- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Applications available for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s free EIT summer camps

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 13:46:09 +0000

Every summer, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology hosts free summer camps to enrich the minds of middle and high school students through summer camps that are focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Vernard Henley Jr., assistant dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology, sees these camps as an important way to help students in fifth-through-11th grade stay interested in STEM areas and to major in one of these fields in college. “We are invested in adding diversity to the STEM pipeline. Thanks to our corporate partners, we are able to remove virtually all of the obstacles for students and their parents that prevent underserved students from learning about careers in STEM,” Henley said. “All of our programs have a residential component and are free. We cover all necessary expenses for each admitted student, so there’s no reason why an interested student shouldn’t be able to attend one of our summer camps. Many students have the aptitude for engineering and computer science, but aren’t able to interact with someone from either discipline until they attend college. Students can’t be it if they don’t see it. ” These programs are aimed to increase the number of students earning STEM degrees in Arkansas through exposure to hands-on projects, off-campus excursions, and interaction with industry. Additionally, each program includes counseling and advising sessions to assist students in preparing for college and features academic and lab sessions on various STEM disciplines. The camps include the Civil and Construction Engineering Camp, the Computer Science Summer program, the EIT Middle School Summer Science Camp, Engineering Scholars program, Geology Camp, High School Research program, and Windstream’s Girls Coding Camp. Applications for the summer camps are due April 19. Contact Ashley Henry-Saorrono at 501-569-8597 or alhenry@ualr.edu for more information. The camps and their dates include: Civil and Construction Engineering Camp Dates: June 16-28 Grades: 8-11 Computer Science Summer Program Dates: June 23-29 Grades: 8-11 Dates: Session 1: June 16-22 Dates: Session 2: June 23-29 Grades: 8-11 Dates: Session 1: July 7-13 Dates: Session 2: July 14-20 Grades: 5-7 Dates: June 9-15 Grades: 8-11 Dates: July 7-26 Grades: 8-11 Windstream: Girls Coding Camp Dates: July 21-26 Grades: 7-8

EIT employees take pie in the face to support women engineers

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 13:15:25 +0000

Vernard Henley, assistant dean of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock College of Engineering and Information Technology, grudgingly agreed that taking a pie in the face in front of a cheering crowd of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students and employees on Pi Day was worth it to support female engineering students. “I feel awful sticky,” he said. “It’s for a good cause, but I didn’t get anything out of it except for a wet beard!” Henley and Amy Frets, EIT director of student services, were the two lucky winners who received a pie in the face after earning the most votes. Frets, who had been inside advising a student, lamented the fact that she did not get to see Henley take a pie to the face. “It feels so gross, but it tastes so good,” she said. “I will do anything for the students.” Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant pi (3.14), which is celebrated on March 14 (3/14). The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Society of Women Engineers raised $634 by holding a bake sale, selling T-shirts, and having an online auction of pies donated by students and faculty. For every $1 spent, a person could cast a vote for one of seven EIT employees who volunteered to get a pie in the face. The other volunteers included Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology; Dr. Steven Minsker, professor of computer science; Erin Flowers, education counselor; Dr. Hank Bray, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering; and Dr. David Luneau, professor of electronic and computer engineering technology. In the final minutes of the fundraiser, the top three volunteers with the most votes (Henley, Frets, and Whitman) all worked hard to keep themselves from getting chosen. Frets donated $20 in favor of Henley, while Vernard donated $65 and even offered to match donations from the crowd toward Frets and Whitman. “I have a cash app, and I’m not afraid to use it,” Henley said. “I am dedicated to the university, and I want to stay here until late into the evening to work. I can’t do that if I have all of this sticky stuff on my face.” In the last five minutes, it looked as if Henley had been successful in his venture to keep himself out of the hot seat, with Frets and Whitman taking the top two spots. However, Whitman snuck in a last-minute $15 donation toward Henley’s camp to keep himself out of the spotlight.

Amy Frets is all smiles after taking a pie in the face during the Pi Day fundraiser for the Society of Women Engineers. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

“It’s the best money I spent in a long time. This is a fun event for a great cause,” Whitman said. “We are supporting the Society of Women Engineers sending students to participate in the national conference.” Some members of the crowd actively lobbied for who they wanted to see get a pie in the face. “When I went to contribute, I put my $10 in Dean Whitman’s cup,” said Kesha Robinson, administrative assistant in the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering. “Hank Bray is my boss, so I told people not to put any tickets in his cup. I love Dean Whitman, but I didn’t think he had enough votes. I love that the volunteers can try to barter themselves out of it. The students are making more money out of the volunteers than anyone else. This is an awesome fundraiser.” Echo Davis, a sophomore environmental engineering major and vice president of the Society of Women Engineers, said the group is thrilled for the university community’s support. “SWE is a noncompetition-based organization that encourages women to pursue engineering,” Davis said. “We take tours of local sites so that members can get an inside look into the life of an engineer.” Anyone interested in joining the Society of Women Engineers can contact Echo Davis at ejdavis@ualr.edu or 501-701-8760. In the upper right photo, Assistant Dean Vernard Henley takes a pie in the face during a fundraiser for the Society of Women Engineers. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

