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KINGSTON — Students and members of the community put their science, technology, engineering and math skills to the test on Wednesday during two seminars at Wyoming Seminary.
A study of acid mine water drainage from abandoned mines, and the art that can be created using mine water residue, was the focus of one of the seminars.
Residue in shades of gold and copper which had been dredged from the bottom of area streams was used to craft a variety of designs.
Andrea Nerozzi, Seminary’s Science Department co-chair, said thousands of miles of streams have been affected by mining, creating an adverse environment for fish and making the water undrinkable.
The same substance that negatively affects those waterways, however, can be re-purposed and used for artistic and commercial purposes.
In spite of the potential for productive use, the substance, which is a result of mine runoff, will continue to be problematic until it is aggressively addressed, Nerozzi said. Although the substance is not toxic, she said it severely threatens the life of fish that cannot access vegetation at the bottom of streams and die because of lack of food.
Across the hallway, students were equally enthusiastic about coding or computer programming, which was the topic of the second seminar.
Seniors Kevin Platt, Saran Sreeharikesan and Hunter Hughes told participants about coding that makes the use of apps and computer games possible.
Rachel Bartron, director of the school’s STEM program, said the event was the brainchild of members of the Engineering Club.
Sreeharikesan took attendees through basic steps of programming, which included moving a character around a screen through a series of commands.
Understanding coding is invaluable to students as they enter college and start careers, Sreeharikesan said.
“Any career which is technologically related requires coding,” said Sreeharikesan. “But even in other fields, it’s so important to know how to code.”
The STEM program encourages students to be creators and not simply consumers. The program encourages them to know how technology works and to create their own technological systems, such as apps and games.
Jill Carrick, director of the STEM program at the Seminary’s Lower School, said she looks forward to a similar event that will be held in January for students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
“Although originally many students begin slowly with basics, they often then begin to learn rapidly,” said Carrick. “They’re interested in using code to create their own programs.”
Carrick said the STEM program dovetails with the school’s philosophy of empowering students to learn independently.
“We have students from 24 different countries here,” said Gail Smallwood, Seminary’s associate director of communications. “We encourage dialogue and the sharing of ideas.”
