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Encouraging the Next Generation of Researchers

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Students learn about STEM with experts.

Students at Pleasant Acres Elementary School get hands-on during an NCSA-organized STEAM event.

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NCSA is more than a supercomputing center supporting academic research. The Center actively engages in outreach efforts to bring the joy and wonder of scientific exploration to the community. The Center participates in events like Engineering Open House (EOH) and the I-Sci Explorers program in large part to help inspire young minds in the hopes that one day these young people will become the next generation of researchers who will change the world. Outreach and engagement work requires partnering with, and hiring specialists who are experts at finding ways to connect with community members and organizations to share inspirational stories about science and research. J.D. Graham, an outreach and engagement specialist, is just one example of the tireless staff at NCSA who help support these efforts.

This fall, Graham helped lead a collaborative effort to bring an interactive STEAM event to Pleasant Acres Elementary School in Rantoul, Illinois. The event buzzed with excitement as students from kindergarten through fifth grade embarked on a day of scientific discovery. Graham and Principal Samatha “Samie” Sebestik organized the event, which brought hands-on, immersive learning to life, igniting curiosity and enthusiasm for science across all grade levels.

Students gather around a table with pieces of skeletons for various animals.
Students piece together a skeleton with IGB.

The event featured four mobile science units from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.), each offering students a unique and engaging experience. In the Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB) Outreach/Mobile Science Learning Lab, students explored the animal kingdom by piecing together bones to identify skeletons and handling live creatures like Madagascar hissing cockroaches and a tarantula. The Traveling Science Center captivated students with interactive exhibits on plant and animal species, emphasizing the importance of environmental stewardship.

Students and staff get ready to jump while linked together.
Students perform an experiment with the Physics Van crew.
Staff perform an experiment that creates a visible gas.
The Physics Van staff show students the wonder of science.

In the gym, the Physics Van, a mobile science show for kids sponsored by the Grainger College of Engineering Physics Department, amazed K-2 students with energetic demonstrations of forces, energy, and pressure, culminating in an exciting finale that ended with a literal bang. Meanwhile, the Cancer Center at Illinois transformed the library into a hub of problem-solving, where students worked together to construct human-sized enclosures using limited materials, racing against the clock in a fun, team-oriented challenge.

Students use long pieces of thin wood strips to build a rudimentary tent shape.
Students work together to build a shelter.
The tent shape is fully constructed in this image.
Success!
A garbage can is propelled into the air by gas.
This Physics Van demonstration shows the power of pressure as they launch a garbage can up into the air with a simple physical reaction.

The fifth visitor to the school, the Double Dutch Bus, a non-U. of I. unit, added a lively twist to the day. The Double Dutch Bus comes from the incredible mind of the late Dr. William Patterson, who championed bringing STEM to children in neighborhoods where there was a lack of access to such educational opportunities. Activities in the Double Dutch Bus promoted rhythm and movement. Students who visited the bus practiced teamwork and coordination in an energetic display of double-dutch jump roping.

This event highlighted the power of community partnerships in transforming education. Principal Sebestik’s dedication to creating dynamic, enriching experiences for her students, combined with the expertise of the NCSA and U. of I. outreach teams, ensured a day filled with learning, laughter, and inspiration. “It’s partnerships like these that bring the University’s resources to the local community. This is where we can light that spark of curiosity in a child’s eyes,” said J.D. Graham, who has been instrumental in coordinating outreach events across Illinois.

NCSA is all about collaboration – it’s embedded in everything we do. That spirit of teamwork makes us a natural fit for leading STEAM outreach efforts.

–J.D. Graham, NCSA

The success of this STEAM event sets the stage for future collaborations, with plans already in motion for Pleasant Acres students to visit the U. of I. campus in the spring. By delivering innovative, hands-on science experiences directly to students, NCSA and its partners continue their mission to make STEAM education accessible, exciting and impactful for all.For more information on upcoming outreach events or how to get your school involved, please contact J.D. Graham at jgraham@illinois.edu.

NCSA’s J.D. Graham, outreach and engagement specialist, contributed to this story.

ABOUT NCSA
The National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign provides supercomputing, expertise and advanced digital resources for the nation’s science enterprise. At NCSA, University of Illinois faculty, staff, students and collaborators from around the globe use innovative resources to address research challenges for the benefit of science and society. NCSA has been assisting many of the world’s industry giants for over 35 years by bringing industry, researchers and students together to solve grand challenges at rapid speed and scale.

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