International STEAM delegates to visit ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Janea Snyder — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 14:46:21 +0000

An international delegation of eight women — all successful in their respective STEAM fields — will visit the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Monday, Nov. 5, as part of a “Hidden No More: Advancing Women in STEAM Fields” program. A community forum and reception talk will take place from 5-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5, in the Windgate Center for Art + Design and is free and open to the public. The women will participate in a panel discussion beginning at 5 p.m., followed by networking with international and local leaders at 6 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. The woman are part of a program inspired by the movie “Hidden Figures,” about black female mathematicians who played a vital role in NASA’s mission to the moon. The movie led the U.S. Department of State to create the last year brings women leaders who represent “hidden talent” in their home countries to the United States to explore U.S. efforts to prepare women and girls for careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. The Hidden No More program, now in its second year, includes professionals in the arts as well. This year 48 female leaders from 48 different countries — all of whom work in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and math — were invited to the United States to network and explore policies promoting the interests of women in STEAM. The women first convened in Washington, D.C. and then split into smaller groups to visit six smaller cities, including Little Rock. The theme for their time here in Little Rock is “STEAM Education and Youth Engagement.” The visitors included the following:

Austria – Dr. Miriam Unterlass, group leader and lecturer, Institute Of Materials Chemistry, Technical University Vienna
Chile – Carolina Andrea Fuentes Pezoa, team lead, Big Data And Analytics, Equifax Inc.
Croatia – Maja Macinko Kovac, teacher, Eugen Kvaternik Elementary School
Honduras – Michelle Fontecha Sandoval, executive director, Honduras Stem Foundation
Kyrgyz Republic – Shirin Mukanbetova, executive director, Kyrgyz Software and Services Developers Association
Netherlands – Tamar Gans, founder And CEO, Robotwise
Portugal – Maria Lopes Goncalves De Brito Amorim, principal investigator, Cell Biology and Viral Infection Group, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia
Sri Lanka – Amali Manori Ranasinghe, project scientist, coordinating secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry of Science, Technology and Research

Three of the women will participate in a panel discussion on Monday, along with Dr. Mary Good, founding dean of the George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology; Dr. Mariya Khodakovskya, interim associate dean for research and graduate studies in University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s College of Arts, Letters and Sciences; and Dr. Yang Luo-Branch, digital marketing and GIS manager at the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. The event is hosted by Global Ties Arkansas, a nonprofit which contracts with the federal government to bring international delegates to Little Rock for professional training. The group will return to campus on Tuesday, Nov. 6, to meet with Vernard Henley, assistant dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology, and Thomas Wallace, senior instructor of information science and web design, who teaches the Girls Coding Camp at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock each summer. On Wednesday, Nov. 7, they will tour the George W. Donaghey Emerging Analytics Center where faculty and students perform innovative research in technology, infrastructure and applications for virtual reality, visualization, and interactive technologies. Thomas Coffin, senior operating manager, will provide the tour of the virtual reality cave invented by Dr. Carolina Cruz-Neira, who was recently elected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Anyone interested in attending the community forum is asked to RSVP to Heidi Whitman, heidi@globaltiesark.org.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock hosts summer camps

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 13:58:57 +0000

Looking for an engaging summer program to keep a motivated student academically challenged, or interested in having the student explore a new interest? The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is hosting a variety of summer camps in musical theatre, writing, engineering, computer coding, robotics, geology, transportation, swimming, and more. Young Writers Camp Dates: June 11-15, 8 a.m. to noon Grades: 3-6 Cost: $125 Contact: Pam Maisen, 501-951-6574 Emerging Writers Institute Dates: June 25-29, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Grades: 6-8 Dates: June 25-29, 1:30 to 5 p.m. Grades: 9-12 Cost: $125 Contact: Greg Graham, gxgraham@ualr.edu MT Stage: The Hamilton Experience Dates: June 25-29 with Student Showcase at 2 p.m. June 29 Grades: 7-9 Cost: Free Contact: 501-569-3410 or ��ڳٱ�峦��Գٱ��ܲ��.��

“MT Stage: The Hamilton Experience”

Summer Laureate University for Youth (SLUFY) Dates: July 9-20, 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Grades: K-8 Cost: $300 Contact: 501-569-3410 or giftedcenter@ualr.edu AP (Advanced Placement) PREP Boot Camp Dates: July 23-27, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Grades: Arkansas high school students enrolled in advanced placement courses in biology, calculus, chemistry, English, English literature, and statistics for fall 2018 Cost: Free

