Kids' Tech University offered en Español

Kids' Tech University is an opportunity for families and their children, ages nine to twelve, to do a day in the life at a college. And it really allows the parents and the kids to engage in science together and hopefully bring that home to continue developing that shared interest. So today we're doing Kids' University in Spanish, where we have thirty children registered, including mom and dad and siblings. It's about sixty-plus people. And I think the fact that you can show children that you can learn this in your native tongue and actually communicate in your native tongue and have the parents also be involved. I think it's only going to make STEM like stronger. I've been joking around with my friends that I have a favorite activity that is happening today and that one is building the robotic hand. I love that activity because as a microbiologist, I didn't have that like involvement in creating stuff. I was mostly testing and just learning about new biological processes. But it's really interesting how kids can build a robotic hand just using paper, using straws. And that really moved me. I think Kids' Tech University en Español is a tribute to Virginia Tech and Ut Prosim. We have support from our faculty, our staff. Directors like Dr. Collins, volunteers coming out of the woodwork to show their support for the Latin community and other communities as well. Myself, I was a child of an immigrant family. I never considered a career in STEM. So I hope that activities like this can really open families eyes and children's eyes into the possibilities that this is possible, this is within my reach. I do have these opportunities available to me and hopefully see themselves in STEM in the future.