The STEM Expo, presented every fall by MSU’s Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education (CEMSE), has grown into a must-visit event for the area’s students, parents, and teachers interested in STEM thanks to the Expo’s varied and dynamic STEM activities presented in workshops and by exhibitors. About 700 students plus 300 exhibitors, volunteers and guests participated in this year’s event, which offered many new activities, including six student workshops covering age- and grade-appropriate STEM topics where students gained new skills.

Visitors to the exhibit hall were invited to fly drones, program robots, write computer code, create a hydroponic plant holder for space, and even create a prototype of future footwear for female astronauts. “It was cool and eye opening to view all of the different STEM opportunities,” said Ephrata, a high school student. “I learned [STEM isn’t just] robots and mechanics. I found the Girls in Space Club to be the most interesting because it allowed me to view STEM in a new way.”

As a special treat this year, several distinguished guests were in attendance, including retired Lt. Col. George E. Hardy, a Tuskegee Airmen Red Tail pilot and engineer; Adrienne Jones, the Maryland House of Delegates speaker; Dr. Joi Spraggins, a Tuskegee Airmen historian, and founder and CEO of the Legacy Bridges STEM Academy; and Dr. Hongtao Yu, MSU provost.

“It was an honor to hear retired Lt. Col. Hardy, Tuskegee Airman, who flew missions during WWII and the Korean and Vietnam Wars, inspire students with his story of service to our great nation, and his love for engineering and education,” said Louie Lopez, DoD STEM director.

“STEM-based industries are the drivers of our state’s economy,” said Maryland House of Delegates Speaker Adrienne Jones during her presentation to students. “So whether you want to create the next social media platform, become a marine biologist, or develop a life-saving vaccine, a STEM education will give you a competitive edge in a global economy.”

DoD STEM was represented by STEM professionals from the Army Educational Outreach Program, U.S. Army DEVCOM, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army Public Health Center, Naval STEM, NSWC Carderock Division, Missile Defense Agency, the SMART Scholarship Program, and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

Several Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC) partners participated in the event—including the Center for Excellence in Education, Learning Undefeated, REC Foundation, TGR Foundation, and the Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM—which served to create visible synergy between complementary STEM outreach programs supported by the Department of Defense.

“What I liked about the STEM Expo was holding the Madagascar cockroach, playing with Meta Quest 2 virtual reality, and learning to grow plants without dirt!” said an elementary school student named Lyric.

In the 10 years since its founding, the MSU STEM Expo has exposed thousands of students from Pre-K through college in the Greater Baltimore area to invigorating hands-on STEM learning opportunities and activities. The university fosters a robust culture of innovation that has led to significant intellectual property disclosures, U.S. Patent Applications, start-up companies affiliated with the university, and tech transfer agreements. MSU estimates that 17 percent of MSU alumni are employed in STEM fields, vs. 11 percent for all Maryland institutes of high education.