Each VEX Robotics camp costs $175 and includes a T-shirt, snacks, and robotics competition on the final day of camp. Contact Sandra Leiterman at saleiterman@ualr.edu for more information. VEX IQ for beginners Dates: Session 1: July 9-13, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Dates: Session 2: July 16-20, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Grades: 3-6 Girl Powered VEX EDR Dates: July 9-13, 1 to 4 p.m. Grades: Girls 6-12 VEX EDR Dates: July 16-20, 1 to 4 p.m. Grades 6-12 VEX IQ – Advanced session Dates: Session 1: July 23-27, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Dates: Session 2: July 23-27, 1 to 4 p.m. Grades: 3-6

Neva Dagtas (middle) of Little Rock celebrates as her robot, “Walle Jr.,” wins the robotics camp competition for fifth and sixth graders in June 2017.

George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology free residential summer camps

For the following camps, contact Vernard Henley, assistant dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology, at 501-569-8203 or vwhenley@ualr.edu for more information. High School Research Program Dates: July 9-28 Grades: 8-11 Applications due April 20 Engineering Scholars Program Dates: Session 1: June 17-23 Dates: Session 2: June 24-30 Grades: 8-11 Applications due April 20 EIT Middle School Summer Science Camp Dates: Session 1: July 8-13 Dates: Session 2: July 15-20 Grades: 5-7 Applications due April 30 Geology Camp Dates: June 10-15 Grades: 8-11 Applications due April 20 Girls Coding Camp Dates: July 22-27 Grades: 7-8 Applications due April 20

Trojan Athletics summer camp

Contact: Amy Burgess, amburgess1@ualr.edu Session I: June 4-7, June 11-14, Ages 4-12, $75 for eight lessons Session 2: June 18-21, June 25-28, Ages 4-12, $75 for eight lessons Session 3: July 9-12, July 16-19, Ages 4-12, $75 for eight lessons Session 4: July 23-26, July 30 – Aug. 2, Ages 4-12, $75 for eight lessons Session times of 4:30-5 p.m., 5 p.m.-5:30 p.m., 5:30-6 p.m., and 6-6:30 p.m. are available. Contact: Logan Dahms, lmdahms@ualr.edu Dates: June 11-14, June 25-28 Ages 5-8, Mini Camp, $120, and Ages 9-17, Regular Camp, $220 Contact: Steve Wiedower, slwiedower@ualr.edu, Robert Dallimore, rjdallimore@ualr.edu, Team Camp 1: June 21-22, $180 per day Team Camp 2: Aug. 1-3, $180 per day Advanced Skills Camp: June 23-24, Grades 9-12, $100 Mini Camp: June 18-20, Grades 1-4, $75 Individual Camp: June 18-20, Grades 5-12, $100 Contact: Van Compton, 501-607-2056 Hitter/Setter Camp: July 9-10, Grades 8-12, $50 Serve/Serve Receive Camp: July 1-12, Grades 8-12, $50 Defensive Specialist Camp: July 13, Grades 8-12, $35 Individual Camp: July 16-19, Grades 4-12, $150 Senior High Team Camp: July 23-24, $50 Junior High Team Camp: July 25-26, $50 Contact: Kyle Giusti, kjgiusti@ualr.edu Summer Kids Skills Camp: June 18-20, Grades 1-7, $150 Summer Showcase: July 19, Grades 9-12 and junior college athletes, $150

Applications available for ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 14:17:36 +0000

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 , ��Vlog��ý 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. ��Vlog��ý 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.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock hosts summer camps

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 16:04:15 +0000

Looking for an engaging summer program to keep a motivated student academically challenged, or interested in having the student explore a new interest, or build athletic skills? The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is hosting a variety of summer camps in musical theatre, writing, computer coding, basketball, volleyball, swimming, soccer, and more. Young Writers Camp Dates: June 19-23, 8 a.m. to noon Grades: 3-6 Cost: $125 Contact: Pam Maisen, 501.951.6574 Emerging Writers Institute Dates: June 19-23, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Grades: 7-9 Dates: June 26-30, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Grades: 10-12 Cost: $125 Contact: Greg Graham, gxgraham@ualr.edu MT Stage: The Hamilton Experience Dates: June 26-30 Grades: 7-8 Cost: Free Contact: 501.569.3410 or giftedcenter@ualr.edu Dates: July 10-21, 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Grades: K-8 Cost: $300 Contact: 501.569.3410 or giftedcenter@ualr.edu

