Corpus Christi high school students learn about STEM, engineering at NASA camp

John Oliva, Corpus Christi Caller Times
·2 min read

"Countdown on three," Sai Varshini Chinnasani said. "One, two, three!"

With a tug on a piece of rope, 14-year-old Chinnasani launched a homemade bottle rocket into the air at Del Mar College's Windward Campus on Saturday.

The community college held a NASA camp at its FEMA Dome thanks to a $1.2 million grant from the space administration. It was awarded to Texas A&M University-Kingsville in August 2021 with Del Mar College among the partnering higher education institutions.

Chinnasani and 18 other high school students engaged in hands-on activities to engage them in principles of science, technology, engineering and math.

Involved in robotics at Collegiate High School, Chinnasani said she applied for the one-day summer camp to learn more about the engineering aspect of robotics.

From the left, Nedal Shheber, associate professor of engineering and computer science at Del Mar College, and high school students Sai Varshini Chinnasani, Yadiel Escamilla and Raul Chavez step back after applying pressure into a homemade bottle rocket at Del Mar College's Windward Campus Saturday, June 4, 2022.
From the left, Nedal Shheber, associate professor of engineering and computer science at Del Mar College, and high school students Sai Varshini Chinnasani, Yadiel Escamilla and Raul Chavez step back after applying pressure into a homemade bottle rocket at Del Mar College's Windward Campus Saturday, June 4, 2022.

"I think engineering is the future of life," Chinnasani said. "It doesn't matter what field you go into; you're going to have to build something to use in your work. It's a great community here."

Students built air- and fuel-powered rockets and aircraft models and flew drones as part of the NASA camp.

Del Mar College will receive $180,000 over the three-year grant period from the $1.2 million grant. It will be used to help close the gap among underrepresented minorities, specifically Hispanics and women, in aerospace engineering, according to a news release.

Women made up only 15% of those in engineering jobs in 2019, while Hispanic workers made up 9%, according to the Pew Research Center. Chinnasani was one of four female students at Saturday's camp.

Nedal Shheber, associate professor of engineering and computer science at Del Mar College, said the grant will allow the institution to hold the camp for the next two summers. He said he hopes it will bring more awareness to the STEM field for students.

"We're trying to recruit and engage students and show them what STEM has to offer," Shheber said. "Students tend to shy away from math and science, so I'm hoping the camp shows them those subjects are fun and interesting."

A homemade rocket falls from the sky at Del Mar College's Windward Campus Saturday, June 4, 2022.
A homemade rocket falls from the sky at Del Mar College's Windward Campus Saturday, June 4, 2022.

Yan Xu, professor of computer science and a co-investigator of the grant, said he hopes the camp will help ultimately help lead to the first aerospace engineering bachelor's degree in South Texas.

"STEM can train students and help them with logic thinking and problem-solving skills," Xu said. "We're training the next generation to inspire a new world for us. They'll take us to the moon, Mars and back if we're lucky."

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John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com or Twitter @johnpoliva. Consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to the Caller-Times.  

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: High school students learn about STEM at NASA camp