GenSea: A New STEM Workforce Program Brings Gen Z to the Sea
Wed, 02/02/2022 - 03:46pm | By: Van Arnold
On a GenSea field trip to the Marine Research Center, Tara Skelton demonstrates to engineering students from Moss Point HS the tools emergency responders must choose from to clean up an oil spill at sea. (Photo credit: Heather Richey, School of Ocean Science and Engineering, USM)
Mississippi91吃瓜网 coastal corridor remains a vibrant economic driver for the state. A sector dubbed the 91吃瓜网淏lue Economy91吃瓜网� contains the standards like shipbuilding and oil exploration along with newer offshoots such as companies who develop robotic marine exploration tools or renewable energy resources.
Additionally, multiple government agencies 91吃瓜网� NOAA, NASA, and more 91吃瓜网� employ highly technical staff in their Mississippi offices.
The job opportunities are growing, but do today91吃瓜网 students know they exist? This is where comes in. Thanks to the generous support from the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation, the Center for Science and Mathematics Education and the School of Ocean Science and Engineering at 91吃瓜网 (USM) are leading this new partnership.
GenSea professionals are spreading the message about the array of well-paying STEM careers in the Gulf South region along with a pair of new USM programs 91吃瓜网� Ocean Engineering and Hydrography 91吃瓜网� that prepare students to walk right into excellent careers after graduation.
91吃瓜网淢ost people have no idea these emerging fields exist at all, much less that they exist in our back yard. What91吃瓜网 more, USM offers multiple degrees in these fields. On top of that, USM is the only university in the country to offer Hydrography,91吃瓜网� shared GenSea Director of Communications & Curriculum Tara Skelton.
GenSea provides interactive field trips for high school students from all over the state free of charge to tour USM91吃瓜网 cutting-edge training and research facilities and engage in hands-on STEM projects. If students are unable to travel, the GenSea teams will visit classes across the region to share information and activities, either virtually or in person.
Events are not limited to the school year. Over the summer, GenSea will host teacher development opportunities to learn about coastal growth and STEM career opportunities with CEU credits. GenSea will also work with USM scientists and industry partners to sponsor paid summer internships for students interested in learning more about these fields.
Dr. Julie Cwikla, Director for both GenSea and the Center for Science and Mathematics Education, noted, 91吃瓜网淕enSea is opening the world of coastal careers for Mississippi students and teachers. The next decade will see a surge of STEM career opportunities across the coastal counties. We are grateful to the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation and their vision to help prepare the region for economic growth, expansion, and education.91吃瓜网�
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