and innovative problem-solving. By engaging in hands-on projects, students gain valuable experience and confidence that will help them succeed academically and professionally! JSHS is your opportunity to make an impact on the scientific community. Ready to share your findings? Learn more about the competition here: https://bit.ly/3VkYloJ

Today’s focus is on AEOP Fellowships, which offers graduate and post-graduate students research opportunities at U.S. Army research labs. As the demand for STEM professionals grows, these Fellowships help prepare learners for future careers by developing research skills, providing career resources, and building connections with U.S. Army researchers. Take your skills to the next level! Apply today. Find your perfect fellowship here: https://lnkd.in/eDWEHyvX

Today, we are highlighting High school and Undergraduate AEOP Internships: a program for students to engage in cutting-edge research at state-of-the-art labs across the country! Spend your summer working in university research labs or U.S. Army research centers, gaining hands-on experience and insights from top scientists and engineers! It's your chance to explore future career paths, build your network, and make your mark in the STEM world. Ready to launch your career? Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eDFW-uzd

This summer I had the incredible opportunity to develop and teach incoming 7th-12th grade students a lesson on the structure of a neuron the chemistry behind action potential for the Army Educations Outreach Program Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) with GEMS. This experience allowed me to expand my public speaking skills and data analytic skills as my results showed significance for younger students successfully learning and understanding entry level college content. I hope my lesson encourages educational systems to focus on the benefits of the introducing neuroscience to younger students. Finally, I would like to give a special thank you to my mentors Kathleen Umayam, MEd, Dr. Adaeze Egwuatu, and Dr. Manal Almalki at WRAIR.

This summer I have been blessed to work with the Army’s GEMS program through the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) to teach students about STEM topics in an active and engaging environment as a Near Peer Mentor. I had the responsibility of spearheading a class just newly introduced to GEMS Frederick this year, Biofabrication and Commercialization. I want to thank Mrs. Christy Johnson and Mrs. Kelly GravesonPayne from Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) | BioFabUSA who helped to train and prepare us for our weeks of classes. Aside from the niche topics and concepts of the field of biofabrication, and the aspects of creating a marketable product, our two main goals for our students were… 1) That our students leave with a sense of purpose, realizing how their careers can positively impact the lives of others through medicine, 2) And that our students understand the vast potential of different careers that are needed within the field of biofabrication and improved medicine. Over the five weeks of courses and 75 students, we were able to see our goals come to fruition, most particularly through our students' final presentations, where they pitched their biofabricated solutions to a panel of judges including scientists and engineers from local facilities in a shark tank style competition. I am extremely thankful to my teammates, Reuben Puthumana, Noah Pettit, Anwitha Kondragunta, and Thomas Evans for their effort and collaboration to lead to such a successful summer. A special thanks to our program directors and all of our resource teachers for their guidance and support. Lastly, thank you to U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command Public Affairs for the article they wrote on me and my experience. I owe so much to GEMS for my STEM development as a student and now as a mentor, and I look forward to continuing to contribute back. https://lnkd.in/eEpryEGz

Next up, we’re highlighting AEOP’s Camp Invention - an exciting, hands-on program where rising kindergarten through 6th graders can explore, experiment, and tackle real-world challenges. Through a weeklong program, Camp Invention nurtures creativity and hones critical thinking skills. Join the fun and spark your creativity! Discover more at https://lnkd.in/eyVKZ3RF