LANL's Ron Wieneke talks about Pueblo Elementary Schools Consortium

You're never too young to learn about science

Herbie the Mouse Bot.

Mar. 19, 2010—"Herbie the Mouse Bot" is just one of the many teaching aids Ron Wienecke of the Lab's Project Engineering Office uses to bring science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) into pueblo elementary school classrooms. Wieneke talked about the Pueblo Elementary Schools Consortium program sponsored by the Lab, Northern New Mexico College, and the LANL Foundation on KRSN 1490 AM Thursday.

Remembering how a visit from scientists involved in NASA's space program to his school in the 1960s had eventually led to his pursuing a career in nuclear engineering, Wieneke said that the pueblo program exposes young children to science and technology in order to spark their interest in STEM-related fields.

Workshops, activities

The program, which is now in its seventh year, includes a teacher workshop and a number of classroom activities taught by Lab scientists.

• Denise Thronas of Integrated Nuclear Planning teaches students in grades K through 2 how to make their own tie-dye t-shirts and links the activity to basic chemistry concepts and general mathematic concepts of fractions and grouping.
• Jeff Carmichael of Water Quality and RCRA tells kids in grades 3 and 4 the basics of aerodynamics, rocketry terminology, units of measure, and basic geometry to calculate the altitude of a rocket. After, the kids build model rockets, which they launch.
• Wieneke teaches Biology, Electronics, Aesthetics and Mechanics (BEAM) robotics, where students learn about robots and build their own solar-powered robot from a kit.
• Barbara Tenorio-Grimes of the Government Affairs Office coordinates the events with the various pueblos.

Program organizers are always looking for volunteers. To learn more, contact Tenorio-Grimes at 665-5121.

Listen to the entire interview here.

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Ron Wieneke teaches BEAM robotics.