The STEM Division at Union County College will be launching a new course in Engineering designed to provide students with the higher level math skills they need to tackle engineering concepts, including calculus and to teach them how to use the software program, MATLAB. MATLAB is used in both the workforce and further along in one’s academics. This new course is innovative in its approach as it will be taught by both our engineering and math faculty. Also, Union has passed the first hurdle in the development of a Cyber Forensics program and will begin teaching the courses this fall.

Currently, several STEM students are participating in undergraduate research thanks to our many STEM grants. Four students are participating in undergraduate research opportunities with faculty in our STEM Division that are funded through a NASA NJ Space grant for community colleges. Two students, Charles Vickers and Anita Asare, are working with Dr. Tracy Felton and Dr. Marie Montes-Matias testing water and soil samples from possible super fund sites to identify which bacteria are present to determine what trends are prevalent in the region. The other two students, Thomas Rose and Christian Medina, are working with Dr. Albert Gottlieb on a Radio Jove telescope project, identifying, measuring, and tracking suns spots.

Through our Title V STEMpact grant in collaboration with Kean University, Union has a number of current initiatives as well as summer research programs. The Title V grant provided funding for the equipment for the new Engineering course and provided our students with interesting STEM Lounges and Collaborative learning sessions to keep the students engaged.

During the Fall semester, the STEM Division sponsored and hosted a Women in STEM event run by STEM faculty and STEM students to showcase our programs. Finally, the STEM Division also participates in the B2B consortium grant and will be sending several of our students to LSAMP Stokes funded institutions for summer research experiences.

Union Students Volunteer at Elizabeth Public Library for NJ Makers Day

Public libraries in each county of New Jersey recently hosted events to support New Jersey Makers Day. The Elizabeth Public Library held events at all four branches and invited Union County College students to assist with hosting events throughout the day. Union County College students Arnoldo Lara, Xavier Tavares, and Lara Siria, participated in the event.

Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage tinkers with circuits with a participant while Union student Xavier Tavares oversees the process.

Union students Mr. Lara and Mr. Tavares, trained under the mentorship of Union County College Professor Jennifer Ebert, on how to work with circuits and taught community members how to create and play with Little Bits circuits. Ms. Siria did a demonstration on the 3D printer and attendees had the opportunity to see a 3D printer in action and learn more about the technology and how it works.

In addition, the Union students who participated in the day’s events are Engineering students in the STEM Division. The two students are STEMpact student leaders. STEMpact is a grant held between Union and Kean University to help expand the academic assistance needed by students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses and majors.

New Jersey Makers Day began in 2015 to enhance community engagement and development connections among state residents by collaborating with multi-type libraries, museums, small business, and other to promote and explore new opportunities for entrepreneurship, innovation, and hands-on learning experiences.