Trojan Athletics summer camps

Van Compton, vxcompton@ualr.edu Hitter/Setter Camp: July 10-11, Grades 8-12, $50 Serve/Serve-Receive Camp: July 12-13, Grades 8-12, $50 Defensive Specialist Camp: July 14, Grades 8-12, $35 Individual Camp: July 17-20, Grades 4-12, $150 Senior High Team Camp: July 24-25, $50 Junior High Team Camp: July 26-27, $50 Contact: Amy Burgess, amburgess1@ualr.edu Session I: June 5-9, June 12-15, Ages 4-12, $75 for eight lessons Session II: June 19-22, June 26-29, Ages 4-12, $75 for eight lessons Session III: July 10-13, July 17-20, Ages 4-12, $75 for eight lessons Session IV: July 24-27, July 31 – Aug. 3, Ages 4-12, $75 for eight lessons Session times of 4:30-5 p.m., 5 p.m.-5:30 p.m., 5:30-6 p.m., and 6-6:30 p.m. are available. Contact: Adrian Blewitt, ablewitt@msn.com Individual Summer Camp: June 6-9, Ages 5-6 (half day), $120, and ages 7-13 (full day), $190 Individual Summer Camp: June 13-16, Ages 5-6 (half day), $120, and ages 7-13 (full day), $190 Discounts available for siblings and students participating in both weeks of camp. Session I: June 12-15, Grades K-3 (morning), $110, and Grades 4-12 (afternoon), $200 Session II: June 26-29, Grades K-3 (morning), $110, and Grades 4-12 (afternoon), $200 Session III: July 10-13, Grades K-3 (morning), $110, and 4-7 (afternoon), $200 Those who register before June 1 will receive a $15 discount. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty and staff will receive a 50 percent discount. Steve Wiedower, slwiedower@ualr.edu, or Robert Dallimore, rjdallimore@ualr.edu Team Camp 1: June 9-10, $180 per day Team Camp 2: Aug. 1-3, $180 per day Advanced Skills Camp: June 24-25, Grades 9-12, $100 Individual Camp: June 12-14, Grades 1-4 and 5-12, $95 Mini Camp: June 12-14, Grades 1-4, $75

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Benton Center

Tour of the Sciences Dates: June 12-16 Grades: 7-9 Applications due June 1

Computer Coding using Minecraft Dates: June 19-23 Grades: 8-12 Applications due June 12 In the upper right photo, April Blackburn teaches gifted children in the SLUFY program as they combine baking soda with Coke.

EIT employees take pie in the face for a good cause

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 17:32:00 +0000

Three University of Arkansas at Little Rock employees from the George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Technology graciously took pies in the face to raise money for the university’s chapter of the Society of Women Engineers. Three eager students got to shove a pie in the faces of Dean Lawrence Whitman, Dr. Steven Minsker, professor of computer science, and Amy Frets, EIT director of student services and retention, during Pi Day activities. Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant pi, which is celebrated on March 14 (3/14). The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Society of Women Engineers raised money by holding a bake sale, selling T-shirts, and holding an online auction of 20 pies donated by students and faculty. For every $1 spent, a person was able to cast a vote for one of seven EIT employees who volunteered to get a pie in the face. The other volunteers included Assistant Dean Vernard Henley; Ashley Henry-Saorrono, EIT senior recruitment and outreach coordinator; Dr. Mike Tramel, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering; and Treasure Williamson, EIT recruitment and outreach coordinator. Some volunteers worked hard to keep themselves from getting chosen. Tramel bought $50 worth of T-shirts and promptly placed his 50 votes for Dean Whitman. In the end, fundraiser organizers decided to use the top three people who received the most votes, leaving Whitman, Minsker, and Frets as the lucky winners. Olivia Pate, a sophomore majoring in geology and mathematics, said it was “very satisfying” to hit Minsker in the face with a pie, while Minsker said he would be happy to take a pie in the face every day for a good cause. “Who wouldn’t want to help out our future engineers?” Minsker said. “My only objection is that I am so good looking, and the crème covers up my good looks.” For more information about the Society of Women Engineers, contact Frets at amfrets@ualr.edu or Henry-Saorrono at alhenry@ualr.edu. In the upper right photo, Amy Frets, EIT director of student services and retention, and Dr. Steven Minsker, professor of computer science, stand next to the students who shoved pies in their faces to raise money for the Society of Women Engineers on Pi Day.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Applications available for ����Vlog��ý Little Rock’s free EIT summer camps

EIT employees take pie in the face to support women engineers

International STEAM delegates to visit ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

����Vlog��ý Little Rock hosts summer camps

Applications available for ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp

����Vlog��ý Little Rock hosts summer camps

EIT employees take pie in the face for a good cause

- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Applications available for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s free EIT summer camps

International STEAM delegates to visit ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

��Vlog��ý Little Rock hosts summer camps

��Vlog��ý Little Rock hosts summer camps