SCC participates in STEM Education month

Surry Community College participated in STEM Education Month throughout April. The month-long North Carolina Science Festival inspired several events hosted by SCC’s Science Division and by the SCC Library.

SCC’s Science Division and Library partnered to host two events to help the community learn more and prepare for the best ways to view the April 8 solar eclipse.

The first was a presentation by SCC’s Science Division entitled “Moon Photobombs Sun: A Guide to Solar Eclipses.” The second event was an eclipse viewing experience hosted by SCC’s Library.

Surry Community College also hosted an Agriculture Day for local high school students. The event was held on April 19, at the Dobson campus. The event featured a agricultural presentation for students, a petting zoo, and a cash-only plant sale.

Two Surry Community College science alumni also spoke on their research and careers, giving perspective to potential STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) career opportunities.

On Thursday, April 18, Jayne Willard, biologist with the National Park Service, talked about her work on the collapse of the cottonwood tree and implications for wildlife populations in the Mississippi National River & Recreation Area in Minnesota.

Winter Gary, executive director with the Highlands Biological Foundation, spoke on conservation work at the Highlands Biological Station in Highlands.

Finally, Surry Community College invited homeschooling families and SCC students to join a BioBlitz on the Surry Community College campus in Dobson. A BioBlitz is an event where participants find, identify, and record as many species as possible in an area. It’s an event that combined education and exploration along with an opportunity to engage with nature, learn about biodiversity, and contribute valuable data to scientific research.

Due to Surry Community College’s participation in STEM Education Month, SCC’s Science Division was invited to attend a reception at the Executive Mansion in Raleigh on March 6, where the governor’s proclamation on STEM Education Month was read.

For more information about STEM Education Month, contact Jeff Jones, SCC science division chair, at jonesjr@surry.edu or 336-386-3391.