/news-archive/tag/exxonmobil-bernard-harris-summer-science-camp/ ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock Mon, 24 Jul 2017 17:02:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /news-archive/2017/07/24/bernard-harris-2/ Mon, 24 Jul 2017 17:02:08 +0000 /news/?p=67513 ... Astronaut Bernard Harris gives advice to future STEM leaders]]> When the astronauts returned, the American people celebrated their extraordinary achievements with ticker-tape parades. Harris was determined to follow their footsteps into space. “They were called American heroes,” he said. “I wanted to be an American hero.” During the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp July 11 in the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Engineering and Information Technology, Harris told a group of 36 participants the story of how he became the first African American to walk in space. Sponsored by the and Harris, the camp offers middle school students in underserved and underrepresented populations a free, two-week learning experience in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Harris recognizes that middle school is a critical time when most students might give up on pursuing STEM-related majors and careers. He hopes his story will inspire campers to pursue math and science educational opportunities. “When you finish college, we want to make sure you have a job to take care of yourself and your family, so you can give back to your community,” he said. After watching the moon landing, Harris began his lifelong dream to travel to space by learning everything he could about astronauts and what it took to become one. However, it didn’t take him long to notice that there were no African American astronauts for him to admire. “Just after the end of the Civil Rights Movement, there wasn’t much expectation for somebody who looked like me to go into space,” he said. “There wasn’t much expectation for somebody who was black, or Hispanic, or Asian, or a woman to be an astronaut.” He told camp participants they should not be ashamed for being future leaders in STEM fields. “I got teased about being smart,” Harris recalled of his school years. “Sometimes, it’s not cool to be smart. In this camp, it’s cool to be smart. You are surrounded by the future leaders of America.” After earning a Doctorate of Medicine from Texas Tech University, Harris completed a residency in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic and a National Council fellowship in endocrinology at the NASA Ames Research Center. In addition, he trained as a flight surgeon. In 1990, Harris was one of only about 20 people out of more than 6,000 applicants selected into the Astronaut Corp. He was a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1993. As payload commander on Space Shuttle Discovery in 1995, he served on the first flight of the joint Russian-American Space Program, becoming the first African American to walk in space. Harris worked at NASA for a decade, conducting research in musculoskeletal physiology and disuse osteoporosis. He conducted clinical investigations of space adaptation and developed in-flight medical devices to safely extend astronauts’ time in space. When asked what he missed the most about being in space, Harris said floating around the space shuttle in zero gravity, since it allowed him to “fulfill another childhood dream of being Superman.” ]]> /news-archive/2017/07/10/bernard-harris/ Mon, 10 Jul 2017 20:23:03 +0000 /news/?p=67445 ... Former astronaut to visit ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp Tuesday, May 11]]> Sponsored by the and Harris, the camp offers middle school students in underserved and underrepresented populations a free, two-week learning experience in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Dr. Bernard Harris Jr., an astronaut for over 20 years, will speak as part of the camp’s media day events, which will begin at 9 a.m. in the Engineering and Information Technology Building Auditorium on the ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock campus. The event is free and open to the public.  “There is no better way to foster a love of STEM than through hands-on experiences,” Harris said. “My goal with our camps is to foster the next generation of innovative thinkers, particularly those who may not have had significant exposure to STEM and interactive experiences like those we provide.” Engineering and Information Technology Dean Dr. Lawrence Whitman, Assistant Dean Vernard Henley, and ExxonMobil representatives will also speak. To celebrate Harris’ visit, campers will participate in an astronaut-themed competition, the “Mars Lander Challenge.” Competitors will use household materials to build the safest and most accurate spacecraft. ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camps have served more than 12,500 students across the country since 2006. ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock is hosting the camp for the ninth year. More about Dr. Harris An astronaut for over 20 years, has logged more than 438 hours and traveled over 7.2 million miles in space. Harris worked at NASA for a decade, where he conducted research in musculoskeletal physiology and disuse osteoporosis. He conducted clinical investigations of space adaptation and developed in-flight medical devices to extend astronauts’ time in space. Selected into the Astronaut Corp in January 1990, Harris was a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia STS-55/Spacelab D-2 in 1993. As payload commander on Space Shuttle Discovery STS-63 in 1995, he served on the first flight of the joint Russian-American Space Program, becoming the first African American to walk in space. Harris is the chief executive officer and managing partner of Vesalius Ventures, Inc., a venture capital firm that invests in healthcare technology and companies. He is the founder of the , a nonprofit organizations that supports math and science education and crime prevention programs for America’s youth. ]]> /news-archive/2017/04/07/exxonmobil-bernard-harris-summer-science-camp/ Fri, 07 Apr 2017 14:17:36 +0000 /news/?p=66756 ... Applications available for ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp]]> The next generation of innovators, scientists, and engineers can get a head start in their future careers at the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp July 9-21 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.  Thanks to a grant from and , ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology will host a free, two-week summer camp for middle school students interested in science, technology, engineering, and math. For the 12th consecutive year, ExxonMobil Foundation and Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr., the first African American to walk in space, will sponsor summer science camps at universities  across the United States. ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock is hosting the camp for the ninth year. To be eligible, students must be members of a traditionally underserved and underrepresented population; be entering sixth, seventh, or eighth grade; have an overall grade of at least a B in math and science; and a score at the median to superior level on standardized math and science tests. They also must write a 250-word essay and have strong recommendations from their math and science teachers. Led by Executive Camp Director and Engineering and Information Technology Assistant Dean Vernard Henley, the two-week residential summer camp will host 36 sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students from all over the state. These STEM-curious attendees will participate in experiments and go on field excursions to reinforce the project-based curriculum. ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camps have served more than 12,500 students across the country since 2006. Fill out the online form to apply. Applications must be postmarked by May 2. Contact Vernard Henley at 501.569.8203 or vwhenley@ualr.edu for more information. ]]>