Robots, astronauts and microscopes delight youngsters at Wicked STEM Expo
Sep. 25—MILFORD — The science and engineering communities left their labs and workshops and came together at the Hampshire Dome on Saturday to share their work and passions with children and families.
The New Hampshire Union Leader's Wicked STEM Expo brought together science, technology and engineering teachers and professionals, and gave science-inclined youngsters a chance to learn about what they do — and play with some high-tech toys.
Corrin Wilson of Bedford brought her husband and three children to the expo for a chance to learn something new and get off the couch. She wanted to expose her children to some of the programs and exhibitors, from robotics to environmental consultants to advanced manufacturing. No arm-twisting required — the whole family is interested in science, she said with a laugh.
"We're nerds!"
Manchester-born astronaut Lee Morin spoke to a rapt audience about his career at NASA — his space walks outside the International Space Station, and now working on the Artemis missions that are meant to take people to the moon for the first time in 50 years.
The STEM Expo was aimed at high school and college students, but most of those who attended were families with younger children who heard about the event through their children's robotics teams.
Because of their exposure to robotics, even elementary school-aged children were engaged with exhibitors like Hypertherm, the Upper Valley company that makes plasma cutters and other precision-cutting tools.
Daniel Krajewski, 10, of Windham, listened as Hypertherm's Tim Renner explained how one of the company's machines uses cuts metal with a high-pressure water jet.
"That's like 5,000 elephants standing on a square inch of material," Renner said as Krajewski peered into a partly-dissembled cutter.
Science wasn't the only draw, of course.
"What was your favorite part of this?" Maria Oram of Bedford asked her son Benjamin, 7.
Benjamin thought for a moment.
"The candy!"
