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One of the most exciting things, and things that we're very proud of in the VOEIS project
is our outreach and education to
non-traditional and undergraduate, grade school kids, graduate students, everybody.
We've had a very thorough program in both Montana and Kentucky.
The first year of the VOEIS project, we actually worked with undergraduates with the Robinson Scholars program.
They took a trip out to Montana.
Barbara Kucera: They were in Montana for three days
and they participated in water sampling in Glacier National Park
and they made a presentation to the group.
Our high school programming is what's called the Water Pioneers program and we work with Appalachian
students. We're getting students outside with some hands-on activities where they can
really learn by digging in and experiencing it, rather than looking at a text book.
These project really fit into VOEIS because we have to start educating
our students somewhere about these topic areas.
I learned how to test the water and how to know if water's safe to drink
or to swim in or to use in any way. I probably would have never had the opportunity
to learn some of the things I learned in camp, if I didn't go.
Stephanie Jenkins: We work with the high school and then you give them a little bit more knowledge, and they
do the summit, and a little bit more knowledge, and maybe they solve a real world problem,
and then they go on to potentially do research in those specific areas.
Barbara Kucera: Water is really important and it's just a very important
thing for everybody to be knowledgeable about, and the sooner you can get kids interested
in it so they can go to college and become experts in it, the better.
You're creating a lot of awareness in kids and a lot of excitement in kids
to be able to start working in science.
Another real benefit from the VOEIS project
has been the mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students. I think
we've been successful in that we've been able to mentor students that are
underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The VOEIS project opens a lot of opportunities
for undergrad or graduates to experience something that they've tried before.
In my case, I was an undergrad when they first
recruited me for the project, and I was pretty inexperienced with the equipment.
But as time goes by, the longer you work with them, the more experience you gain from it.
The VOEIS project gives us, as educators, an opportunity
to really bring this to the people.